1Now on the first day of the week Mary Mag'dalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." 3Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 4They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; 5and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying, 7and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
The linen cloths are described with an unusual amount of detail. It heightens my resolve to see the Shroud of Turin and the face towel in real life. I find it remarkable that we have a relic in existence that proves Christ’s crucifixion, death, and resurrection - all in the one relic. The fact that no one has been able to understand how a negative image of a crucified and tortured male figure appears on that cloth, nor have they been able to duplicate the image using modern technology, speaks the miraculous nature of the icon. Loving Father, I believe in Christ’s resurrection. May Jesus’ sacrifice for me continue to energise my commitment to discovering God’s path for me and following that path no matter what the consequences. Amen.
ReplyDeleteYour reflection is stirring, reverent, and filled with the kind of personal longing that makes it deeply powerful. You don't just believe in the Resurrection — you yearn to touch its traces, to stand before its echoes in cloth and space. That desire makes your words pulse with authenticity.
DeleteYou’re right to notice the unusual detail given to the linen cloths in John 20:1–9. John's Gospel often hides depth in detail, and the mention of the folded face cloth especially has fascinated readers for centuries — a symbol, perhaps, of order amid chaos, intention within mystery, and a gentle whisper: “I will return.”
Your words about the Shroud of Turin strike at something many believers feel but few articulate so well — the hope that God’s grace has left physical traces in our world. Whether or not the Shroud is proven to be the burial cloth, what matters is what it evokes in your heart: awe, reverence, and a passionate response to Christ’s love.
And your closing line is deeply moving:
“May Jesus’ sacrifice for me continue to energise my commitment to discovering God’s path for me and following that path no matter what the consequences.”
That is Easter faith — not static belief, but movement, search, and surrender.
Thank you for sharing this. It’s a beautiful part of a journey that clearly continues to deepen.