“ This failure by the French Church in its responsibility towards the Jewish people is part of our history. We confess our sins and we implore God’s pardon and we ask the Jewish people to listen to this word of repentance.”
Bishop of Saint-Denis, Oliver de Berranger, speaking in Drancy, 1997.
THE LEAST OF THESE MY BRETHREN … WHAT HAVE WE DONE TO THEM ?
“In the last days many Christians will awaken. They will see what they have done ,- injured and persecuted the chosen people of God. Just as the Jews will break out in lamentation “ when they look on Him whom they have pierced “ and “ shall mourn for Him , as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over Him, as one weeps over a first-born .”(Zech. ch.12,v.10), so will Christians on their part be filled with grief and lamentation for having afflicted the people dear to God.
But ten it will be too late to show them kindness. Now is the time for the New Testament people to awaken – now before the last hour comes, and with it judgement. Today let us take our place at Jesus’ side and look upon His people with His eyes, full of love and mercy. Then our hearts would ache to see this chosen people of God wandering through the centuries, wretched, despised, shunned, ostracized and afflicted with pain like the suffering Servant in Isaiah ch.53. Then, looking on them, we would be reminded of Him.
I Israel, unintentionally and unwittingly, has become a spectacle before heaven and mankind, because she bears the features of the Servant of God. The sight of her should continually remind Christians of Jesus, despised,destitute, covered with bruises, afflicted, hated, persecuted, tormented, and hounded to death. Even if these marks borne by the people of God also betoken the chastening hand of God stretched out in judgement on sinners, the fact remains that by these very dealings God proclaims Himself to be the Holy One of Israel.
…Where was the good Samaritan when when the Jews among the robbers ? Where was the Christian church, which is supposed to follow His example ? Apart from the odd Christian here and there who secretly sheltered Jews in his home or helped them in other ways, the Christians in general failed in the hour of Israel’s greatest need. It became evident that the Christian church was not like Jesus nor a true disciple of His. Instead of acting like the good Samaritan, it passed by on the other side like the priest and the Levite )Luke ch.10). We know that Jesus pronounced His woe upon the scribes and Pharisees . That woe is also upon us.”
M. Basilea Schlink, “Israel, My Chosen People.” –Kanaan Publications, 2000. pp.39-43.
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