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My 5th grade teacher's name was Mr. Grech. He was originally from Malta and still spoke with a thick accent. He was a gentle man, a kind man. Each day, during the lunch hour, he led the rosary in the school chapel. And he was frequently the target of my classmates' immature jokes. Mystical experiences were his favorite topic of conversation. Mr. Grech was always sharing stories with us of mystical events from around the world and throughout history. It was rumored that his son had been miraculously cured in Lourdes, and that he prayed the rosary every day in Thanksgiving. But the details were always very hazy.

He taught us about the saints in math class and the apparitions of Mary during English class. He told us about relics in science class, and we prayed the rosary during social studies. So when the Shroud of Turin exhibit toured Australia and New Zealand in 1983, he arranged a class trip. Hosted by the Commonwealth Bank at their headquarters in downtown Sydney, we spent the day there. But for weeks before, Mr. Grech taught us everything there was to know about the shroud. In its simplest form, the shroud is a burial cloth. 14 feet long, three and a half feet wide, it bears a faint, haunting image of a crucified man. But for believers, the shroud is more than a cloth. It is a window into one of the most sacred moments in history, the crucifixion and death of Jesus.

When you first look at the shroud, the image is barely visible. A shadow of a face, the outline of a body, marks that only hint at the horrific suffering beyond anything we can fully imagine. But when photographed, the details come alive with breathtaking clarity. And what science has uncovered over the past century is nothing short of astonishing. The image of the shroud is not painted. It contains not a single brush stroke. No pigments, no dyes, and no sign of manipulation. It's a 3D image. It was encoded with depth information centuries before photography existed. It contains traces of pollen from Jerusalem, AB-positive blood, soil consistent with 1st-century limestone tombs, bloodstains that follow the exact anatomical flow of a crucified body, and the wounds match the gospels with precision; scourge marks from Roman whips; a crown, not of flowers, but of sharp piercing thorns; wounds, not in the palms, but in the wrists, where Roman executions placed them; a spear wound in the side, and bruising on the shoulders from carrying a heavy crossbeam.

No one can explain how the image on the shroud was formed. And maybe, maybe that's the point. Maybe God left us the shroud not to satisfy our curiosity, but to awaken our wonder. We live in an age without wonder, and we need wonder. We we live in a time when everyone wants to know the answer to every question. We need mystery. We live in an arrogant age. We need humility. The kind of humility that comes from encountering something bigger than ourselves, something science can analyze but can't explain. Wonder expands the soul. Mystery intrigues the imagination. Humility frees us from the smallness of spirit that dominates this world and into the magnanimity of faith. We live in a world that prefers comfort and convenience, but the shroud confronts us with a love that is anything but comfortable. The Shroud is a silent witness to a love that is stronger than death. It presents us with an image of Christ's suffering and invites us to contemplate what love looks like when it costs everything. How much are you willing to love?

Trust. Surrender.

Believe.

Receive. God doesn't need your strength. He wants your surrender.

Today's lesson, we contemplate the faces of those we love. A lover carries a picture of his beloved and gazes lovingly upon her face many times a day. To contemplate means to look upon thoughtfully, to ponder for a long time. When was the last time you contemplated the face of Jesus? Set aside a few quiet minutes today. Close your eyes and picture the face of Christ. Let that image slow you down. Ask yourself, "Where have I chosen comfort over love? Where have I refused to allow love to inconvenience me? How is God inviting you to surrender more fully to love?" And the virtue of the day is faith. The virtue of faith is a gift. You can work hard to develop many virtues, but with faith, we ask, "Lord, increase my faith." Ask dozens of times a day. And as your faith grows, you will see more and more miracles. Until finally, you will realize everything is a miracle. If you haven't already picked up a copy of the book, 33 Days of Miracles, Wonders, and Grace, I encourage you to do that today. Click the button below to grab a copy of the book and the limited-edition workbook. Have a great day, and remember, Be Bold, Be Catholic.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

God of miracles, wonders, and grace.

I thank you for all the good you have done in my life.

For the miracles I recognize.

And the many graces I so often overlook.

I open my heart completely to you today.

Inviting you to completely inhabit my soul.

So that through me—

Others may encounter your love.

Your mercy,

Your compassion.

Your kindness.

And your staggering generosity. Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Don't let the world steal your wonder. See you tomorrow.

See you tomorrow.

Have a great day.

Have a great day!