Prayer for Jews Changed in Extraordinary Rite

(08 Feb 08 - RV) Text of Prayer for Jews Changed in Extraordinary Rite


It was announced this week that the prayer for the Jews during the Good Friday liturgy of the extraordinary rite of the liturgy, also known as the 1962 missal of Pope Blessed John XXXIII, is being changed to remove the word “blindness” when referring to Christ. Some Jewish groups have complained about the original wording. The President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission of the Holy See for Religious Relations with the Jews, Cardinal Walter Kasper, spoke to us about the issue:


We have very complicated and difficult history between Jews and Christians and therefore the Holy Father wanted to take in account the sensibilities which exist, and he has cancelled the one formulation in the prayer of the extraordinary liturgy for Holy Friday where it was said about the “blindness of the Jews”. This was cancelled, but on the other hand the Holy Father could not cancel what is essential for our Christian faith, that Jesus is Christ, it means he is the Messiah. He is the Son of God, and he is the Redeemer of all people. This is also the truth. This is our Christian faith.

This is not an obstacle for the dialogue with the Jews. We want this dialogue. We need this dialogue, because we have so much in common. But there is one fundamental difference between Jews and Christians: The difference in Christology, and the faith in Jesus Christ. Dialogue means to recognize the identity of the other. We Christians have to respect the identity of Jews, and they also have to respect our Christian identity. Only on this basis is a dialogue possible.

It is also a question of religious freedom. Jews cannot prevent us from giving testimony of our faith, as we cannot prevent them of giving testimony of their own faith.

Instead of the language of the contempt which prevailed in the past, as Schul Isaak told us, today we have to respect each other in our respective difference. With this difference we have to live, but this does not impede us from collaborating for justice and peace in the world, and give common witness to the many things we have in common.