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Holy Father Friday and "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved"

Last week, while our Holy Father was on American soil, a historic visit was made to the Park East Synagogue in New York City. Someone very astute, noted that Pope Benedict used the occasion of this visit to bring up the Holy Name of Our Lord Jesus.

His remarks were thus:

Dear Friends, Shalom! It is with joy that I come here, just a few hours before the celebration of your Pesah, to express my respect and esteem for the Jewish community in New York City. The proximity of this place of worship to my residence gives me the opportunity to greet some of you today. I find it moving to recall that Jesus, as a young boy, heard the words of Scripture and prayed in a place such as this. I thank Rabbi Schneier for his words of welcome and I particularly appreciate your kind gift, the spring flowers and the lovely song that the children sang for me. I know that the Jewish community make a valuable contribution to the life of the city, and I encourage all of you to continue building bridges of friendship with all the many different ethnic and religious groups present in your neighborhood. I assure you most especially of my closeness at this time, as you prepare to celebrate the great deeds of the Almighty, and to sing the praises of Him who has worked such wonders for his people. I would ask those of you who are present to pass on my greetings and good wishes to all the members of the Jewish community. Blessed be the name of the Lord!

Now, in the context of this website and certain doctrinal discussions, I think this is an important point. What is the goal of Christianity?

Simply put, "Salvation".

What, or more properly who, is the means of salvation?

Our Lord Jesus Christ.

As Acts records:

And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. 5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6 And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. 7 And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans? 8 And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,

11 Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. 12 And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this? 13 But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine. 14 But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day:

16 But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: 17 And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come.

21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. 22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know: 23 This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain. 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it. 25 For David saith concerning him: I foresaw the Lord before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved.

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Comments (8)

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

It's a total lie that Our Lord attended a synagogue like one of today. Synagogues in His time did not teach from the talmud. Do readers know what the talmud says of Our Lady and Our Lord? It's hideous. But let's not repeat these things here, please.

Anonymous :


Cyprian for Pope.

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

(From the epilogue of "The Talmud Unmasked" by Rev. I. B. Pranaitis, 1892)

"Kind Reader: In this work I have quoted from only a very few of the Talmudic books which refer to the Christians. For the sake of brevity, and to spare your sensitive soul, I have omitted many others which could have been included. These texts, however, which I have quoted should be sufficient to demonstrate how false are the statements of the Jews when they claim that there is nothing in the Talmud which teaches hatred and enmity for Christians.

"If it revolted you, Christian reader, to study the horrible blashphemies in this book, do not vent your anger on me. I did not state in the beginning that I was going to narrate something pleasant, but merely to show you what the Talmud really teaches about Christians, and I do not think I could have done so in a more suitable way.

"I realize, however, that, since the truth does not please everyone, there are many who will become my enemies for thus having borne witness to the truth. ..."

(A footnote: "It is sadly significant to recall with regard to the above, that Father Pranaitis actually met his death as he foretold at the hands of his enemies during the Bolshevik revolution.")

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

On second thought, I might want to shorten the preceding post before someone suggests "Cyprian for martyr."

Petrus :

Cyprian:

Yet again, you should consider the difference between socio-political issues and spiritual-theological ones.

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

I don't follow you. On the other thread, the distinction was your way of dodging the unanimity of the Fathers. On this thread, are you saying that the pope's visit to the synagogue was socio-political, and therefore he can tell sentimental fables to Jews?

Petrus :

Not a diversion, Cyprian, a history lesson.

It is clear to me that there is nothing that I can say that will change your mind or your heart. I will pray for you.

Peace.

Cyprian Author Profile Page:

Good grief. Thanks for the prayers. Shalom.

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