A Witness to the Risen One

This is part two of the testimony of Yitzhak, a Polish Jew, who after a period of many years returned to Poland from Israel to make peace with his adoptive parents. In the process, he helped to reconcile them with God in the Sacrament of Penance and revealed to them the love of Jesus, who not only forgives but also bestows the gift of forgiveness, which is Truth wrapped in Love.

The world needs the Messiah, the Christ, Emmanuel (God is with us), and so we are called to bear witness to the Truth, to yield the fruits of love, goodness, and devotion to our Lord God. These fruits will bring peace to the earth. I believe that, thanks to God, the people Israel will accept the real Messiah that they wait for. I believe that Poland will be delivered from all the addictions afflicting her — from the Enemy of this world. We must not follow his spirit, for it leads to sin and death. Jesus conquered sin. Our Savior is so close. He is here. He is among us! The Lord’s judgments are inscrutable, His love boundless. The human mind simply cannot fathom His wisdom in relation to Israel and the destiny of every human being. God prepared salvation for every person and every nation. Jesus is our way out of sin and moral degradation. Yeshua ha-Mashiah (Jesus Christ) can restore to humanity even those who have sunk into alcoholism, drugs, and other addictions. He can make of them a blessing to others, to their families, their children. He can raise up every nation — without exception. The Word of God has the power to restore and heal souls. It frees man from drowning in the things of this world, frees him from every form of slavery, for Christ came to burst every enslaving bond.

Only by way of repentance can we receive Christ. Only repentance, prayer, and forgiveness lead to the Tree of Life and the tasting of His fruits. A person who tastes and is nourished by these fruits is enabled by God’s holiness to love his neighbor, to pray with others, and bring down every wall of division. To be sure, those who seek God’s mercy through the Sacrament of Penance stand obliged to do something. If they have stolen something, they must return it. If they have hurt someone, they must be prepared to say, “I was not a human being when I behaved in such and such a way towards you.” Restitution must be made. In the eyes of the Holy, Eternal One, making peace with one’s neighbor is something of supreme beauty.

Only a man of prayer can forgive. Daily prayer is the basis of a life of faith. A person who does not pray exposes himself to temptation. He places himself in danger of sin. He is, to put it simply, a servant of sin. Prayer is his protection against sin. Prayer begins before sunrise and ends after sunset. It goes on constantly, unceasingly, all day — with gratitude and thanksgiving for all the gifts we have received. From prayer we draw strength to perform our daily tasks and carry out our mission in life. Without prayer we can only count on our own feeble strength. Prayer, on the other hand, teaches us to trust in the Eternal One, to put ourselves at the mercy of His grace, His Spirit, His wisdom, not man’s wisdom or intelligence. Our humble rabbis have always told us that pride comes before the fall and bars the way to knowledge. Jesus says, “Learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart.” For truly believing messianic Jews, prayer is a deep and profound personal encounter with God, a personal encounter with Yeshua ha-Mashiah (Jesus Christ). This encounter always leads to the love of God and the love of neighbor. If prayer does not lead to love and forgiveness, it is not prayer, but a mere mouthing of fine sentiments.

Only he who is truly reconciled with his neighbor walks in the way of the Lord. Jesus tells us this in His prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” By forgiving a person, by forgiving a people, we receive forgiveness for ourselves. That is the basis and foundation of Christianity — repentance, forgiveness, and humility. It is the example Our Lord gave us. If a person does not abide in the Tree of Life, i.e. in Jesus, if he is not bound to Him, then he is bound to a philosophy of his own. God’s grace grafts us to the Tree of Life. If we avoid His grace, if we neglect to seek peace with our neighbor, if we do not form a personal relationship with God, then all too easily do we — as did Eve — reach for the fruit of sin.

Everyone is called to serve others. Everyone is called to bring healing to his own milieu, his family and home. Everyone must bring medicine to wherever there is sickness.

Of course, there is no completely just man on this earth. But the Holy God constantly reminds us, “You will be holy!” The Messiah is our sole source of holiness, for He who was a Lamb, Holy, Pure, Unblemished, and Innocent, offered Himself up, that He might make a gift of this holiness to us. How can we accept this gift of His? By making His words live within us. The Word of God changes our surroundings, creates an atmosphere of love and peace.

God says, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind … and your neighbor as yourself.” How do you love your neighbor? By doing to others what you would have them do to you. If God appeared to us now, we would call out, “O King!” But if it were our neighbor, we would say: “What are you? Who are you? A man!” No one would dare see God in such a man. But God wants us to treat one another like kings. When we love, we are the salt of the earth. But our bodies are weak. If they are not to go bad, they must be seasoned with the word of life. The world tempts us with technology, comforts, and the desire to possess. Did Satan not say to Yeshua ha-Mashiah: “All things have been delivered to me. See? Every authority, even the Jews are subject to me.” That is a deceitful lie. We know that we must believe only in Jesus. We must trust only in Him. Love only Him. Live only for Him. Because of Yeshua (Jesus) we have compassion for our brother who suffers. If he is in pain, then it is as if we were in pain too, for we all make up the Lord’s Body and if someone suffers, he suffers in the Lord’s Body. That is why Yeshua (Jesus) exhorts us to “bear one another’s burden.” This is what God wants of us. He does not compel us; but he does expect it of us. “You are my faithful servant,” He says. “I do not fear for you. You will not hesitate to take up another’s burden and so prove that the fruit of life is victorious. You will prove that the Anointed Lord rose from the dead and lives within you. You are called to bear the light of life to others.”

The Church constantly exhorts us to live out God’s Word, to bring peace and harmony home to our families, to attest every day to the divine truth that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead — to delight always in Christ, in every place: at home, on the street, at work, everywhere. Faith in Christ has brought me to you, Poles, to bear witness to the life of a Jew who believes in the Messiah. The Lord has made me a mediator between the Jewish and Polish peoples — indeed, between all peoples. It is like a foreshadowing of the peace and reconciliation that awaits the whole world. There will come a time when all things will be brought to light. Then all nations will recognize Him and cry out with one voice: “The Lord and King is One, His Name is One, and He is King of the whole world!” In Him we shall find the answer to all our questions and all our cares.

I have come to Poland by the grace of the Lord. I pray that all Poles will recognize in Yeshua ha-Mashiah (Jesus Christ) the real Messiah, who forgives all sins and achieves victory in our personal lives, our families, and our communities. Together with us, Jesus carries the cross of suffering and helps us to put up with every privation and misfortune. I have come to beg Poles to reconcile themselves anew with one another and with God, who is always ready to give us another chance. He denies His mercy to no one — however often we may fall. As for the Enemy, who throws obstacles in our path, as for the Evil One, who wants to dwell among those who have entrusted themselves to God — show him the door! He must leave, for the Lord is with you

Eternal God! God of Israel! God of the Polish Republic! I come in the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiah, the Messiah of Israel, the Messiah of Poland, and all other nations, to thank You for the gift of recognizing my brothers. I ask for your blessing on all people, in every place, in every home and family.

May the Eternal Lord, Lord of Israel, bless the Polish people with the great and abundant blessing of His grace! May He pour out His grace on Poland, on those who stand in need of deliverance, healing from physical ailment, help in the face of misfortune and weakness. Lord! You hear me. You know me. That is why I bless them and thank You. Nor do I doubt that they will bless my nation too. Today I have declared that the Polish people are my people, that they are my countrymen, for I was born here among them. It is You who brought me back here, though I did not believe this possible. You, Eternal Lord, work wondrous miracles. You make splendid things happen. You love us exceedingly. Blessed be Your priests and those who will yet become priests. I believe, Lord, that you gave this gift to the Catholic Church. Her priests hold faithfully to your precepts. They admonish the nation that they must responsibly receive the graces, which You make available — through them — to all. May their people be blessed! Preserve the Polish nation. Bless all Poles. May they raise one another up, help one another, love and strengthen one another in the name of Yeshua ha-Mashiah (Jesus Christ).

Let us pray that all nations may accept the Messiah. Pray for the Jews, that their eyes and hearts may be opened. Let us by our lives and in our words testify to the Jewish Messiah — Jesus Christ. Bless the people of Israel, who by their unbelief close the way to Divine Mercy and, as a result, have not known peace in two thousand years. Say the chaplet of Divine Mercy. Remember the descendants of Abraham — “Jews by birth.” Pray that one day every one may say, “Yeshua, ani batuach becha!” (“Jesus, I trust in You!”)

The above article was published with permission from Miłujcie się! in November 2010