When I was in Italy this summer, I went to “see” the Shroud in Turin. I didn’t know what to expect, the Shroud is behind glass doors, in a climate controlled container. It wasn’t actually on display in the chapel.
I sat down with other visitors in the pews anyway, thankful for a break from the beating sun and heat of Italy in July.
I closed my eyes to tune in.
The Shroud is considered by many to be a holy object. I don’t practice a religion, I never have. For me God is in the trees, the water, the animals, each of us. God is my own personal experience. I don’t feel called to go to a building to be with God, yet I’m open to where any encounters may appear.
I’m not concerned with what anyone else believes. I just ask that they don’t work to convince me that my experience or beliefs are inferior or need to be changed to meet theirs.
All that being said, the Shroud is filled with controversy where its authenticity is concerned.
I don’t know if it’s real or not, but I do know there’s no denying the incredible energy that I tapped into sitting in the chapel that day.
Even though I couldn’t view the actual Shroud, what I felt was extraordinary. It was palpable. I felt an energy pulse deep within my heart and throughout my entire body.
It vibrated through me continuously as I quietly experienced those 20 minutes in the pew.
Maybe it was the energy of the Shroud.
Or … maybe it was the amount of LOVE each person brings with them in honor and gratitude of what they believe the Shroud to be.
In an unassuming corner of that chapel, it was ripe, with a pure divine energy of love coursing through it.
If that’s how pure love feels when directed toward an object, imagine what we could do if we approached each other in the same manner.
If that’s how we respected and treated our beautiful planet.
The possibilities are truly endless and it gave me a great deal of hope that day.
