Shrouded In Mystery

Dr. Lavoie spoke about the Shroud of Turin at Christ the King.  He believes it is the 14-foot, one-piece shroud of Jesus and is “the sign John ingeniously concealed.”  I’m a long-time wonderer about this intriguing cloth.  I started back in 1998 when I read Time Magazine’s article: “The Shroud of Turin.  Now it’s back on display, the debate flares anew: Is this Jesus?” 

I listened to some of Dr. Lavoie’s presentation.  I have read some of his book.  I appreciate his perspective and conclusions.  I suggest you read his book and draw your own conclusions.  

Pope Francis has said, "…our thoughts go to the Virgin Mary, loving mother and attentive to all her children, whom Jesus entrusted to her from the cross, while he offered himself in the greatest act of love. The icon of this love (my emphasis) is the shroud…The shroud draws (us) to the face and martyred body of Jesus and, at the same time, impels us toward the face of every suffering and unjustly persecuted person. It impels us in the same direction as Jesus' gift of love."  It is an icon and not a relic.

Jesus’ resurrection is a matter of faith – our faith. The Gospels provide no description of the resurrection.  The tomb simply was empty. There is so much to ponder and interpret such as his later appearances.

Dr. Lavoie stated on page 97 of his book that Father and biblical scholar Raymond Brown said the Gospel of John indicated Jesus was “lifted up.” Dr. Lavoie concluded this lifting was consistent with the image of an upright man suspended off the ground. 

I still wonder about the cloth that covered his head and rolled separately in a corner.  From the Gospel of John: “…he [other disciple] bent down and saw the burial cloths there, but did not go in. When Simon Peter arrived after him, he went into the tomb and saw the burial cloths there and (my emphasis) the cloth that had covered his head, not with the burial cloths but rolled up in a separate place…” I try to reconcile the two burial cloths with the long one-piece Shroud.

Dr. Lavoie’s said on page 106 that John “saw the image of the ‘destroyed’ raised body of Jesus.”  That assumes John must have picked up the burial cloths and then saw the image. Did John stretch out the long cloth to see the entire 14-foot image?  Did he recognize it as Jesus’ imprint?  This would have been such a huge discovery, and I assume it would have been written into his Gospel for all to read and preach.  

On page 123 Dr. Lavoie has a section entitled: “The Visual Confirmation of the Fulfillment of God’s Plan for Salvation.”  He wrote: “…the Holy Spirit of eternal life, our gift from God, was paid for at the highest price imaginable.  So, what does all this mean?  It means that God’s work, God’s sign, that of the lifted Jesus of the shroud (my emphasis) that we see with our own eyes, visually confirms (my emphasis) that Jesus’ revelation of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit that gives humanity eternal life, is true…”  I suspect most of us don't need visual confirmation.  We just know he was the Risen Christ.  We take it by faith of that which cannot be seen.

I’m lifted up by the love of God and by the love around me and given to me.  I’m lifted up by the courage of those fighting injustice and tyranny.  I fall when I let hypocrites dispirit me.  I’m lifted up by the faith of those who doubt but keep persevering and desire the love of Christ.  I’m lifted up by the truth of our faith and words and deeds of our Savior described by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

Deacon David Pierce