At the end of the lectures, some people ask if the Shroud of Turin is a scientific proof of the resurrection. To my students I tell this little story:
"God did things wrong. He should have asked us, how could he think of coming to save us at that time and in that country? A lost province of the Roman Empire and in an insignificant village where he preached to a few illiterate and marginalized people. Who would have thought of that? If he had asked us, we would have told him:
-He is born in the 21st century. It is the time of technology. You would have been on radio and TV, you would have become a youtuber, an influencer on Instagram and other networks, and you would be famous and your message would reach millions of people.
Before the promise of the resurrection (what a news, what a scoop. A boom for any media), we would prepare the tomb with cameras, sensors of all kinds and devices to record such an event and be able to study and analyze it later. Of course, outside the tomb, we would set up a grandstand (the bigger, the better) to sell tickets for those privileged seats (of course, to help the poor!) and witness live something unique in history.
In the front row photographers, journalists, cameras and TV reporters, all ready to give the exclusive. And, of course, we strategically placed other reporters to get the first interview with Jesus.
In this way, no one could doubt the resurrection and everyone would have to believe and accept salvation, which is what it's all about".
Or maybe not? Oh, I just remembered that that was precisely the second temptation in the desert. And God never acts like that (thank God). He acts in the poor, in the hidden, in what does not count for this world in order to manifest Himself to the world. One only has to take a look at the Bible to realize this. Because, above all, God respects our freedom (more than we do ourselves). And he does not want to force us to accept his love manifested in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Hence, the (divine) wisdom of the solitary tomb, of the disconcerting encounters with the women, the apostles.... To accept it only through the testimony of those who are no one. So that we discover this hidden treasure... and accept it in our life by an act of absolutely free love.
Having arrived at this point, and having discovered the wisdom of God, we turn our eyes to the Shroud. Certainly, the scientific evidence points to the fact that it was really the burial cloth of Jesus. But, never a proof of the resurrection.
The parable of poor Lazarus and rich Epulon comes to mind. When Epulon is in hell, he asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his brothers so that they may believe. The dialogue is of unparalleled wisdom and beauty:
He said, "I beseech thee then, father, send him to my father's house, for I have five brethren: let him bear them witness of these things, lest they also come to this place of torment." Abraham says to him, "They have Moses and the prophets: let them hear them." But he said to him, "No, father Abraham. But if a dead man goes to them, they will repent." Abraham said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if a dead man is raised'" (Lk. 16:27-31).
So let us listen to the apostles, witnesses of the resurrection.
Ignacio Huertas Puerta, CESAN delegate.
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