Pope: Catholics and Jews are witnesses to the inviolable dignity of man

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Catholics and Jews must bear witness to the common belief that man possesses an inviolable dignity, as created in the image and likeness of God and must bring a sense of transcendence to contemporary society. These are tasks that Benedict XVI outlined today in greeting a delegation of 'B'nai B'rith International, praising its initiatives in interreligious dialogue.

Recalling the group’s participation in a meeting held in Paris in February at the initiative of the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee, to mark the 40th anniversary dialogue, the Pope termed what has happened in this period between the two religions "a great gift of God".

“The Paris meeting – he said–affirmed the desire of Catholics and Jews to stand together in meeting the immense challenges facing our communities in a rapidly changing world and, significantly, our shared religious duty to combat poverty, injustice, discrimination and the denial of universal human rights.  There are many ways in which Jews and Christians can cooperate for the betterment of the world in accordance with the will of the Almighty for the good of mankind.  Our thoughts turn immediately to practical works of charity and service to the poor and those in need; yet one of the most important things that we can do together is bear common witness to our deeply-held belief that every man and woman is created in the divine image (cf. Gen 1:26-27) and thus possessed of inviolable dignity.  This conviction remains the most secure basis for every effort to defend and promote the inalienable rights of each human being”.

Benedict XVI also recalled the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and the Holy See’s Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews, where “stress was laid on the need to promote a sound understanding of the role of religion in the life of our present-day societies as a corrective to a purely horizontal, and consequently truncated, vision of the human person and social coexistence.  The life and work of all believers should bear constant witness to the transcendent, point to the invisible realities which lie beyond us, and embody the conviction that a loving, compassionate Providence guides the final outcome of history, no matter how difficult and threatening the journey along the way may sometimes appear”.