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   It is only in the context of Jesus’ life that the image of the Shroud of Turin can be understood. The shroud image of the lifted man whose hair falls to his shoulders and whose feet do not touch the ground was clearly predicted by Jesus: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”(John 12:32)  This shroud includes not only his crucifixion and burial, but his resurrection and ascension back to his Father, and our Father, to his God, and our God. (John 20:17)*

 

   The shroud image and blood marks are the reflection of Jesus’ hour of glory; we see the dynamic event of the resurrection in process on the first Easter morning, the event that changed the world forever. God’s love, power, and presence in the world are made manifest by the presence of Jesus’ blood and the lifted image of his body seen on the shroud. God has given us this image of the hour of glory, so that all people may fully understand the words of Jesus, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live.” (John 11:25)

 

“This is indeed the will of my Father, that all who see the Son and believe in him may have eternal life.” (John 6:40)

 

   The shroud of Turin Project is an endeavor taken on by the sculptor, Loura Dobbs of the Spiritual Arts Foundation. The sculpture presents the man of the shroud from the perspective of exactly what is seen and measured on the full-sized Enrie photos of the shroud taken in 1931. This sculpture offers us a three-dimensional perspective of the man of the shroud. It represents the dynamic event that occurred on Easter morning, showing the body of Jesus lifted up from its position of burial. For further explanation see the video and book, “Unlocking the Secrets of the Shroud”, as well as the 2010 ENEA scientific paper, all available at ShroudStudies.org.

 

   In Capernaum Jesus was asked:

“What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? (John 6:30)

 

   Jesus’ final response:

“Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless.” (John 6:62, 63)

 

Gilbert R. Lavoie, M.D.

May, 2015

Raymond Brown, The Gospel According to John, vol. 29 (I-XII) ) (New York: Doubleday and Co., Inc., 1986), 146.

Foreword

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