Lent with Bossuet – Meditations on the Gospel (23)

The Just Punishment of the Jews

Since we are of this nation which He has chosen to bear the fruits of His word, let us be fruitful in good works. “But the fruit of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, continency, chastity” (Gal.5:22-23).

These are the fruits that we must bear, and not the works of the flesh which fructify death, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty, quarrels, jealousies, drunkenness, and all the others that Saint Paul mentions in the same passage (Gal.5:19-21). Otherwise, the Kingdom of God will also be taken away from us as from the Jews, and another will receive our crown (cf. Apoc.3:11).  

“For if God has not pardoned the Jews, who were the natural branches of His Olive tree, He will pardon you even less” (Rom.11:21). This would be the great sorrow of the Jews—to see in the hands of the Gentiles the crown which was destined to be theirs.

“Many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven: But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the exterior darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt. 8:11-12).

Then they will weep fruitlessly, and rage will drive them to the very gnashing of teeth. Listen, dear Christian! Read your destiny in that of the Jews. Ponder these words in your heart.