Lent is upon us and Easter is soon to arrive, but first is Good Friday, the day our Lord was crucified.
I ventured out to see a matinee showing of the new movie Risen and all involved did an excellent production. From realistic scenes to the acting surrounded by so much death. The anticipated ending portrayed between the Roman Tribune and Jesus is the uplifting moment all desire.

Yet after all the research I did, both secular and faith based, for my Historical Novel called UPPER ROOM, THE WAY: 33AD to 57AD, I wondered why a fictional story of a Roman Tribune was created when we have data of two Roman Centurions directly involved. We even know their names: Centurion Petronius who guarded Jesus’ tomb and Centurion Longinus who oversaw the crucifixion.

Additional items in the movie had no historical data to support the presentation, such as the Emperor of Rome visiting Jerusalem just after Jesus’ resurrection by way of a river that doesn’t exist. Also digging up Jewish graves to find a body for the missing Jesus would have caused riots in the streets and this would have been duly noted in both secular and religious records. I personally was disappointed to just see Jesus appearing only to the apostles all the time especially when data tells of Jesus appearing to hundreds, especially in Galilee.

On April 19th of 2015 Jesus' burial Shroud, also known as the Shroud of Turin, was placed on display for the public to view until June 24th of the same year. This rare exposition of Jesus' Shroud gave time for more than 2 Million people to look upon Jesus' Shroud.

Jesus' Shroud in Turin is the most scientifically studied artifact in the history of humankind. About 14 feet long and three-and-a-half feet wide, the Shroud holds the front and back image of a brutally tortured and crucified man. This artifact has been venerated by Christians for two thousand years as the burial shroud of Jesus. Yet, the Catholic Church or any other Christian religion as I know, has not taken an official position stating that the Shroud is authentic. Now I know, a claim of authenticity does not have anything to do with those of faith believing and living the way Jesus taught us. Nevertheless, since all unpretentious people and scientist knowledgeable of all the "unspun" facts about the Shroud claim authenticity, I am now calling the Shroud of Turin what it is... Jesus' burial Shroud. In addition, since all efforts in every discipline over 35 years has failed to reproduce the same exact image, I am using one word to explain how the image appeared... Resurrection.

Coinciding with this public viewing, Pope Francis covered the logistics so homeless people from the city of Rome, could travel and visit Jesus' Shroud before he would visit. Then during the papal visit to Jesus' Shroud, Pope Francis met with workers, farmers, businesspeople, the sick and disabled.

When Pope Francis entered the cathedral and look upon Jesus' Shroud for the first time, he spent several minutes praying beside the display. Upon leaving, he approached and touched the reliquary. Afterwards in Turin's Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the pontiff said, “The Shroud attracts (us) toward the martyred face and body of Jesus. At the same time, it pushes (us) toward the face of every suffering and unjustly persecuted person. It pushes us in the same direction as the gift of Jesus’ love.”

Last week the public display concluded for Jesus' Shroud with celebrating Mass. The next time Jesus' Shroud will be made available to view is unknown.

- LJ

I received the booklet on the left upon entering the event at St. John's University. The theater was at capacity except for a few unoccupied seats. Media was present, some security, professors, priests, nuns, church groups and many students of science, photography, theology or philosophy majors.

Barrie Schwortz was introduced by my publisher and proceeded to passionately talk for just over two hours. Not one human in that audience comprehended the passing of that much time. Ironically, words spoken in Mr. Schwortz introduction referenced our current realm in time and space. Then when the presentation concluded, time and space seemed to have stood still. This attribute can only describe presentations that are professional, exciting, intriguing, joyous, serious, factual, casual and astonishing. Mr. Schwortz meets all this criteria and more.

I was happy that my historical novel Upper Room The Way, played a small part in this event and I hope some in the audience download the story. I am proud that not only I, but also my publisher will make all proceeds go to those who are in need.

I left, as I arrived, knowing as Mr Schwortz knows... This is not about us, it is about the Son of God. Thus, I am in agreement with the whispers I heard in the audience about Barrie Schwortz:
"He is a modern day prophet."

- L J

Barrie Schwortz was the Official Documenting Photographer for the Shroud of Turin Research Project, the team that conducted the first in-depth scientific examination of the Shroud in 1978.

Today, he plays an influential role in Shroud research and education as the editor and founder of the internationally recognized Shroud of Turin Website, the oldest, largest and most extensive Shroud resource on the Internet, with more than ten million visitors from over 160 countries. In 2009 he founded the Shroud of Turin Education and Research Association, Inc. (STERA, Inc.), a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, to which he donated the website and his extensive Shroud photographic collection, as well as many other important Shroud resources, in order to preserve and maintain these materials and make them available for future research and study. He currently serves as the President of STERA, Inc.

- L J