" Huit jours plus tard, Jésus vient " (Jn 20, 19-31)
·10 min
The episode opens with the Gospel reading from John 20:19-31, describing Jesus's appearance to the disciples on Easter evening. The disciples are locked in a room out of fear when Jesus appears, shows his wounds, and breathes the Holy Spirit upon them. Thomas, absent during this first appearance, refuses to believe the other disciples' testimony. Thomas insists he must see and touch Jesus's nail marks and wounded side to believe. Eight days later, Jesus appears again when Thomas is present. Jesus directly addresses Thomas, inviting him to touch the wounds and stop being incredulous. Thomas responds with 'My Lord and my God,' acknowledging Jesus's divinity. Jesus then delivers the beatitude: 'Happy are those who believe without having seen.' The host then provides commentary on this passage. He explains that John's Gospel teaches a 'pedagogy of vision' with three stages. The first stage involves the initial disciples being invited to 'come and see.' The second stage addresses spiritual blindness through the healing of the blind man and the Pharisees' blindness. The third stage features the beloved disciple at the empty tomb who 'saw and believed.' The Thomas episode continues this pedagogy. Thomas represents all who doubt and 'walk in the night,' similar to Nicodemus who will be discussed tomorrow. Jesus reproaches Thomas's incredulity but opens his eyes. The beatitude applies to listeners who, like the beloved disciple at the tomb, believe without physical evidence. The host compares this beatitude to other beatitudes in the Gospels. He mentions the nine beatitudes in Matthew 5 and Elizabeth's blessing of Mary: 'Blessed is she who believed.' Our beatitude is 'Blessed are those who believe without having seen.' The host encourages listeners to keep these reflections in their hearts like Mary did. The episode concludes with the recitation of the Our Father prayer. A final reflection emphasizes Christ's resurrection and the gift of new life for those who believe. The closing lines reiterate the central theme: 'Blessed are those who believe in me without having seen.'
