The Turin Shroud

 

The Shroud's a curious thing, a faint image of a powerful man with the wounds of Christ's crucifixion and it's been dismissed as a forgery, but not so fast. The image is a photo negative.  What? a negative? Yes. It also doesn't contain dyes or pigments, it's not a painting. So how was it made?

By a "burst of vacuum ultraviolet radiation... emitted from every three-dimensional point of the body in the Shroud." Wow, an insanely atomic burst of energy that somehow seared the image into the cloth. Perhaps, though no one knows who or what might cause such a thing.

You can read about the Shroud here and here and what do we make of it? If it's a forgery or piece of art it's remarkable and miraculous, how many 13/14th C paintings were photo negatives and made without paint or dye. And if real? You behold the face of Christ.

Surrexit,

LSP

Happy Easter!

 

Christus surrexit alleluia!

LSP

Jesus Christ is Risen Today

God bless and happy Easter,

LSP

Ash Wednesday 2020

Memento, homo, quia pulvis es et in pulverem reverteris — Remember, O Man, that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust all brought into stark relief as we kneel to receive an ashen cross on our foreheads. No, fool, you're not a God, you're mortal and destined to return to the earth from which you came. 

Remember, the memento mori is cruciform, in the shape of the same Cross which defeated death by death. Here we find life, our mortality shot through and transformed by eternity.

So Good Friday lives within Ash Wednesday and with it the green pastures and flowing waters of paradise, of the empty tomb and Easter. O death, where is thy sting? Still, before we dare claim the victory we must ally ourselves with it, or rather the Victor himself. And so to Lent.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Wishing you all a holy and blessed penitential season,

LSP

Palm Sunday 2019

I love Palm Sunday, the gateway to Holy Week and with it the opportunity to follow Christ ever more deeply on his way to the cross and resurrection. Beautiful, and it forces two things upon us, discernment and choice.

Who and what do we love, what leads us, who do we follow? Bread and power, the world, the flesh and the devil who hovers over all, or Christ? Discernment achieved, choose wisely.

That said, half of one of the Missions was missing in action today. Why? Because they'd gone to a rabbit show. That's right, a bunny display.

Well, there's nothing quite like anticipating Easter.

Antenicene Fathers forever,

LSP

Christ is Risen! Alleluia!

Great turn-out at the Missions for Holy Week and Easter and now I must drive to Dallas, but here's some Chrysostom first:

O death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen and you are abolished. Christ is risen and the demons are cast down. Christ is risen and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen and life is freed. Christ is risen and the tomb is emptied of the dead: for Christ, being risen from the dead, has become the Leader and Reviver of those who had fallen asleep. To Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

I like that, "the demons are cast down."

Have a blessed and glorious Easter,

LSP

Happy Easter!

Holy Sepulchre

Happy Easter, Christ has risen!

Stay on the horse and God bless,

LSP

Happy Easter

Exhausted now from the rigours of Holy Week but...

Wishing you all a joyous Easter.

Christ has risen, Alleluia!

LSP

Happy Easter!

I always find that the desolation of Good Friday increases yearly, but so too does the underlying glory of Easter - a welcome antidote to the dark barbarism of the spirit of the age. Then again, I believe in the resurrection.

But whatever my thoughts, have a great and joyful Easter!

Off to grill lamb chops now and enjoy a 'cold one.'

God bless,

LSP