THE SHROUD

I was pleasantly surprised that Leander (My older son) had chosen a topic like 'The Shroud Of Turin' to be his topic for an assignment at school. When he mentioned it to me casually, my curiosity peaked and wanted to find out what he had researched on the subject. I found out that he had done a pretty thorough research on the shroud via the Internet. I was particularly interested in the latest findings based on newer techniques and scientific approaches applied to the study of the shroud. Hearing Leander speak so convincingly on the authenticity of the shroud made me want to launch my own study on the net and i ended up spending a better half of the evening until the wee hours of the morning (until 2.30 am!). I'm still not done studying on the matter and i will be delving deeper into Gospel accounts of the resurrection story along with the study of Jewish burial customs of Jesus' day! It is an exciting topic and there's enough to read and research on the net for those of you who want to do so.

Pope Benedict xvi has not publicly commented on the Shroud's authenticity, but has taken steps that indirectly affect the Shroud. In June 2008 he approved the public display of the Shroud in the spring of 2010 and stated that he would like to go to Turin to see it along with other pilgrims. During his visit in Turin on Sunday May 2, 2010, Benedict XVI described the Shroud of Turin as an "extraordinary Icon", the "Icon of Holy Saturday corresponding in every way to what the Gospels tell us of Jesus", "an Icon written in blood, the blood of a man who was scourged, crowned with thorns, crucified and whose right side was pierced". The pope said also that in the Turin Shroud "we see, as in a mirror, our suffering in the suffering of Christ". (Extract from Wikipedia)

Many consider the Shroud of Turin to be the Fifth Gospel, as it is a visual record of the instant the Lord's Light caused His body to change "in the twinkling of an eye" into His spiritual body. "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46). Is it any wonder that He also departed this world...in light? And is it also any wonder that modern day scientists, with all their technology, cannot explain how the image was created on the Shroud...except for possible radiation light?

Well ... as for me, i've chosen to believe in Christ's ressurection and therefore HE LIVES ... and HE STILL HEALS!

Rom 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved