Holy Relics, Holy Smoke?

A Church without History,

concrete relics of it’s past and a continuity of liturgy, runs the risk of being disconnected from reality.

It risks the insidious creeping doubt which hints that there never really was a Jesus – just an idea.

When we are confronted by objects that are said to have touched Jesus, such as

the Shroud of Turin or the Chalice of Valencia,

we are forced to confront that doubt.

We can remain skeptical about the authenticity of a certain relic but we are confronted with the truth that Jesus was wrapped in something at burial and that he held a real cup at the Last Supper.

Relics, history and liturgy are a reminder to us of the truth of Jesus’ reality.