Constantine's Sword Page #4

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Roman punishment and a Roman execution.

But it's startling that

if you read the gospels,

you'd think that it was the Jews

that engineered it.

At every Good Friday service

with the reading of that passion narrative.

The Jews, the Jews, the Jews...

It really hits the ear

and Jesus is against the Jews.

And I don't know how else Christians

can hear this story.

And the Jews answer,

"Crucify him, crucify him."

I am Jewish.

Now, a Jew, dictionary-style,

is one who has descended from one

of the ancient tribes of Judea...

or one who is regarded

to have descended from that bride.

But you and I know what a Jew really is:

"One who killed our Lord!"

I don't know if it got much press coverage

out here on the West Coast...

cause that all happened

a couple thousand years ago...

although there should be a statute

of limitations to the crime...

we are still paying the dues.

"Why do you keep busting our balls

for this crime?"

"Why? Jew! Because you skirt the issue.

You blame it on Roman soldiers."

I'm gonna clear the air once

and for all, and confess.

We did it. My family, I did it.

We found a note in the basement:

"We killed him," signed Morty.

When I was 17, I came to Rome.

Soon after the new pope,

John the 23rd, was elected...

This was the great moment

of my family life.

My mom and dad, my four brothers,

me, my grandmother.

Coming here for a private audience

with Pope John the 23rd.

You got to understand,

my Dad was at the peak of his power...

my mother is a general's wife...

I'm a senior in high school.

But we are 1 or 2 generations

removed from the poorest of Irish poor.

This was the most important affirmation

you could imagine for people like us.

We make our way up the long Michelangelo

staircase into the...

Pope's palace.

For us it is like the Wizard of Oz.

Here we are...

Being brought as dignitaries

into the Pope's presence.

When he took a look at us

he threw his arms up...

and saluted my mother and father

for having this large catholic family.

But to my amazement

when he came in front of me...

he reached up

and grabbed my shoulders.

I was close enough to feel the whiskers

of his face against my cheek.

He was whispering something to me.

He made me feel chosen.

He made me feel conscripted.

I didn't know what he said.

It could be Latin, it could be Italian.

It didn't matter.

I just felt addressed.

I felt addressed by God in some odd way.

When I was a kid one of my favourite story

was about a hero...

who had been addressed by God.

My Dad told the story

about a miracle that happened...

to the Roman general Constantine...

right on this bridge in Rome.

I'm a little kid in St. Mary's Church

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