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Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed!
July 3, 2025
St. Thomas, Apostle
Dear Family of Mary!
Today is a special feast day - St. Thomas, Apostle! Thomas is well known for his cryptic comment when he was told that Jesus had appeared to the other apostles. Here is the account from the Gospel of John:
John 20:24-29
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 Thomas 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.”
Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.”
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” The word of the Lord.
Jesus taught St. Thomas an important lesson! Thomas was absent when He appeared to the Apostles for the first time. And when he was told about the appearance of the Risen Lord, which he had missed, Thomas refused to believe what they told him. And so when Jesus appeared the next week and Thomas was present, it was a moment of reckoning for Thomas! Why was he unable to accept the testimony of his brothers?
When Our Lady appeared in June of 1981, there were only six children who could see her. But several thousand gathered around those visionaries when she came. Some believed immediately. Others found it hard to believe. In this account of the second day of the apparitions, we hear what Our Lady had to say about those who did not believe!
Friday, June 26, 1981 The second day of the apparitions:
In the presence of a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 people, drawn there by the luminary signs coming from the hill of the apparitions, Vicka sprinkles the apparition with Holy Water and says: If you are the Gospa, stay with us, if not, go away. The apparition only smiles.
Ivanka: Why have you come here? What do you desire?
"I have come because there are many true believers here. I wish to be with you to convert and to reconcile the whole world."
Ivanka: Did my mother say anything?
"Obey your grandmother and help her because she is old."
Mirjana: How is my grandfather? (He had recently died.) "He is well."
The visionaries, on a request from the crowd: Give us a sign which will prove your presence. "Blessed are those who have not seen and who believe."
Mirjana: Who are you? "I am the Most Blessed Virgin Mary."
Why are you appearing to us? We are not better than others.
"I do not necessarily choose the best."
Will you come back? "Yes, to the same place as yesterday."
On returning to the village after the apparition, Marija sees the Virgin again, in tears, near a cross with rainbow colors:
"Peace, Peace, Peace! Be reconciled! Only Peace. Make your peace with God and among yourselves. For that, it is necessary to believe, to pray, to fast, and to go to confession."
I notice that when the visionaries asked for a sign so that those who did not see her would believe, Our Lady responded with the very same words Jesus used with the disciples: "Blessed are those who have not seen and who believe."
I think that the point of what Jesus and Mary both say about not seeing and yet believing is this: Those who do not see but believe are those whose hearts are so open to God, and to grace, that when they hear of the coming of the Lord or the apparition of Our Lady, they immediately feel the Holy Spirit in their own hearts, affirming this news! Their hearts are able to discern the movement of the Holy Spirit, the coming of the Lord, the presence of Our Lady, even without seeing. That is what makes them blessed!! They are ready for the coming of Jesus. They are ready for the coming of Our Lady! This is why they are blessed!! It is not the physical seeing that matters, it is the seeing and feeling with the heart that is most important.
Well, you can all chew on that! It is just my feeling about these two events, so similar, and so amazing!
In Jesus, Mary and Joseph!
Cathy Nolan
(c) Mary TV 2025
www.marytv.tv
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