Currently scientists are doing tests to determine if a rib and cloth remain from St. Joan of Arc were truly a relic or a fake. The scientists do not believe that this is a real relic, due to the fact there was a cat femur found in it and there is vegetable residue much like one would have from an embalming. This sparked the question in my mind, why are we so desperate for hope? Why are we looking for it anyplace we can find it, even if it means believing in something that's not real?
I understand the need for hope. I mean everyone has at least one inner hope, yet where does it go too far? To go so far as to believe in something such as a relic when it has not been proved to be is almost like grasping at straws. I don't understand it. I know there are certain things that people need and hope is one of the most important but that doesn't mean we need to look far or try to find it in places it may or may not be. To me hope is everywhere and is almost always present. I mean when we see someone do something nice for a person we are seeing a form of hope. I think that anytime someone helps another person or works for the greater good rather than the good of one person then they are working with a hope. I think that even seeing life in it's simplest forms such as the wildlife around you, can be hope. To be surrounded in nature's beauty and truly amazed and mesmerized. There are so many other ways that truly are real that it's hard to understand or comprehend to me why we would allow ourselves to be so completely vulnerable and gullible, with our own want and personal need to believe. If we realize that there is hope in other forms maybe we will be able to clearly see the real hope and relics in life.
Why do we need relics?
By Jenni - Posted on December 18th, 2006
Yes! I don't really care about the shroud of Turin and I havn't even heard of the relics you're talking about. It seems when people do find something it usually looks like it's a fake. I do however have hope in Christ. I've experienced Him in my life and I know He's real. I don't have to look to a piece of cloth to figure this out, I know it.
It seems like there are more relics than I have even imagined after looking into them a bit before writing this. I mean if there was a saint for the most part somewhere there is a relic. Many churches used to have them to gain patronage and interest in their churches because it made them feel closer to God, and like they truly had special powers. Yeah it seems that if you were going to look for something to believe in you would try to find something more concrete, but I mean I'm not everyone. They must have their reasons.
Perhaps what some people are really looking for is a direct connection to the saintly figures they want to feel close to. They're not looking so much for hope, as for proof.
I think there is such a thing as taking it too far, but people want there to be relics in the same way they think they want God to answer when they pray. I suppose it is a kind of hope, but really I think people just want these historical and legendary figures to feel real. When every 'relic' turns out to be a fake, they take it as a personal insult, like everyone is saying they're not.
This was a great post, I hadn't heard about these new relics. Glad to learn something new.
--
~I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant.~
I understand this, but I don't get why people were so willing to believe without proof that they were really the Saints. I mean to believe without anything concrete, I mean you may say that's a bit like religion in general but I don't know, it just seems hard to understand why they need to derive hope from something that usually was a fake to attract attention to certain churches.
Yeah, you make a really good point about the relics, being something to help them to believe. I had never thought of it this way. It's something unique.. I guess as people we must derive hope from where we can find it.
Thank you for the compliments!