Having enjoyed, indeed having been inspired by Pope Benedict’s book, Jesus of Nazareth, I knew that I had to read the second volume, Jesus of Nazareth: Holy Week: From the Entrance into Jerusalem to the Resurrection (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011, pp. 362). When I read it, I was not disappointed. There is a treasury of theological insights in the book.
Most people may know that Pope John Paul was a professional philosopher, that he taught philosophy for several years in Poland before becoming pope.
If I had to describe succinctly Karol Woltyla’s philosophy, I would say that he was a Thomist who incorporated in his philosophical vision insights from the philosophy of personalism. Pope Benedict XVI is not a professional philosopher but rather a professional theologian, one of the more influential theologians at the Second Vatican Council.
Written on the cover of the copy of Benedict’s second volume that I have is the following:
“This is a book for Christians – Catholics, Protestants, Orthodox – as well as other believers and nonbelievers. Benedict brings to his study the vast learning of a brilliant scholar, the passionate searching of a great mind, and the deep compassion of a pastor’s heart. In the end, he dares readers to grapple with the meaning of Jesus’ life, teaching, death, and resurrection.”
I agree completely.
In the foreword of his book, Pope Benedict mentions that some of the work in scriptural studies in which authors seek the historical Jesus will not foster a personal relationship with Jesus, and this is precisely what the Holy Father is trying to do with his book. He writes the following:
“…I have attempted to develop a way of observing and listening to the Jesus of the Gospels that can indeed lead to personal encounter and that, through collective listening with Jesus’ disciples across the ages, can indeed attain sure knowledge of the real historical figure of Jesus.” (p. xv11)
It is the notion of personal encounter that attracts me. I think that we can look at all reading as a dialogue between the author and the reader.
Depending on the skill and insight of the author and the intelligence and seriousness of the reader, the meeting between the two can be quite profound. It is unfortunate that among large numbers of high school and college students the habit of reading has disappeared.
This is not just my observation. Other teachers have told me that their experience is the same as mine. Students will read for exams or when some reading is assigned, but reading that is not required and reading for pleasure seem to have pretty much disappeared.
With the Holy Father’s book, we have a special situation. The author is not only a theologian but also the pope. Of course, what is written in the book should not be taken as infallible statements from the pope but rather the scholarly opinions and insights that Pope Benedict has had from study and prayer in relation to how Jesus appears in sacred Scriptures. If we remind ourselves that the writing that Benedict is studying is the Word of God, then I think that at least for me, and perhaps for others, an encounter with the Lord becomes more likely. Certainly I plan to re-read sections of the book with the hope that I meet Jesus through the pope’s efforts.
The Holy Father writes the following: “I have tried to maintain a distance from any controversies over particular points and to consider only the essential words and deeds of Jesus – guided by the hermeneutic of faith, but at the same time adopting a responsible attitude toward historical reason, which is a necessary component of that faith. “Even if there will always be details that remain open for discussion, I still hope that I have been granted an insight into the figure of our Lord that can be helpful to all readers who seek to encounter Jesus and to believe in him.” (p. xv11)
On the first and second pages of his book, the Holy Father gives evidence of his insights. He mentions that Jesus’ ascent from Galilee to Jerusalem is an ascent in a geographical sense, that the Sea of Galilee is situated about 690 feet below sea level and that Jerusalem, on average, is about 2,500 feet above sea level. However, what especially interests Benedict is that the ascent is not only geographical but metaphysical and spiritual.
He points out that the ultimate goal of Jesus’ ascent is His self-offering on the cross. The ascent becomes not only an ascent to Jerusalem but ultimately an ascent to heaven. It is an ascent toward loving to the end.
By the second page of his book, Pope Benedict had convinced me that his book has something special to offer.
Next week, Father Lauder delves into the heart of God’s Word.