Universalis

Thursday, May 08, 2003

The great lesson of the Pallium Lecture

Last night I attended the first of the Pallium Lectures (there will be two more, in early June); the topic was the relations between Catholics and Jews, the speaker was William Cardinal Keeler. There were a lot of facts and theological reflection, and a dozen or so good stories, but there was a single overall lesson:

The Lord God's covenant fidelity is forever; God never reclaims His gifts or repents of His promises. Therefore, the covenant God has made with the people Israel still stands. This is as true as any of the other truths of the faith, and is a great Mystery, since we also know that only by the Lord Jesus are we saved, yet the Lord has promised to Israel to be forever a priestly people and a royal nation and a people set apart for Him.

The Lord's fidelity is forever.... (even when, perchance, ours is not.....)
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