The Face Of Jesus
I attended a presentation about the Passion of Christ at St. Barnabas Parish in Greenwood, Ind. The Pastor, Monsignor Tony Volz, opened prayer with this statement: “By the wood of the cross we have been healed.” There is so much power in this one sentence.
Dr. Chuck Dietzen and Dr. Joseph Bergeron, both of Indianapolis, put the presentation together. They call the program, “CSI: Jerusalem,” a forensic medical examination of the Passion of Christ. They view the crucifixion of Christ as a trauma case; and as medical professionals, they are often called upon to give advice for medical and legal proceedings. They both agree that their strong faith and scientific backgrounds inspired them with this knowledge to help people understand where their faith is coming from, in regards to the tremendous sacrifice of Christ’s death.
The two doctors met at the Indiana University School of Medicine, and their relationship began with a conversation about Blessed Mother Teresa. Both doctors had traveled to India at different times and personally met Blessed Teresa and her staff, as they provided medical and spiritual care. Their two-hour presentation on the Passion was intriguing, and I felt as if I witnessed every injury Christ endured by their scientific and medical explanation of the Roman execution.
They had artifacts on display that were typically used in crucifixions during the time of Jesus, with a full sized replica of the Shroud of Turin. This ancient burial cloth captures the image of a man who has been beaten, scourged and crucified, which leads many people to believe it was the cloth used to wrap Christ after his death on the cross. There is so much to absorb about the historic background of the Shroud of Turin for all people of faith, Christian, Jewish and Catholic – as well as skeptics who dispute the theory that this could be the burial cloth of Jesus. You can read more about this presentation at: www.causeofjesusdeath.com.
There will be a public display of the authentic shroud in Turin's cathedral in Italy from April 19-June 24. Pope Francis will visit the shroud on June 21, where he will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of St. John Bosco. It is rare for there to be a public exhibition of the shroud; but it is part of a yearlong celebration of the founder of the Salesians, who worked in Turin helping and educating young people at a time of economic and social difficulties in the second half of the 19th century. The church has not officially ruled on the shroud's authenticity, believing decisions about its age and origin belong to scientific investigation.
My experience that evening in Greenwood inspired me to think more about the power of the Holy Spirit – working through people to accomplish so many things that strengthen our faith. As I viewed the replica of the cloth, I could imagine the situation Joseph of Arimathea must have put himself in when he requested the body from Pilate.
The Crucifixion of Christ strengthened his faith and love so much that he provided Christ with a proper Jewish burial before the Sabbath began, while putting himself in personal danger. We read in Matthew 27:59-60 about Joseph and Nicodemus using abundant spices and wrapping Jesus in fine linen and laying him in the unused tomb of Joseph.
Throughout Scripture and into our present time there are many unsung heroes who silently do small things with great purpose – just as we witnessed with Blessed Teresa in Calcutta, St John Boscoe, and Joseph of Arimathea.
If you could have a conversation with one biblical character or saintly person who has shared in the importance of our salvation history with Jesus, who would it be? As you contemplate the gift God gave us in the life, death and resurrection of his Son this Easter Season, think about what you can do to contribute to the salvation of souls.
Begin by praying for vocations to priesthood and religious life; and remember, we are all called to be saints! Our power is in the Cross and face of Jesus! Amen!
