Wise Men Still Seek Jesus, Not Relics

In another reminder that Rome is still Rome, comes a report that alleged bits of bones of the three wise men will be on display in the Tucson, Arizona. The Apostolate for Holy Relics is co-sponsoring the visit along with an area Knights of Columbus group. I'm sure even many good Roman Catholics would beg to differ with Mr. Garcia who exclaimed, "This is the closest I'm going to get to God in my physical lifetime," said Arizona Knights of Columbus spokesman John Garcia. "And since this is a time of Christmas, it puts us closer in touch with the birth of Christ."

No, Mr. Garcia, the closest you are ever going to be to Christ is when you receive Him in Word and Sacrament.

But, wait! There's more to be seen. From the article:

The exhibit is also expected to feature relics from the manger, fabric from the Virgin Mary's veil and Joseph's coat, and a bone fragment from St. Elizabeth, who was the Virgin Mary's ninth cousin. "It's a tangible thread between heaven and Earth," said Thomas Serafin, a lay Catholic who is president of the Apostolate for Holy Relics.

In his Large Catechism, Luther use the German word for relic, "heiligtum" to good effect when he writes:

"The Word of God is the true holy thing [heiligtum - relic] above all holy things. Indeed it is the only one we Christians acknowledge and have . . . God's Word is the treasure that sanctifies all things" (Large Catechism, Commandments, par. 91).

Comments

[mommy]

Where did they supposedly get these items? If they really did exist, wouldn't it have been big news a long time ago? Why have we never heard of them before?