The Webmaster answers questions about...
Judaism
Question #1
Aren't the Jews God's chosen people and isn't Judaism a holy religion?
Answer to Question #1
I do not deny that the descendants of Abraham, adhering to the ancient"This kingdom is indeed rejected by
those who had the first claim to its
possession and seemingly were the best qualified for entering into it;
but all those, both Jews and Gentiles, who earnestly avail themselves of
the invitation of the Gospel will be admitted. This is really a new
kingdom of God to be TRANSFERRED to a new nation
and be governed by a new set of rulers, although it is no less truly
the CONTINUATION of theKingdom of God under the Old Covenant."
(The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol VIII, 1913, page 401)
Since the Kingdom of God(Catholicism) is the
continuation of the Old
Covenant religion of the Jews, whose members are the true children of
Abraham, then of what status are those who call themselves Jews today
and what is the status of their religion(Judaism) in the eyes of God?
"The faithlessness of the Synagogue is
an insult to the Savior.
Therefore, He chose the barque of Peter and DESERTED the boat of Moses;
that is, He REJECTED the faithless Synagogue and adopted the believing
Church
Of these two ships, one is left at the shore, IDLE and EMPTY;
the other, loaded and filled, is launched into the deep. For the
Synagogue is left idle on the beach. Because of its own fault, it has
lost Christ along with the warnings of the prophets. But the freighted
Church is taken out into the deep, because it received the Lord together
with the teaching of the Apostles. The Synagogue, I say, remains on the
land, held fast as it were to earthly things."
(St. Ambrose, The Two Ships, sermon 37)
"When the offspring of the Jews
abandoned the customs of their Fathers,
the truth ABANDONED them and took refuge in the Church. It abandoned
them when they said of the Lord Jesus: Away with Him! Crucify Him! for
they gave up truth and chose iniquity."
(St. Ambrose, On Psalm 118)
"Jews are impure and impious, and their
synagogue is a house of
prostitution, a lair of beasts, a place of shame and ridicule, the
DOMICILE of the devil, as is also the soul of the Jew. As a matter of
fact, Jews WORSHIP the devil: their rites are criminal and unchaste:
their RELIGION IS A DISEASE.
(St. John Chrysostom, Six Homilies against the Jews)
"Judaism, since Christ, is a
corruption."
(St. Augustine)