Our Brothers in Christ according to the flesh.

In response to some of the lively comments made to our last post,
which, according to Ven, Pius XII,
would derive
"from the poisoned source of religious and moral agnosticism,"
we give here some authority for calling our Jewish brothers
"our brothers."



Venerable Pius XII
in the Encyclicals

Summi Pontificatus
and
Mystici Corporis Christi.

Among the many errors
which derive from the poisoned source
of religious and moral agnosticism,
We would draw your attention, Venerable Brethren,
to two in particular, as being those which more than others
render almost impossible or at least precarious and uncertain,
the peaceful intercourse of peoples.
(Summi Pontificatus, 34)

...Ven. Pius XII offering the redeeming sacrifice...
The first of these pernicious errors, widespread today,
is the forgetfulness of that law of human solidarity and charity
which is dictated and imposed by our common origin
and by the equality of rational nature in all men,
to whatever people they belong,
and by the redeeming Sacrifice
offered by Jesus Christ on the Altar of the Cross
to His Heavenly Father
on behalf of sinful mankind.

(Summi Pontificatus, 35)

"...all mankind..brothers..."
The Apostle of the Gentiles later on makes himself
the herald of this truth
which associates men as brothers in one great family,
when he proclaims to the Greek world
that God "hath made of one, all mankind..." (Acts 17:26)

(Summi Pontificatus, 37)

...The Jewish people ... our brothers in Christ...
True love of the Church, therefore, requires
not only that we should be mutually solicitous one for another
as members and sharing in their suffering
but likewise that we should recognize in other men,
although they are not yet joined to us in the body of the Church,
our brothers in Christ
according to the flesh, (c.f. below, Rom. 9:3)
called, together with us, to the same eternal salvation.

(Mystici Corporis Christi, 96.)

...Our Brothers in Christ according to the flesh...

For I wished myself to be an anathema from Christ,
for my brethren,
who are my kinsmen according to the flesh,
Who are Israelites,
to whom belongeth the adoption as of children,
and the glory, and the testament,
and the giving of the law,
and the service of God,
and the promises:
Whose are the fathers, and of whom is Christ,
according to the flesh,
who is over all things,
God blessed for ever.
Amen.
(Rom. 9:3-5 )