Weekly Thoughts

In St Matthew’s account of our Lord’s passion the Jewish mob baying for Jesus to be crucified cry out when they see Pilate washing his hands: “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matt 27.25). This unfortunate phrase is one of the starting points one of the most embarrassing and unfortunate aspects of Christianity – antisemitism. In St John’s Gospel you can find several antagonistic references for “the Jews” (e.g. John 10.22-42) which are believed to reflect the strained relations between the Christian and Jewish communities at the end of the first century probably, in Ephesus where the Gospel originated, although this has been disputed in recent years. Over the ensuing centuries Jewish communities across the world have been subject of various form of persecution. They were expelled from England in the 13th century and only readmitted during the Commonwealth in the 1650s. Eventually there were established Jewish communities in the East End of London (now removed to Stamford Hill) and Manchester. These various forms of anti-Semitic persecution culminated in the Nazi holocaust during WWII when the attempt was made to exterminate Jews. After the war moves to give the Jews a homeland of their own were expedited. This unfortunately ended in a coup d’etat by Jewish settlers in Palestine in 1948 who established the state of Israel by expelling the Arab inhabitants of the land who fled either to Gaza or the West Bank. This is the origin the present tension in Israel and throughout the middle East and of much contemporary antisemitism.

It is vitally important to distinguish between the activities of the Israeli government and Jewish people generally. It is evident that in seeking revenge for the Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 by destroying the whole of Gaza the Israeli government committed a war crime but many Jews here in UK do not support this action, some indeed supporting the Palestinian cause. As Christians our starting point must that all human beings: Jews, Arabs, Africans, Chinese, Anglo-Saxons or whatever are all made in the image of God, and all deserve the same human rights. Whatever we may read in the Gospels there is no justification in Christianity for antisemitism. It is regrettable that in our society we should need to take special measures to protect Jewish citizens and the institutions, as the Government is now proposing. It has to be said that there was gathering of Orthodox Jews in north London the other evening. A large crowd of black-clad men (where were the women?) with homburg hats and long side locks obviously very distinct from their neighbours is a sight people could find threatening. This may seem peripheral to our concerns here in Croydon where there do not seem to be many Jews (although there is a synagogue in Shirley), but it is important that we stand up for Christian values and for the dignity of every person made in the image of God.

READINGS AND PRAYERS

10 MAY – SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTERTIDE – John 14.14-21 – the promise of another Advocate –for the gift of the Holy Spirit

11 MAY – Monday - Rogation Day – Acts 16.11-15 – the conversion of Lydia – for a good harvest 

12 MAY – Tuesday – Rogation Day – John 16.5-11 – it is to your advantage that I go away – those engaged in commerce and industry

13 MAY – Wednesday – Rogation Day – Acts 17.15. 22- 18.1 – Paul at Areopagus – make us wise stewards of your gifts

14 MAY – THE ASCENSION OF OUR LORD – Luke 24.44-53 – while he was blessing them, he withdrew from them – that God’s kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven

15 MAY – Friday – John 16 20-23 – if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it you – for the Church’s ministry of intercession 

16 MAY – Saturday – John 16.23-28 – I am leaving the world and going to the Father – that we may have confidence in our discipleship