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HomeQuestionsIt is depicted that Josemaria sat at the death bed and prayed for a friend of the family who was Jewish! Did that really happen in his life?
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It is depicted that Josemaria sat at the death bed and prayed for a friend of the family who was Jewish! Did that really happen in his life?
Franca - USA
One of the scenes in the film shows St Josemaria in a Madrid hospital, talking to Honorio, who is on his deathbed. Honorio is Jewish and had wanted to become a Catholic, but out of respect for his parents had not done so.
In this scene, the film director combines various different events from St Josemaria’s real life. He spent years of his life caring for the sick and dying. He met many people belonging to the Jewish faith and other religious faiths, and his attitude was always one of openness, understanding, and total respect for the freedom of consciences.
Joffé creates an imaginary Jewish character (it was quite unusual to find Jewish people in Spain at that time) and shows St Josemaria accompanying him in his last moments, and both of them praying: while Honorio prays the Shema Israel, St Josemaria prays the “Our Father”.
The scene also reflects something that happened on February 14, 1975 (the year St Josemaria died) in Venezuela. During a large catechetical gathering, a man stood up and said that he was Jewish and wanted to ask a question. Before he could get his question out, St Josemaria told him, “I love Jewish people very much, because I love Jesus Christ madly, and he is Jewish. I don’t say ‘was’, but ‘is’: Iesus Christus heri et hodie, ipse et in saecula. [Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.] Jesus Christ still lives, and he is Jewish like you. And the second love of my life is a Jewish woman, Mary most holy, the Mother of Jesus Christ. So I look on you with great affection.’ (see video).
Accordingly, although the scene in the film is not a historical event, it does show the attitude of his pastoral work – understanding, self-sacrificing, and affectionate. In that sense you could say that while this scene is not literally true, it does sum up and reflect a some of the real features of St Josemaria’s life and character.
You can also see a video-clip of St Josemaria’s response to a Jewish girl who was thinking about becoming a Catholic.
Answered by:
In this scene, the film director combines various different events from St Josemaria’s real life. He spent years of his life caring for the sick and dying. He met many people belonging to the Jewish faith and other religious faiths, and his attitude was always one of openness, understanding, and total respect for the freedom of consciences.
Joffé creates an imaginary Jewish character (it was quite unusual to find Jewish people in Spain at that time) and shows St Josemaria accompanying him in his last moments, and both of them praying: while Honorio prays the Shema Israel, St Josemaria prays the “Our Father”.
The scene also reflects something that happened on February 14, 1975 (the year St Josemaria died) in Venezuela. During a large catechetical gathering, a man stood up and said that he was Jewish and wanted to ask a question. Before he could get his question out, St Josemaria told him, “I love Jewish people very much, because I love Jesus Christ madly, and he is Jewish. I don’t say ‘was’, but ‘is’: Iesus Christus heri et hodie, ipse et in saecula. [Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.] Jesus Christ still lives, and he is Jewish like you. And the second love of my life is a Jewish woman, Mary most holy, the Mother of Jesus Christ. So I look on you with great affection.’ (see video).
Accordingly, although the scene in the film is not a historical event, it does show the attitude of his pastoral work – understanding, self-sacrificing, and affectionate. In that sense you could say that while this scene is not literally true, it does sum up and reflect a some of the real features of St Josemaria’s life and character.
You can also see a video-clip of St Josemaria’s response to a Jewish girl who was thinking about becoming a Catholic.
Answered by:
José Miguel Cejas
List of Contents
- What happened Josemaria meets Manolo after the death of Mr. Torres?
- Did Josemaria have the vision of Opus Dei just like it comes in the movie?
- Was the fight in the seminary a historical fact?
- I went to see There Be Dragons with some friends the other day. We couldn’t work out who Aline (the red-haired girl) was meant to be– an angel? The Virgin Mary? Or who?
- Did St Josemaria really hear confessions during the Spanish Civil War, risking arrest? Even in a zoo?
- It is depicted that Josemaria sat at the death bed and prayed for a friend of the family who was Jewish! Did that really happen in his life?
- Were there any Opus Dei members on the Republican side?
- How many people were there in Opus Dei at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War? Were any of them killed?
- Are any of the people who trekked across the Pyrenees with St. Josemaria, such as Pedro Casciaro, still alive? Did they become Opus Dei priests?
- Was Manolo, one of the main characters in There Be Dragons, a real person? Did St Josemaria have a friend like Manolo?
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