Vigils Reading

CHRIST RECONCILED

JEW AND GENTILE

From the Second Vatican Council’s declaration “Nostra Aetate”

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For the Church of Christ acknowledges that, according to the mystery of

God’s saving design, the beginnings of her faith and her election are already

found among the patriarchs, Moses, and the prophets. She professes that all

who believe in Christ, Abraham’s sons according to faith are included in the

same patriarch’s call, and likewise that the salvation of the Church was

mystically foreshadowed by the chosen people’s exodus from the land of

bondage.

The Church, therefore, cannot forget that she received the revelation of

the Old Testament through the people with whom in God’s inexpressible mercy

deigned to establish the Ancient Covenant. Nor can she forget that she draws

sustenance from the root of that good olive tree onto which have been grafted

the wild olive branches of the Gentiles. Indeed, the Church believes that by His

cross Christ, our Peace, reconciled Jew and Gentile, making them both one in

Himself.

Also, the Church ever keeps in mind the words of the Apostle about his

kinsmen, “who have the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenant and

the legislation and the worship and the promises; who have the fathers, and

from whom is Christ according to the flesh”, the son of the Virgin Mary. The

Church recalls too that from the Jewish people sprang the apostles, her

foundation stones and pillars, as well as most of the early disciples who

proclaimed Christ to the world.

As holy Scripture testifies, Jerusalem did not recognize the time of her

visitation, nor did the Jews in large number accept the gospel; indeed, not a few

opposed the spreading of it. Nevertheless, according to the Apostle, the Jews

still remain most dear to God because of their fathers, for He does not repent of

the gifts He makes nor of the calls He issues. In company with the prophets and

the same Apostle, the Church awaits that day, known to God alone, on which all

peoples will address the Lord in a single voice and “serve him with one accord”.

Since the spiritual patrimony common to Christians and Jews is thus so

great, this sacred Synod wishes to foster and recommend that mutual

understanding and respect which is the fruit above all of biblical and theological

studies, and of brotherly dialogues.

True, authorities of the Jews and those who followed their lead pressed

for the death of Christ; still, what happened in His passion cannot be blamed

upon all the Jews then living, without distinction, nor upon the Jews of today.

Although the Church is the new people of God, the Jews should not be presented

as repudiated or cursed by God, as if such views followed from the Holy

Scriptures. All should take pains, then, lest in catechetical instruction and in the

preaching of God’s Word they teach anything out of harmony with the truth of

the gospel and the spirit of Christ.