Anti-Semitism

Then the people as a whole answered, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matt. 27:25).

            When I was a boy, I had a friend who attempted to get the best possible deal whenever he bought something. One time my friend thought he had outsmarted the owner of a Second Hand Goods Store when he purchased an old radio for a bargain price. The radio worked fine but had a very limited range. “That old man jewed me”, he said angrily when he realized his deal was not so great. Although we both knew the store owner was not Jewish, that expression was commonly used at that time to portray Jews as people who took advantage of others in Business.

            In this passage from Matthew, some Jews seemly take responsibility for Christ’s Death. By doing so, they provide a pretext for the Anti-Semitism which the Church is still struggling to overcome today.

            Within the New Testament, numerous texts have been used by Christians to justify hatred towards Jews. Some of these passages accuse the Jewish people of murdering Jesus while others are a response to their rejection of the Gospel. Yet, these texts were written by Jews who grasped the unique role their people played in God’s Saving Plan. Since early Christians saw themselves as within, rather than apart from, the Jewish People, these passages likely reflected the intensity of a debate which occurred within that Community, similar to the harsh words used by many Old Testament Prophets. As Christ’s followers experienced greater persecution from other Jews, their response grew more hostile. Since these texts were the product of a specific historical time, they should not be associated with the Gospel Message.

            During Holy Week the differences between Christian and Jewish Beliefs are made clear. Even Jews who appreciate the Moral and Spiritual Teachings of Jesus do not accept him as the Messiah and Savior of the world. Catholics must accept and respect this reality. They must also recognize the death of Jesus was not caused by the Jewish people as a whole but the result of the sins of humanity, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches. Numerous Jewish and Roman Leaders manipulated a crowd of individuals to have Jesus crucified. We cannot hold the Jewish people of today responsible for events which happened 2,000 years ago. Catholics must defend the right of all individuals to profess and practice their Religious Beliefs. They should oppose all actions which stereotype or dehumanize any group of people. One way to accomplish this goal is to think carefully about the language we use when talking about members of other groups. Our words usually say more about us than other groups. As my friend revealed that day, Anti-Semitic remarks can often come without even realizing it.

            Sadly, Anti-Semitism is still common today. The Church has made it clear it goes against Catholic Teaching. All Catholics need to make that doctrine a lived reality in our society.

 

April 7, 2023