The Thanatos Syndrome

doesn’t?”
    â€œRead St. Paul! It is clear that their inability to accept Jesus was not only foreordained but altogether reasonable and is not to be held against them. Salvation comes from the Jews, as holy scripture tells us. They remain the beloved, originally chosen people of God.”
    â€œRight. Now I—”
    â€œIt is also psychologically provable.”
    â€œIt is?”
    â€œJews are naturally skeptical, hardheaded, and, after all, what Jesus was proposing to them was a tall order.”
    â€œYes. Well—” He’s standing on the trapdoor and I can’t lift it until he gets off.
    â€œWhat do you think Peres would say if Begin claimed to be the Messiah?”
    I have to laugh.
    â€œNo no.” The priest hunches forward, almost clearing the trapdoor. “You’re missing the point.”
    â€œI am?”
    â€œHow many times in your work have you encountered someone who claims to be Napoleon, the Messiah, Hitler, the Devil?”
    â€œOften.”
    â€œHow often have you encountered a Jewish patient who claimed to be the Messiah or Napoleon?”
    â€œNot often.”
    â€œYou see?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œNo, you don’t.”
    â€œI don’t?”
    â€œYou still don’t see the bottom line psychologically speaking?” My nose has started running seriously. He is standing on the trapdoor and my nose is dripping.
    â€œOne, a Jew will not believe another Jew making such a preposterous claim, right? But—But—!” Now he has come to the bottom line sure enough. For he has stopped doing isometrics and throwing punches and has instead placed both hands on the azimuth and lined me up in the sights. He speaks in a low intense voice, pausing between each word. “Is it not the case, Doctor, that if a Jew speaks to a Gentile, speaks with authority, with sobriety, as a friend— the Gentile — will — believe — him! Think about it!” He has leaned over so close I can see the white fiber, the arcus senilis, around his pupil.
    I give every appearance of thinking about it.
    â€œEven an anti-Semite! Did you ever notice that an anti-Semite who despises Jews actually believes them deep down—that’s why he hates them!—and isn’t that the reason he despises them?”
    I eye him curiously. “May I ask you something, Father?”
    â€œFire away.”
    â€œDo you still regard yourself as a Catholic priest?”
    For the first time he seems surprised. He stops his isometrics, cocks his head. “How do you mean, Tom?”
    â€œWhy are you?”
    â€œWhy am I what? Oh. You mean why am I a Catholic—Tom, may I ask you a question?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œDo you remember what a sacrament is?”
    I smile. “A sensible sign instituted by Christ to produce grace. I can still rattle it off.”
    The priest laughs. “Those sisters did a job on us, didn’t they?”
    â€œYes. Maybe too good.”
    â€œWhat? Oh. Yes, yes. Do you remember the scriptural example they always gave?”
    â€œSure. Unless you eat my body and drink my blood, you will not have life in you.”
    â€œSame one!” says the priest, again laughing, then falls to musing. “Life,” he murmurs absently and under his breath. “Life. But that’s the trouble, the words—”
    â€œWhat’s that?” I ask the priest, wondering if he’s still talking to me.
    â€œOh,” he says, giving a start. “I’m sorry. To answer your question—” He frowns mightily.
    What question?
    â€œAre you forgetting about the ancient Romans?”
    The ancient Romans. My nose is running badly. I have to go.
    â€œAren’t you forgetting that the ancient Romans, who were, after all, not stupid people and were right about most things though not very creative, were also right about us.”
    â€œI suppose I had forgotten.”
    â€œThe historians say they mistook us for a Jewish sect, didn’t they?”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œWas it a mistake?”
    Now he’s clear of the trapdoor. I give the rung a yank.
    â€œThe Jews as a word sign cannot be assimilated under a class, category, or theory. No subsuming Jews! Not even by the Romans.”
    â€œRight.” I yank again. What’s wrong with this damn thing?
    â€œNo subsuming Jews, Tom!”
    â€œOkay, I won’t.”
    â€œThis offends people, even the