Almost all of my adult life I’ve had a profound love for the Jewish faith and the Jewish people. I once wrote an article where I stated that were I not Catholic I would (if allowed) convert to Judaism. Friends of various faiths have sometimes asked me who’s my favorite saint. I tell them, "Moses!" "James, Moses is not considered a saint in the Catholic Church," they respond. "So what!" I tell them. "Moses, along with Job, and Abraham, will always be at the top of my list of favorite saints (or prophets) in my own Christian mind way of thinking," I conclude. However, I must confess that Sister Teresa of Calcutta is up there in my top sainthood list.

Folks, let’s face it — my last name is Reza. And without making any apologies, it is a very Middle Eastern name. In the 1970s, when the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, went into exile, he came to the United States for cancer treatments. While here, he flew to Brooks Air Force Base to get cancer treatments. I remember getting scores of phone calls from unknown strangers from the Middle East, Europe, and the United States, asking me if I knew where the Shah was staying and was I related to him. Obviously, they were out to get this poor and despised but very wealthy ex-Iranian leader. Due to my last name, I get mail from Islamic groups asking for a donation to further the Islamic religion (yea, I bet). Being the rascal that I am, I return their free postage return envelope with this personal written note: "Sorry guys, I’m Catholic and I love Israel!" How I wish I were a fly on the wall at one of these Islamic group facilities when they open and read my attached note.

These last few weeks have really kept the government run media buzzing hasn’t it? By now most of us already know more about the supposed white supremacist nut, 88-year-old James Wenneker von Brunn, who fatally shot a black 39-year-old security guard, Stephen Tyrone Johns at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. The New York Times (Obama supporters) has put the blame on Fox News for inciting this nut case to carry out his racist agenda. The media even interviewed the white supremacist’s son, Erik von Brunn, who wishes that his father had died in the incident rather than the guard. However, have any of you heard the government run news or President Obama say anything pertaining to the murdering terrorist black man who converted to Islam, Abdulhakim Muhammad? In case any of you have not heard, this supposed peaceful (as President Obama wants us to believe) terrorist shot two U.S. soldiers, killing one, Pvt. William Andrew Long, and wounding Pvt. Quinton I. Ezeagwula, after completing basic training in Little Rock, Ark. From his jail cell in Pulaski County, the Islamic terrorist made this comment, "I don’t think it was murder, because murder is when a person kills another person without justified reason." Evidently, this terrorist justifies his murdering act.

Years ago, I was briefed monthly by the Reagan Administration. In one of the memos, I was informed that the communist leaning government closed the only synagogue in Managua, Nicaragua. During that time there was a lot of communist activity in Central American, particularly in Nicaragua between the Contras and the Sandinistas. Writing for several newspapers, I wrote several pieces pointing out how communist operatives encouraged young men to join the priesthood to sway Roman Catholics to embrace and support socialist and communist politicians.

Because of my statement pertaining to the closing of the synagogue in Managua, I was invited by a political Jewish group to speak at their synagogue. I remember telling my wife, "Imagine, a Catholic American Hispanic speaking to a group of Jews in a synagogue! Only in America Angie!"

After my presentation, while leaving the synagogue I notice a sign that read: "Why Jews don’t accept Christ as the Messiah. A three part series by Rabbi Issacson." I then asked Mr. Bob Till, the gentleman who invited me to speak at the synagogue if I could attend. "Sure James," said Bob, "and be sure to bring your Bible."

Folks, after three weeks of listening to Rabbi Issacson explain why Jesus was not the Messiah, I was totally confused. I remember saying to myself, "Jesus was a Jew, so was Mary, his Mother, and Peter, and the rest of the apostles." They never wrote in their gospels that they needed to start a Catholic, Lutheran, Baptist, or Methodist Church. Sure Christ said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and up this rock I will build my church: and the gates of Hades shall not overpower it," (Matt. 16:18). However, a name of His church was never mentioned. Needless to say, this religious experience shook me so much that it spurred me to seek help from theologians from different faiths. I remember attending mass and wondered if I was wasting my time being there. Many of you have seen at Billy Graham religious gatherings how some individuals rush the podium accepting Christ as their Savior. Well folks, for this supposed Christian, it was the opposite, I felt I had lost Christ.

Then, one Sunday during mass this scripture was read: John 14:6 — Jesus saith to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. At that exact moment I realized that without Christ I would have never known the God of the Jews — the one true God. And that Christ wanted not only me, but also anyone who accepted Him as their Savior that the true God of the Jews does not only belong to the Jews, but to everybody. Hopefully, this explains why I have a profound love for the Jewish faith in that I, through Christ, have been given access to their God.