Relationship of Catholicism and Judaism

[JaneBond007]

SOURCE

Q&A
From the November AD 2004
Our Lady of the Rosary
Parish Bulletin​

Question: The local paper has a Jewish section. I’ve noticed that, very often, the prayers they print are similar to Catholic prayers. Is there a relationship between the Jewish and Catholic religions?
Answer: Absolutely! Catholicism is the fulfillment of Judaism. Almost all of what Catholics call the Old Testament can be found in the books which the Jews consider scriptural. (The few remaining books, Tobias, Judith, Wisdom, Ecclesiaticus, Baruch, 1 & 2 Machabees, and parts of Daniel and Esther were written by Jews in Greek instead of Hebrew and are therefore omitted from the Jewish Canon of Scripture.) The Ten Commandments, which embody God’s Natural Law, found in the Books of Exodus and Deuteronomy, are the basis for all human moral and civil law. A great deal of the material found in both Jewish and Catholic prayers is taken from the Scriptures—especially the Psalms—so the similarities are not accidental, but the result of having a common source.
Like traditional Catholics, orthodox Jews employ a liturgical language. The revelations by God to Moses and most of the prophets were written down in Hebrew, and that language is used for the public worship of traditional Judaism. Even though Jews in Palestine were speaking Aramaic by the time of Christ, and now speak the various languages of the modern world, Hebrew remains the official liturgical language of the observant Jew. Hebrew is to the Jew as Latin is to the Catholic.
The synagogue service of the Jews is similar to our “Mass of the Catechumens,” a series of scriptural readings and a commentary or sermon by someone trained in their meaning. The rabbi who presides over the synagogue is a doctor of the Old Testament law. Like the Protestant minister, the rabbi has no priestly character—both serve as teachers, administrators and presiders, but have no sacrificial function.
Up until the time of Christ, the center of Jewish worship was at the single Temple in Jerusalem, where bloody animal and non-bloody cereal sacrifices and offerings were made to God, who dwelled in the Holy of Holies, in accordance with His instructions which are found in the books of Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The descendants of Moses’ brother Aaron were true priests—intermediaries between God and man, offering sacrifice on behalf of sinful mankind. These sacrifices were planned by God as a foreshadowing of the bloody Sacrifice on the Cross, and its un-bloody renewal in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of the Mass. When the Catholic priest offers Holy Mass, he joins Jesus Christ in offering the Sacrifice of the Cross—the perfect fulfillment of the imperfect offerings of the Temple—perfect because, in the Catholic Sacrifice, the Victim offered to God is the perfect Victim, Christ Himself.
God’s presence—the Shekinah—inhabited the Holy of Holies, just beyond the altar of the Temple at Jerusalem, a real and local presence somewhat like the Eucharistic Presence in the tabernacles on the altars of Catholic churches. The tearing of the veil of the Holy of Holies, “from the top even to the bottom,” suggests that the Shekinah no longer dwelt in the Temple after the crucifixion of Christ.http://www.rosarychurch.net/answers/qa112004a.html#_edn1 Not long after (A.D. 70), the Temple would be completely destroyed as our Lord predicted.[ii] The animal sacrifices to God were forever concluded and fulfilled in the Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
The Passover seder—the sacrifice each year commemorating the Exodus from bondage in Egypt—provided the context for the Last Supper and the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. The unleavened bread and pure grape wine become the Body and Blood of Christ—the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb pointed to the Sacrifice of the true Lamb of God on the Cross—the liberation from the bondage of sin.
In every Mass we ask God to accept the offering of the Eucharistic Sacrifice: “as Thou didst deign to accept the offerings of Abel, Thy just servant, and the sacrifice of Abraham our Patriarch, and that which Thy chief priest Melchisedech offered unto Thee, a holy sacrifice and a spotless victim.” Abel, Abraham, and Melchisedech were priests of the Old Testament even before Moses and Aaron. Abel, the first to offer sacrifice to God, put to death by his envious brother; Abraham, the obedient one of God, willing to sacrifice his only son; and Melchisedech, the mysterious king-priest, offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. All of these Old Testament priests point to the eternal priesthood of the New Testament.

 

[JaneBond007]

Contd.

In September of 1938, commenting on this text in the Canon of the Mass, Pope Pius XI, told a group of Belgian pilgrims, “Abraham is called our patriarch, our ancestor. Anti-Semitism is not compatible with the reality of this text; it is a movement which Christians cannot share. No, it is not possible for Christians to take part in anti-Semitism. We are Semites spiritually.”[iii] The great Pope referred, of course, to the rising of Nazism—but he would have been equally scandalized by the notion that Catholicism might be reckoned equal in value with Judaism, rather than the divinely mandated development and fulfillment of the latter. Again, Pope Pius spoke with Nazism (and, very likely, with other forms of totalitarianism) in mind:

14. No faith in God can for long survive pure and unalloyed without the support of faith in Christ. "No one knoweth who the Son is, but the Father: and who the Father is, but the Son and to whom the Son will reveal Him" (Luke x. 22). "Now this is eternal life: That they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou has sent" (John xvii. 3). Nobody, therefore, can say: "I believe in God, and that is enough religion for me," for the Savior's words brook no evasion: "Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John ii. 23).

15. In Jesus Christ, Son of God made Man, there shone the plentitude of divine revelation. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets last of all, in these days hath spoken to us by His Son" (Heb. i. 1). The sacred books of the Old Testament are exclusively the word of God, and constitute a substantial part of his revelation; they are penetrated by a subdued light, harmonizing with the slow development of revelation, the dawn of the bright day of the redemption. As should be expected in historical and didactic books, they reflect in many particulars the imperfection, the weakness and sinfulness of man. But side by side with innumerable touches of greatness and nobleness, they also record the story of the chosen people, bearers of the Revelation and the Promise, repeatedly straying from God and turning to the world. Eyes not blinded by prejudice or passion will see in this prevarication, as reported by the Biblical history, the luminous splendor of the divine light revealing the saving plan which finally triumphs over every fault and sin. It is precisely in the twilight of this background that one perceives the striking perspective of the divine tutorship of salvation, as it warms, admonishes, strikes, raises and beautifies its elect. ...Nothing but ignorance and pride could blind one to the treasures hoarded in the Old Testament.

16. Whoever wishes to see banished from church and school the Biblical history and the wise doctrines of the Old Testament, blasphemes the name of God, blasphemes the Almighty's plan of salvation, and makes limited and narrow human thought the judge of God's designs over the history of the world: he denies his faith in the true Christ, such as He appeared in the flesh, the Christ who took His human nature from a people that was to crucify Him; and he understands nothing of that universal tragedy of the Son of God who to His torturer's sacrilege opposed the divine and priestly sacrifice of His redeeming death, and made the new alliance the goal of the old alliance, its realization and its crown.

17. The peak of the revelation as reached in the Gospel of Christ is final and permanent. It knows no retouches by human hand; it admits no substitutes or arbitrary alternatives such as certain leaders pretend to draw from the so-called myth of race and blood. Since Christ, the Lord's Anointed, finished the task of Redemption, and by breaking up the reign of sin deserved for us the grace of being the children God, since that day no other name under heaven has been given to men, whereby we must be saved (Acts iv. 12). No man, were every science, power and worldly strength incarnated in him, can lay any other foundation but that which is laid: which is Christ Jesus (1 Cor. iii 11). Should any man dare, in sacrilegious disregard of the essential differences between God and His creature, between the God-man and the children of man, to place a mortal, were he the greatest of all times, by the side of, or over, or against, Christ, he would deserve to be called prophet of nothingness, to whom the terrifying words of Scripture would be applicable: "He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh at them" (Psalms ii. 3). [iv]

Yet, deluded by Modernism, some members of the Catholic hierarchy today insist that belief in Jesus Christ is not necessary for the salvation of Jewish people who cling to the Law of Moses. They pay no attention to the words of our Lord to the gentile Centurion:

Amen I say to you, I have not found such great faith in Israel. And I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.[v]

There are a great many similarities between authentic Judaism and authentic Catholicism. It is the height of uncharity to cease praying that the Jewish people may some day accept Jesus Christ. It is—how do they say it?—“anti-Semitic.” Spiritually, we are Semites, and there is no room in our Holy Faith to despise our forebears in God’s divine revelation.

Q&A NOTES:

Matthew xxvii: 51.

[ii] Matthew xxiii: 38-xxiv: 2.

[iii] The New York Times December 12, 1938, p. 1, 1, .http://www.catholicleague.org/pius/piusnyt/piusxiandxii.htm

[iv] Pope Pius XI, Mit brennender Sorge, March 14, 1937. Paragraph numbering as given at www.vatican.va may vary in other editions. The material in color was omitted from the print edition of The Parish Bulletin.

[v] Matthew viii: 10-12.




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[Crackers Phinn]

Catholicism is the fulfillment of Judaism.

I would toss this quote out during Torah study for laughs but I guess I shouldn't let the devil use me.

 

[JaneBond007]

I know that many would not agree. It's not saying that YOU are not fulfilled. The reason it is the fulfillment is that it saw the Messiah. That's not to say that YOU believe that Jesus is the Messiah. As for the catholic stance, it's not about any Replacement Theology as promoted by protestants either. To fully comprehend, one would need to know the actual catholic theology. I don't believe you know anything about catholic theology from catholic doctrine and texts from a first source.

@crackersPhinn

I have Jewish family (born orthodox and fully halachically Jewish of Hebrew origins and dna...not converts from a christian past or any other beliefset or atheism, not Reform, Reconstructionists...not even Conservative/Conservadox) ...and we can sit and talk about these things without throwing any shade at each other. It's a matter of just being where you are. We know that people do not see eye-to-eye and we are okay with that. It's all about respect. If you started a thread in the Off-Topic about how offensive that misunderstood statement in catholicism is to you, I'd comprehend it fully and respect your right to discuss it. Trust me. But for the Christian Forum, I think some places were fashioned for certain religious expression and that it should be kept sacred. I take the Shmuley Boteach viewpoint on monotheist faiths and beliefs and remain open to seeing viewpoints per their own theology, which makes a lot of sense, actually. He's a very wise rabbi. The world is so big.

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I don't believe you know anything about catholic theology from catholic doctrine and texts from a first source.

Based on what?

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I have Jewish family (born orthodox and fully halachically Jewish of Hebrew origins and dna...not converts from a christian past or any other beliefset or atheism, not Reform, Reconstructionists...not even Conservative/Conservadox) ...and we can sit and talk about these things without throwing any shade at each other.

1. A re-introduction to who you are is not necessary. I been reading your posts for almost 7 years. Your style and choice of topics doesn't change.

2. How are you going to reference not throwing shade when you call yourself dropping the Orthodox pedigree?

3. Methinks you know that your family is the minority of "Orthodox and halachically Jewish insert rest of pedigree here" that would verbally cut you into shreds for even suggesting what this article means. Even my little convert brain can process that people might not take this article too kindly.

 

[Galadriel]

I know that many would not agree. It's not saying that YOU are not fulfilled. The reason it is the fulfillment is that it saw the Messiah. That's not to say that YOU believe that Jesus is the Messiah. As for the catholic stance, it's not about any Replacement Theology as promoted by protestants either. To fully comprehend, one would need to know the actual catholic theology. I don't believe you know anything about catholic theology from catholic doctrine and texts from a first source.

@crackersPhinn

I have Jewish family (born orthodox and fully halachically Jewish of Hebrew origins and dna...not converts from a christian past or any other beliefset or atheism, not Reform, Reconstructionists...not even Conservative/Conservadox) ...and we can sit and talk about these things without throwing any shade at each other. It's a matter of just being where you are. We know that people do not see eye-to-eye and we are okay with that. It's all about respect. If you started a thread in the Off-Topic about how offensive that misunderstood statement in catholicism is to you, I'd comprehend it fully and respect your right to discuss it. Trust me. But for the Christian Forum, I think some places were fashioned for certain religious expression and that it should be kept sacred. I take the Shmuley Boteach viewpoint on monotheist faiths and beliefs and remain open to seeing viewpoints per their own theology, which makes a lot of sense, actually. He's a very wise rabbi. The world is so big.

I thought the information presented was insightful. Christ Himself and the Apostles taught that Christ's Church was the fulfillment of the Mosaic Covenant. Gentiles were grafted into the vine, so to speak, by being baptized.

 

[JaneBond007]

The only part of that article, which was initially posted to show the relationship of the liturgical services between the synagogue and the catholic liturgy, that I do not entirely agree with is this:

"
Yet, deluded by Modernism, some members of the Catholic hierarchy today insist that belief in Jesus Christ is not necessary for the salvation of Jewish people who cling to the Law of Moses.


I cannot know the entire context by which he meant that statement. I can suppose he is not entirely in agreement with not proselytizing people. But all one needs to do is review what was written in the catechism on no. 839 ""Thus the covenant that God made with the Jewish people through Moses remains eternally valid for them." That statement was recently changed to clarify what is meant. Essentially, the exact same thing but clarified.

As for reading my posts for 7 years and that they do not change, well, they don't change because I am who I am. Up or down, doubt or stronger faith, I come back to a central point, always. Why should they change and why are you concerned unless someone said something anti-semitic? The roots of christianity is judaism, fact.

People cut others into shreds for nonsense reasons. That is on them. I am not ashamed of my religious choice and am pretty open about discussing it, shrugs. The orthodox community isn't going to harm me nor shame me into denying my faith...I didn't become orthodox and I am much more afraid of what Christ would say to me if I denied my found belief in Him for the sake of being "accepted." He said we would have to leave our closest relations to follow Him and I can assure you, it's often very true. My orthodox family members don't have a problem, though.

I know another family right here who are secret believers but were very open about it previously. Still, I know others from my previous city. Everywhere. Yet, others who live in Israel and are rabbis. They live a fully orthodox life. Only difference, they believe Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. Do I sweat their decisions? Do I run telling people who to believe in? Nope. But explain to me Kaduri's last published statement and reveal? That's yet another little miracle when I feel the nudge to leave the church. It's an on-going battle that I'm fighting to stay on my feet in. There's no gun forcing anybody else to believe it. And on top of all that, I know several people who have vascillated back and forth and always seem to come to grips with where it is they are meant to be. Shrugs...don't know what you are looking for. I have no fight with you.

The thing is this....according to the developed catholic theology produced, it is accurate...to that theology from a Jewish root, transformed. That means that of the little Jewish sect 2,000 years ago that was persecuted by fellow Jews and suffered pain of death carried on until this very day, their then/now "new faith" is accurate according to their theology. They are catholics and having come from the judaic belief in the resurrection and the coming of the Messiah which they see fulfilled in Jesus, son of Joseph, they are within their right to proclaim that their judaic based beliefs are fulfilled. Nobody said YOU had to believe in it. Hebrew catholics are small in number, but they exist. If you were ever persecuted for your conversion out of christianity, then you should comprehend another's troubles converting TO christianity and sympathize with the difficulties.


What you're doing is no different than someone attacking Hindu beliefs as being other than truthful. If the catholic faith and belief that their ancient ties to Judaism is fulfilled to THAT BODY OF BELIEVERS, what's the argument? Nobody is supposting Sungenis and the likes of him who was censored by the Church. People believe what they want. And that's the beauty of being American. But I'm not afraid of my beliefs and anybody else's mistrust nor disgust. I have found something within it of beauty whether you comprehend it, used to comprehend it, never comprehended it or never will comprehend it. That's what personal faith is. Shrugs.

 

[Almaz]

At the end of the day people are going to believe what they believe. its all good long as those beliefs are not pushed on others and one accepts others for their beliefs and respect it.

 

[Cichelle]

Catholicism is the fulfillment of Judaism.

No.

_________________

 

[Galadriel]

No.

_________________

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

Jesus not only fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, but also established the New Covenant, where through the shedding of His blood sins are forgiven.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

The Apostles understood this, and thus spread the Gospel (aka Good News) that the Messiah had indeed arrived, and that the Law and Prophets were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

 

[Almaz]

No not at all but again that is your belief and I respect and accept that.

"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them."

Jesus not only fulfilled the Law and the Prophets, but also established the New Covenant, where through the shedding of His blood sins are forgiven.

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world."

The Apostles understood this, and thus spread the Gospel (aka Good News) that the Messiah had indeed arrived, and that the Law and Prophets were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

 

[Galadriel]

No not at all but again that is your belief and I respect and accept that.

Thanks for respecting my belief, but I don't believe in Jesus Christ the way I believe chocolate ice cream tastes better than vanilla--I believe in Him and what He taught because it's objectively true.

It doesn't mean I can't respect your beliefs and have civil dialogue

I believe JB's original intent with the thread was to demonstrate how rich of a history we have from Judaism, and how we share some similar practices, etc.

 

[Belle Du Jour]

Thanks JaneBond007 for sharing. At Tenebrae during Holy Week, the church I went to had Hebrew writing around the podium --first time I ever saw that in a church! Like I said in another thread, we also listened to Hebrew chanting. As a Christian, I'm always interested in learning more about our Jewish roots.

 

[JaneBond007]

No.

_________________

TO CATHOLICS, it is...from the first little sect of Jewish believer to the larger body of transformed believers from that first 2,000 years ago. This is why they stay in their church.


Schneersohn is the fulfillment to a whole lot of ultra-orthodox and are waiting for him to be resurrected. Akiba had many followers...was seen as the Messiah. Within the context of what was presented...it is the fulfillment to THEM. Why don't people READ. I've said it a few times. No one is telling YOU that...it is to that first body of believers who believe it. You're picking a non-fight. This was a catholic discussion and if contained with that body of belief, it makes perfect sense. To another body of believers in another faith, it does not make sense. However, the context for the appropriate believers was presented.

Let me ask you something...what if an atheist said to an ultra-orthodox, "you're wrong, there is no G-d. All that you do is stupid and you don't have the truth. There is nothing to take on to do first, then develop understanding about later, out of obedience and increased faith. In fact, Jews are fooling themselves. Atheism is right." To that atheist, he is right. To that Jewish observant, HaShem is certainly right.

Messianic Jews will also challenge me on whether to be with them or in the catholic faith and it's never-ending. Traditional Jews will differ with Messianic believers and even sit shiva for them. Ultra-orthodox Schneersohn-ites get chided for their beliefs. Kaduri had his beliefs, every rabbi, every preacher, every priest differs...ach. One thing is certain...people believe what they believe.

For a comparative religious study, you have to look at the context of the belief rather than thinking that everything is an attack against you. That has never been my intention nor action. And I will not proselytize anybody, not even my cousin up in this thread. Not ever. Again, I so appreciate Boteach for his manner in looking at things. From their context. There are those who see christians as poly-theists because of the "G-d-head." Not him. He's convinced they are monotheists because he can see their practices and faith via THEIR context. Does he believe it? No. There is not "I'm right and you're wrong" in my book. Although I have come to believe what I do, we're all on level ground. Even that will get a side-eye view in the CF, but I know what I'm referring to and what it means. I most appreciate the writing of Elias Friedman. THat will certainly get side-eyes from everybody