Charlie Ward is a former winner of the Heisman Trophy and currently a guard on the New York Knicks basketball team. He’s also a deeply committed Protestant Christian. Sadly, he got himself into hot water recently when he was interviewed for a New York Times Magazine article. Among other things, the article quoted him as saying, "There are Christians getting persecuted by Jews every day. There’s been books written about this—people who are raised Jewish and find Christ and then their parents stop talking to them." Although he clearly didn’t intend them to be so, his statements were interpreted by many as being anti-semitic.

Which brings up a very important issue: What is the proper Christian attitude toward the Jews?

Before I address that question, let me say this: In all honesty we must admit that there have been (and still are) some professed believers in Jesus Christ who dislike or even hate the Jews. These men and women may be Christian in name, but they are certainly not Christian at heart. (And that’s the most charitable thing I can say about them!) But it must also be noted that in recent years many good, loving Christians have been viciously attacked and falsely accused of anti-semitism—like Pope Pius XII! In a book he wrote back in 1967, Jewish historian Pinchas Lapide credited Pius with helping to save the lives of about 800,000 Jews during World War II. You would never know that from the way the politically-correct New York Times tells the story these days!

I decided to address this difficult topic this morning because the terminology we find in today’s first reading is typical of certain sections of the New Testament. In this passage from Acts 13, the expression "the Jews" is used to designate some of those who opposed the preaching of the Gospel. It says there: "When the Jews saw the crowds [gathered around St. Paul], they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said." Then later on we are told: "The Jews . . . incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory."

And these verses are relatively mild in tone compared to some that we find in the Gospel of John!

How are we to make sense of these passages? Are they, in fact, anti-semitic?

Here we see how blessed we are to have the Magisterium—the teaching authority of the Catholic Church—to guide us. In paragraph 112 of the New Catechism, the Church teaches us that whenever we try to interpret any verse of the Bible we must be especially attentive "to the content and unity of the whole Scripture." In other words, we can never, ever pull a verse out of context and expect to understand it properly. And the "context" of any given verse is the entire Bible!

Applying this insight now to the issue at hand: If we want to understand these verses of Scripture which mention "the Jews" in a negative way, we must keep in mind EVERYTHING ELSE the New Testament says about the Jewish people—and much of that is very POSITIVE in tone! For example, in Romans 9:3 St. Paul calls the Jews "his brothers;" in Romans 11:28 he calls them "beloved" of God; in Romans 10:1 he prays for their salvation; and in chapter 11, verse 32 he expresses his deep hope that they will experience God’s gracious mercy. And remember, this is the same Paul who was "run out of town" in today’s first reading!

But the most telling verse of all, I think, is found in Romans 9: 3, where St. Paul writes this: "Indeed, I could even wish to be separated from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen the Israelites." That’s an incredible statement! Paul actually says that he would be willing to endure separation from Christ if it would bring his Jewish brothers and sisters to conversion! How deeply he loved his fellow Jews! Out of compassionate concern for their salvation, he was ready and willing to sacrifice himself totally.

Thus, it should be clear: whenever the writers of the New Testament spoke of "the Jews" in a negative way, they were not being anti-semitic. Anyone who says they were is clearly interpreting verses of Scripture out of context! And let’s not forget, these authors (Paul, John, Peter, Matthew, etc.) were Jews themselves! And so was their Lord! As Charlie Ward said the other day when he was desperately trying to defend his ill-chosen remarks, "I have friends who are Jewish. . . Actually, my best friend is a Jewish guy, and his name is Jesus Christ!

When the Jewish writers of the New Testament spoke of "the Jews" in a negative way, they were simply using the term to designate certain members of God’s chosen people who opposed Jesus and his Gospel—nothing more!

So what’s the proper Christian attitude toward the Jews? LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!—the kind of selfless, sacrificial love that St. Paul had in his heart; the kind of love which desires the conversion and salvation of every human being!

If you cannot honestly say that you love EVERYONE without exception—Jew and Gentile alike—then all I can say is that you need a good confession! Remember, St. John says this in his first letter: "Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that eternal life abides in no murderer’s heart." May there be no "murderers" among us!

Let me conclude my homily now with the Church’s prayer for the Jewish people. This is the prayer which is said each and every Good Friday. In fact, I would ask you to say it with me. Please turn to page 40 of your missalette. Certainly the teaching of St. Paul in his Letter to the Romans stands behind these powerful words: