Blessed

[mark_avery]

Jesus once spoke to Thomas “Blessed is he that believes without seeing” is that also not a prophecy to us that by having the bible and believing we are less blessed.

Which obviously would point to a church of high reverence i.e; the catholic church, but none the less not without huge struggle.

Maybe a thought for the non catholic viewers to muse…

 

[yinekka]

“You have believed because you have seen me. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” John 20:29

According to the Ignatius Catholic Study Bible:
“He [John] has written the Fourth Gospel both as history and as witness, in the hope that a factual portrayal of the Christ’s life will not just inform readers, but challenge them to accept him and his claims with true faith.”

 

[TimothyH]

To me the passage is Eucharistic.

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:24-25)
Thomas simply refused to believe. Though the other disciples said, “We have seen the Lord”, Thomas demanded proof. He demanded to see Jesus’ bloody wounds. He demanded pysical proof and wanted to touch and see and feel Jesus’ ripped flesh. Only then, after he had proof, would he believe.

Isn’t that what secular society and non-Catholic Christianity does even to this day? They see what appears to be an ordinary man make some gestures with his hands, they here that man say some words, and they don’t see anything out of the ordinary. They look at it and see only a wafer of unleavened bread. They smell the contents of the chalice and smell only the alcohol. They tast it and taste only common wine. They say it is not possible, or at a minimum, not what God willed. When the sum total of Catholic Christianity proclaims “We have seen the Lord!”, they, like Thomas, demand proof. Just like Thomas, unless they can put their finger into the nail marks and put their hand into his side - unless they see a bloody hunk of Jesus’ neck or maybe a part of Jesus thigh dripping with blood, they will not believe. Just like Thomas, they refuse to believe.

Thomas was blessed for he came to believe. We have all heard the story of how Scott Hahn, upon seeing the Eucharist held aloft for the first time, said to himself “My God it’s you, It’s really you!” just like Thomas. Like Thomas, Jesus calls all Christians to his altar and in so doing he says, “Come and see that it is really me”. In so doing, Jesus says exactly what he said to Thomas on that day… “and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”

"Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (John 20:29)

Definitely Eucharistic. How wonderful our Lord is!

-Tim-

 

[Nelka]

Is it easier to believe in Jesus if you have seen Him or if you haven’t seen Him?

If He was staning in front of you and you could see Him and touch Him and He performed miracles in front of you it would be easy to believe.

But as He is not doing those things as He appears invisible to you; your belief in Him is through faith and not through sight.

 

[GaryTaylor]

Well we do know that when the Gospel of Thomas which was discoved in 1945 in its original context, the ressurected Jesus Chirst had several conversations with Thomas. Of course much of this is rejected by the Church and seems to be in contrast to Scripture. BTW I haven’t read it but I do know it can be read and exists.

God Bless. Gary

Also before this text was dicovered is where the phrase was coined “doubting Thomas” which through his Gospel seems to have been put to rest,

Again I haven’t studied this Gospel of Thomas.