A couple of days ago, we posted this news item on the site: Candace Owens: Shmuley Boteach Calls Racial Supremacist Rabbi His ‘Mentor.’ It engendered some obnoxious comments that called the Catholic lady a hateful person, and anti-semite, etc. Someone in the comments section erroneously referred to modern-day (unbaptized) Jews as “the chosen people.” I took time to make a reply that will not likely be seen by too many people on that page, so I have decided to place it here because it is of general interest.
In the ages of faith, the following comments would not be considered the slightest bit controversial, but in the times of confusion in which we live, such theology will no doubt be called all those same awful names that were hurled at Candace Owens. But the truth is at issue here, not the remarkable gift some people have to twist dispassionate statements of a doctrinal nature into hate speech.
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For the record, the Jews are not the chosen people, not any more. This has nothing to do with questions of “race,” but is an exclusively theological matter. They once were God’s chosen people, but they forfeited that when they rejected Christ. Now, the Christians, whether of Jewish or Gentile blood, are the chosen people.
The faithful of the Catholic Church — whether Gentile or Jew — are the chosen people. … [Pope] Pius XI, in Ubi Arcano, said this: “51. … We as the leader of the chosen people must wait and pray for an unmistakable sign from the God of mercy and of love of His holy will in this regard. (Judges vi, 17).” … [Pope] Leo XIII said this of Italian Catholics, in his Custodi di Quella Fede: “How can We bear to look upon His chosen people exposed to a constant and ever-present danger of apostasy, pushed toward error and vice, material miseries, and moral degradation?” —from A Slow Reading of Romans XI
It is the faithful of the Church who are the “seed of Abraham” (Gal. 3:29) whom we daily call “our Patriarch” in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Cf., Our Patriarch Abraham and the Continuity of Religion.
Those Jews who, throughout history, believe and are baptized are “grafted in” (cf. Rom. 11:24) and become, with us, the seed of Abraham and the chosen people.
In the end, the Jewish Nation will convert and enter the Church.
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All are invited to join the Church in praying for the conversion of the Jews. Here are some prayers to that end (from the Chair of Unity Octave):
O GOD, Who dost manifest Thy mercy and compassion towards all peoples, have mercy upon the Jewish race, once Thy Chosen People. Thou didst select them alone out of all the nations of the world to be the custodians of Thy sacred teachings. From them Thou didst raise up Prophets and Patriarchs to announce the coming of the Redeemer. Thou didst will that Thine only Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior, should be a Jew according to the flesh, born of a Jewish maiden in the Land of Promise. Listen to the prayers we offer Thee today for the conversion of the Jewish people. Grant that they may come safely to a knowledge and love of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah foretold by their Prophets, and that they may walk with us in the way of salvation. Amen.
GOD of all goodness and Father of mercies, we beseech Thee, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and by the intercession of the Patriarchs and holy Apostles, to cast a look of compassion upon the children of Israel, that they may be brought to the knowledge of our only Savior, Jesus Christ, and may partake of the precious fruits of the Redemption. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Amen.
Cf, also, Charity for Gentiles and Jews.
Abraham’s Vision of the Heavens. National Library of France, Manuscripts Department, French 15397, folio 36 verso. Image courtesy of Gallica/Manuscript Art.
