I live in the northern suburbs of Chicago, in an area that has one of the largest Jewish populations in this country. The first time I married I was married into a Jewish family. My children were raised as "secular" Jews. We attended synagogue for weddings, funerals, and occasionally on the high holidays. We lit Sabbath and Hanukkah candles and said the appropriate blessings. While I went through the motions of being "Jewish" I was never able to resolve the whole "Jesus" issue... I still thought like a Christian...even to the point of picturing Jesus lighting Sabbath candles and reciting the same Hebrew blessings I was... not exactly a "Jewish" thought! Even at the times when I was filled with doubts and questioning everything... there was always a part of me that held back and said... "what if?"

My journey into the Jewish faith was a wonderful blessing. It has deepened my understanding and experience of Jesus and my Catholic faith in a way I would have never experienced otherwise. It has also created in my heart a special love for the Jewish people and an appreciation for the role they have played in salvation history. They are my Lord's people!

The one thing that always puzzled me, though, was the dichotomy apparent in most Jewish people. While I have yet to meet a Jew that is not fiercely proud of his or her heritage I have met very few Jews who display the same fierce conviction to their faith. When I have asked people that I know why they are not observant the most common reaction is a smirk and a comment akin to "I couldn't give up eating ribs" or "I don't have room for two dishwashers, two sets of dishes, silverware...." or "I don't have four hours to spend at Temple every Saturday." Sometimes they just looked at me as if to say.... "What are you nuts???"

I have had many Jewish friends and family members that have witnessed the transformation in my life and want to know how I did it... When I tell them that **I** didn't do it and explain to them that it was Jesus the immediate response is usually the same... "Well... I'm Jewish". End of discussion! Even if they haven't stepped foot into a synagouge in twenty years and even though I can speak more Hebrew then they can... it is almost always the same response... Jesus is for you, not me!

I have pondered the irony in this for years. Jesus a devout Jew, the "seed" of David, a man whose birth, life and death were vivdly foretold through the Prophets of God in Hebrew scriptures, and most Jews don't believe He has anything to do with them!!! I didn't understand until I read this from the Old Testament prophet Isaiah...

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here I am! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people: 'Hear and hear, but do not understand; see and see, but do not perceive.' Make the heart of this people fat, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Isaiah 6:8-10

Stupefy yourselves and be in a stupor, blind yourselves and be blind! Be drunk, but not with wine; stagger, but not with strong drink! For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, the prophets, and covered your heads, the seers. Isaiah 29:9,10

The behavior that has perplexed me for so long I now see as part of God's on-going plan and I now pray that the eyes and ears of my Jewish brethern will be opened some day soon so that we all may share in the the glorious kingdom to come!

Y'shua, God saves...us

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