Enlighten our hearts

I read in a few places (here's one) the past couple days about peoples' reactions to changes the pope made in one of the Easter prayers used in the Latin mass. The reformulated prayer calls for Jews' hearts to be enlightened so that the may acknowledge Jesus Christ. Understandably, some Jewish leaders are kind of upset about that; they were expecting a different reformulation, probably something closer to the current version of the 1970 missal: "Let us pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear the word of God, that they may continue to grow in the love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant."

And so Cardinal Kasper is trying to make the best of this, essentially saying we cleaned up some of the more offensive terms in the prayer but we still have to be true to who we are as Christians by praying for Jews to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. But heck, why stop with the Jews? Why not add Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists to the prayer? And the atheists and animists, why not?

Well of course we Christians want everyone to join us! This is an evangelistic religion after all, it's part what we're called to do. But, how we do that makes a lot of difference. And I don't believe the changes to the Latin Easter prayer are the right way to accomplish any sort of evangelization or conversion because they are not respectful.

Explicitly calling out one group for conversion seems like an unhealthy preoccupation. Why get stuck on the Jews? Why not call for the conversion of all people? I can understand why Jews would be upset about this.

May all our hearts be enlightened this Lenten and Easter season, regardless of where we worship, or if we worship at all. A truly heart-felt enlightenment will call us to deeper mutual respect and acceptance. As someone once said: 'love your neighbor'. Inherent in love is respect.

Comments

[susan]

As always, I find your insights refreshing. Amen brother.

[+ Alan]

Interesting, some of these liturgical prayer changes. On the Jewish thing, I'm sure the singling out is because of our close relatedness to the Jewish faith, given by God to Israel (using them as an example of all mankind) - because Christianity is understood as the fulfillment of Judaism in the story of our salvation. So, I understand that I suppose. Of course, there are a number of things I might shift a bit if I were so consulted - whhhiiiiich will likely never happen. :)

[Steve Bogner]

Susan - Thanks! Good luck with the de-cluttering :)

Hi Alan - Yeah, I can see that the Jews would be singled out because the roots of Christianity are Jewish; but then that would also call for (in my opinion, anyway) a greater amount of respect, too. But like you, they didn't ask me about that :)

[Jeff]

Steve,

See, what a can of worms this Motu Proprio about the Latin Mass opened up, in so many ways. Considering the troubled history we've had with Judaism, including a history of persecutions (people can flame away if they like, but it's a fact), we should just drop this stuff from the liturgy. We've made so much progress in Jewish-Catholic relations over the past few decades, why take steps backwards with this? It's obnoxious.

We had Benediction and Stations of the Cross at my parish on Friday night. The deacon was using a booklet with an imprimatur from 1965, becuase he liked the fact that it had lots of scripture in it, but it also had excerpts from the Reproaches of Good Friday for the 12th Station. I wouldn't read them. I have a hard time seeing how they would comply with the USCCB's Guidelines on the Presentation of Jews and Judaism in Catholic Preaching, and the Vatican's Guidelines And Suggestions For Implementing The Conciliar Declaration "Nostra Aetate"

[Don]

I couldn't agree more. I think we evangelize best when we proselytize least. As St. Francis might remind us, we should preach the gospel everyday and only use words when necessary. Our love of each other and for the stranger would do more to convert than any words we could utter.

[Mary H]

Hi Steve,
The current version from the 1970 missal is so loving and kind, why get rid ot it?
I can't help wondering what my 7 year old great-niece and great-nephew will make of this new prayer since they have a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. I suppose the Church Fathers don't care about the hurt that they do to families of a "mixed marriage."
Thanks for a great post!
Mary H.

[James]

One interesting tangent about this revision of the 1962 missal prayer for the Jews is that it has been "revised". CHANGED. The 1962 Missal is not set in stone- it is not irremediable.

And what a ludicrous fuss by the Jews. How many people will be in attendance at a service where this is used? Very few. And if they can hear it, it will be in Latin anyway. How many of those people will be Latin-speaking Jews?

[Steve Bogner]

Hey Jeff, good points, as always. 'Can of worms' does seem appropriate. We have made a lot of progress in Catholic-Jewish relations, which we shouldn't lose sight of now. But I suppose progress isn't always a nice straight path.

Don - If we actually did that, consistently, what an example it would set!

Hi Mary - I really like the version you mention. it's the one I grew-up with and I always thought how good it was that we recognized the Jews in that way. I like the post-Vatican 2 changes in liturgy and liturgical prayers. I also like the tradition of the church, that richness it provides. But things change, we adapt them and (hopefully) make them better.

Hi James - Yes, things can and do change. If I speak disrespectfully of a person, even if they don't hear it or can't understand it, I believe it still does some damage. I like that story where Jesus says it's not what goes into our mouths that's make us unclean, but what comes out of them. Simply having that prayer 'on the books' implies there's a communal acceptance of what it says.

[Victor]

"Let us pray for the Jewish people, the first to hear the word of God, that they may continue to grow in the love of his name and in faithfulness to his covenant."

Those words above are great words Steve and I was lost for “Words” on this topic so I wondered what my so called imaginary friends from the hotel of fools might be thinking. Obviously none of this as been sanctioned that I truly know of so we’ll all need to taste, I mean take “IT” with a few grains of salt.

Anyway, they wanted me to support them just because they come out with flattery words like, Jesus, Victor, Lord and Redeemer please talk to them! I don’t know who they want me to talk about or to whom so I just told them to forget “IT” and that I would only do their bidding when Jesus “The Christ” taps me on the shoulder.

Personally, I think that some of them are mean spirited because they said that some Jews are still out to “Crucify” any body who says that “JESUS” is "Truly The Only Begotten Son of God." These so call gods from the hotel of fools say that we are all in for eternal trouble if this small majority of Jews don’t soon learn that no matter how many human sacrifices are offered, “IT” will never erase the fact that "Christ Jesus" was crucified by “The Jews.” They go on to say that “The Holy Trinity” has forgiven them and He’ll even forgive them for all people that they put to death if these forgiven sins will only ask for forgiveness. They went on to say that only “Praying with a sincere Heart can help to overcome this situation and hiding from the problem for more than 2000 years with only make "IT" worst. They went on to say that for now the last are really first and that these forgiven sins who truly believe that they are number “One” are simply dreaming and this dream will eventually turn into a “Nightmare” and they will lose all that was given them if they don’t Men their ways soon.

I’ll close by saying that I told them that this is really none of my business and if “The Holy Spirit” decides to make “IT” my fight “HE” knows where to find me. I know that doing “The Trinity’s Work is where true happiness lies so I can’t wait for “Christ” to tap me on the shoulder and say “Come on Victor let’s go and pay your good Bishop a visit!”

God Bless All His Children

[crystal]

Hi Steve. I like the post-Vatican II version best.

I noticed Insight Scoop had a post defending the changes and saying that the Pope just wanted to ... underline the specific difference that exists between us and Judaism.

But I don't this difference will come as news to anyone and I can't help thinking we should be looking for what we have in common rather than what we don't.

[Steve Bogner]

Victor - Thanks for commenting; it might take me a while to digest all that, but I think we're in agreement :)

Hi Crystal! Well sure, Christianity and Judaism are different... I agree with you - why would anyone think that fact needed more attention? Looking for common ground is important; of course we have to acknowledge differences, and we can also show some sensitivity towards them.

[Patrick]

Hi Steve and other Seekers of the Truth.

Jesus was a Jew. The charge against Him was King of the Jews. So when we as the Roman Catholic Church pray for the Jews are we including Jesus? This might seem a trite question, But it strikes for me at the heart of our thinking in these matters. Do we think we know better than God our loving Father. Somewhere between five and six million people of Jewish tradition in the middle of the last century, as well as many more women and men who died in inquisitions and witch hunts and other "situations" orchastrated by the Roman Catholic Church authorities, might want to ask questions and comment on this matter.. I will refrain from mentioning more recent abuses of the Innocence of the Children and vulnerable adults, by some clerics/religious and the attempts to conceal this abuse by some members of the hierarchy. They tell me charity begins at home, maybe in praying for conversions to Jesus's message of LOVE and Forgiveness/Mercy we could begin somewhere closer to the hearth!! Excuse the 'pun'.

Blessed are you who seek the truth. We can see from John 8 that Jesus was always more Loving than Judging. The story of the Woman caught in adultery, I am still wondering "where is the man?" I am not in a position to judge But I can and will observe and comment on what I see as inconsistencies by those who are asked to Shepherd me in the search for truth. Truth has found me, I just have difficulty recognising Him. Maybe it's time we stopped judging the Jews and Judas, for giving us Our Saviour. Instead we could begin saying Thank you and Forgive us for not thankiing you sooner!!!