Archbishop naumann biography of abraham

By: Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, columnist for The Leaven Catholic Newspaper
Originally published in The Leaven on October 6,

One of the most exquisite artistic features of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, is the stained-glass windows. The seven windows high on the back sanctuary wall depict biblical events that are relevant to the meaning of the celebration of the Eucharist.

One of the biblical scenes portrayed is an angel preventing Abraham from slaying and sacrificing his son Isaac. This event found in the Book of Genesis is shocking. God had promised Abraham that a great nation would come from his descendants. It was in their old age that Sarah and Abraham had finally conceived a child. Why in the world would Abraham ever consider killing his long-awaited son? Why would he think this could somehow be pleasing to God?

You will recall that God asked Abraham to leave his native land and come to what we today call the Holy Land. It includes modern-day Palestine, Israel and parts of Jordan. The Canaanite tribes that inhabited the land worshiped pagan idols, such as Moloch or Baal. Their religions encouraged promiscuous sexual behavior that in its extreme was exemplified by the immorality of the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Human sacrifice was an integral part of their religious rituals — in particular, the sacrifice of children.

God sent his angel to stop Abraham from following the common cultural practice of child sacrifice to make clear that the one, true God does not desire human sacrifice, but abhors it. Part of the mission of the descendants of Abraham was to cleanse the land from the immorality and iniquity of the fertility cults.

The execution of Jesus on Calvary revealed the depth of God’s merciful love for humanity. What God never asked of us, our sin demanded from our heavenly Father — namely, the sacrifice of the Son of God. The amazing love of God for us demonstrated in the crucifixion of Jesus on Calvary is made

by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann

I urge everyone to pray a daily rosary for peace in the Holy Land. The brutality of the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel were crimes against humanity. The brutal murders of innocent civilians, particularly  children, were morally appalling.

Israel has a right and responsibility to defend its citizens. Hamas’ plea for a ceasefire, after initiating the war and inflicting a heavy death toll on Israeli civilians, is a disingenuous and self-serving gesture. Hamas should immediately release all hostages. 

I have been to the Holy Land five times. The Holy Land is often referred to as the “Fifth Gospel.” The ability to visit sites such as — 1) the actual sites of the Annunciation and the Nativity of Jesus; 2) Nazareth, the hometown of Our Lord; 3) Galilee where Jesus exercised much of his public ministry; 4) the Upper Room in Jerusalem where Our Lord celebrated the Last Supper, appeared on Easter night to the apostles and the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on Pentecost; 5) the Garden of Gethsemane; 6) Calvary; and 7) the empty tomb, the place of the Resurrection — allows the Gospels to come alive. These sacred shrines make clear that Jesus was not a mythical figure, but a historic person.

The re-establishment of Israel as a Jewish state after World War II and the horror of the Holocaust was a tremendous blessing for the often persecuted Jewish people. The ability for Jews to have their own land where they can be in control of their own destiny and protect themselves from future persecutions was the fulfillment of centuries of prayer. At the same time, it also came at a significant cost to the Arab Christians and Muslims, who had their own claims to the land.

Fifty years ago, Christians made up 50% of the population of the Holy Land. Today, Christians are less than 2%. Why? Because it is very hard for an Arab Christian or Muslim to make a decent living. In order to protect the Jewish population, many restr

Kansas City, Mo., Feb 2, / pm

In his latest column, Kansas City, Kansas Archbishop Joseph Naumann weighed in on the volatile national immigration debate, saying that Scripture exhorts faithful to welcome the stranger and the alien, not as an option--but as a responsibility.

The Archbishop wrote in regard to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishop’s Justice for Immigrants Campaign which advocates comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S.

Citing a joint pastoral letter drafted by the Bishops of the U.S. and Mexico in called, “Strangers No Longer: Together On a Journey of Hope,” Archbishop Naumann said that the Biblical Abraham himself as well as his descendents “knew what it was like to be strangers in a strange land.”

The document points out that “The key events in the history of the Chosen People of enslavement by the Egyptians and of liberation by God led to the commandments regarding strangers (Ex 9; Lv 33).”

“Israel’s conduct with the stranger” it continues, “is both an imitation of God and the primary, specific Old Testament manifestation of the great commandment to love one’s neighbor… the great God, mighty and awesome, who has no favorites, accepts no bribes, who executes justice for the orphan and widow, and befriends the alien, feeding and clothing him.”

“So you, too,” scripture exhorts, “must befriend the alien, for you once were aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt”(Dt ).

Archbishop Naumann added that “During the Christmas season, we were reminded how Jesus, Mary and Joseph were migrants and refugees, having to flee their homeland to avoid the maniacal efforts of King Herod to kill Jesus.”

Likewise, “In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples when they welcome a stranger, they welcome him.”

In short, the Archbishop said that “For the American Catholic, being concerned about the plight of immigrants today is not just an option but a responsibility.”

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