Several of us went to see a remarkable painting exhibition -a ”first” in Israel- on Jesus seen through the eyes of Jewish painters. We were impressed by the impact of the Cross on these painters. One of them had lost his wife during the birth of their child, who died three years later. He tought to express his pain through all sorts of Jewish themes… and finally it was the Cross of Jesus that inspired him. Several paintings bear the stamp of Christian anti-Semitism, and associate the death of Jesus and the Shoah in most painful way. In general, as it has been well stated in the article that follows (the exergue of the book on the exhibition), the event is significant and positive. Indeed, the interest stirred by Jesus touches us deeply. (Anne-Catherine) Behold, the Man What does Jesus – for centuries regarded by Jews as a tabu – have to do with Israeli art? This publication offers a close look at a rarely discussed subject: the presence of Jesus in the work of …

Purim is the feast of an upside down world[1]. Indeed the book of Esther is full of oddness, incoherencies, things which seem to happen “by chance”, contradictions, even scandals. It begins like a fairy tale: A king who repudiates his wife because she refuses to attend a banquet (ch.1). He then convokes the most beautiful young maids of his kingdom in order to choose a new wife. And here we are. His choice falls on a young Jewish woman, Esther (ch.2). If the king did not know that she was Jewish, she knew it. Then how could she marry a pagan king? How she and her uncle Mortdecai could take part in banquet, for sure no kosher? A plot against the king is discovered “by chance”(ch.6), and thanks to this, the decision to exterminate all the Jews (for the only reason that  they were different : c h 3,8-9), is reversed; and to Haman is inflicted what he wanted to inflict to Mordechai. The supplication of Esther has been heard (ch 4 and 5 ). …

“Tu biShevat “ (the 15th day of Shevat the 11th month of the Jewish calendar) is a feast which is mentioned in the Mishna: “The 1st of Shevat is the new year for the trees, according to Beith Shammai; however, Beit Hillel says that it is on the 15th of Shevat”.(Mishna Rosh Hashana 1,1). After the season of rains, the earth is ready to receive the seeds. The tradition is to celebrate on this day the planation of the trees, when the sap begins to go up in the trees and the earth is waking up after the winter. In the 16th century, the kabbalists gave a mystic signification to the feast, celebrating the strong relation which exists between human being and creation. They invented a “seder”, meal where they eat all kinds of fruits, especially the 7 traditional fruits of the promised land (Dt 8,8) and of course the meal is punctuated by several cups of wine. It is for many the moment to renew their awareness regarding the responsibility toward creation. Laudato si …

What is the meaning of discipleship? The answer to this question can be easily found in a dictionary but the deep meaning of this simple word goes further than a sentence or a description about someone who follows somebody else. The discipleship is a relationship between two persons, the master and his or her disciple. This relationship has to be an effective and affective bond between both of them. They have to deeply know each other and this profound connection only can occur when the master and the disciple walk together for a long time. In order to keep the relationship alive, authentic and strong, the master and the disciple require an attitude of listening, observing and obeying the Word of God. Each one has to do this in his own way of being, as a master or as a disciple. The master is the source of teaching. He is the one who is able to transmit and instruct the disciple. He can do this by giving all his or her knowledge and spirit to …

“We can celebrate Hanukkah and Christmas with the Jews the light of God and wish that it will illuminate the world with true joy and hope” On December 1st and 7th, our classes with Sr. Anne Catherine discussed about Hanukkah and Christmas. Do these two celebrations have any correlation with one another? We discussed this question by examining the celebration of Hanukkah, which is a Jewish holiday that is celebrated also in December and which actually will happen this year on the same date as Christmas. We looked at the background of both of these celebrations by readings some Scripture texts of the Old Testament and New Testament. In the readings from 1 Maccabee 4: 36-56 and 2 Maccabee 10: 1-8, the festival of Hanukkah was instituted by Judah Maccabee and his brothers to celebrate this event. According to the Talmud, at the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough oil to light the menorah in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, …

The Pope’s message for Peace you can download here as pdf in several languages: Nonviolence: a Style of Politics for Peace 1. At the beginning of this New Year, I offer heartfelt wishes of peace to the world’s peoples and nations, to heads of state and government, and to religious, civic and community leaders. I wish peace to every man, woman and child, and I pray that the image and likeness of God in each person will enable us to acknowledge one another as sacred gifts endowed with immense dignity. Especially in situations of conflict, let us respect this, our “deepest dignity”,[1] and make active nonviolence our way of life. This is the fiftieth Message for the World Day of Peace. In the first, Blessed Pope Paul VI addressed all peoples, not simply Catholics, with utter clarity. “Peace is the only true direction of human progress – and not the tensions caused by ambitious nationalisms, nor conquests by violence, nor repressions which serve as mainstay for a false civil order”. He warned of “the danger of …

Erster Adventsonntag! Die erste Kerze am Adventkranz brennt! Die Zeit leuchtender Kinderaugen in denen sich zunehmend mehr Kerzen spiegeln, beginnt! Oder was verbinden Sie mit diesem Sonntag? Auf jeden Fall ist es der Beginn eines neuen Kirchenjahres, eines neuen Durchgang durch die verschiedenen Feiern der Heilsgeschichte Gottes mit den Menschen. Wir Menschen brauchen in unserem Leben Festzeiten und Feiertage, die unserem Alltag Rhythmus und Unterbrechung geben. Gottes Leben mit uns hilft uns diesen Rhythmus des Lebens nicht zu vergessen. Advent also, auf lateinisch „advenire“ – auf etwas zu gehen, entgegen kommen. Was kommt auf uns zu? Auf was gehen wir zu? Gehen wir überhaupt auf etwas zu, in Wachheit für das was ist, um uns herum, in uns – vielleicht in Sorge oder in Vorfreude? Oder sind wir trüb in der Routine des Alltags, in den Schmerzen von Krankheit versunken? Die Worte Jesu im Evangelium heute sind ein ziemlicher Weckruf! Dass wir wachsam und bereit sein sollen für die Ankunft Gottes in unserem Leben. Jesus ist damals vor 2.000 Jahren zur Welt gekommen, in Bethlehem, …