A short thought on an important event

The other day, during the visit to Rome's synagogue, the Pope stressed how Jews and Christians have the same roots.

Properly speaking, Judaism and Christianity aren't two different religions, but two different branches of the same: one characterize by Jewish faithfulness to the call of their election; the other by the opening of that elections to all people.

Hit on the way to Damascus by Christ, the Pharisee Saul, better known with the Latin name of Paul, saw in Him the bridge between Jews and Gentiles: in words dear to me, the universalizing restoration of the kingdom.

The bridge was hard to cross for many Jews, then and in the following times. And gentile Christians didn't always help with their example.

Actually S. Paul only exists in pointing to that bridge. And so should any Gentile who, from his side of the same bridge, enters in dialogue with the Jewish heirs of the Pharisees, who didn't want to hear of crossing it.

The Pope invited the two parties to acquire a better knowledge of each other. If this means for Christians to further their understanding of what kept Jews on their side of the bridge, so it should mean for Jews to take a look at that bridge himself:

without suspicion and fear, without taking offence.

HP