'God of our fathers, you chose Abraham and his descendants to bring your name to the nations: We are deeply saddened by the behavior of those who in the course of history have caused these children of yours to suffer, and, asking your forgiveness, we wish to commit ourselves to genuine brotherhood with the people of the covenant.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker expresses sorrow for historical harms done to the Jewish people and seeks reconciliation.
- In plain terms
- Sorry for hurting God's people in history.
- What can you take from it?
- Seek genuine brotherhood with other faiths.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you address past wrongs?
- What does reconciliation look like?
Another view
Apologies do not undo the historical damage already caused.
More from John Paul II (Pope)
'We are now standing in the face of the greatest historical confrontation humanity has ever experienced. I do not think the wide circle of the American Society…
Permalink to quote #13 'The twentieth century was the great century of Christian martyrs, and this is true both in the Catholic Church and in other Churches and ecclesial communities…
Permalink to quote #15 'Science shines forth in all its value as a good capable of motivating our existence, as a great experience of freedom for truth, as a fundamental work of serv…
Permalink to quote #12
Related quotes
'Christianity took Ratu Cakobau and the Fijians from the way of the club, to the way of peace. Our islands were transformed forever.'
Laisenia QaraseLaisenia Qarase quote #24 We belong to the camp of peace. We believe in peace. We believe that our one God wishes us to live in peace and wishes peace upon us, for these are His teachin…
Hussein of JordanHussein of Jordan quote #34 As a result of more contact with people from other traditions, as time passes I have firmed my conviction that all religions can work together despite fundamen…
Tenzin Gyatso (Dalai Lama)Tenzin Gyatso (Dalai Lama) quote #68