His Word Today: Saint Blaise

Good morning everyone,

Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Blaise, a physician and Bishop of Sebastia (a city in ancient Armenia, located in modern-day Turkey) who was martyred in 316 AD.

According to the Grande Encyclopedie, Blaise, who had studied philosophy in his youth, was a doctor in Sebaste in Armenia, the city of his birth, who exercised his art with miraculous ability, good-will, and piety. When the bishop of the city died, he was chosen to succeed him, with the acclamation of all the people. His holiness was manifest through many miracles: from all around, people came to him to find cures for their spirits and their bodies; even wild animals came in herds to receive his blessing. In 316, Agricola, the governor of Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, having arrived in Sebastia at the order of the emperor Licinius to kill the Christians, arrested the bishop. As he was being led to jail, a mother set her only son, choking to death of a fish-bone, at his feet, and the child was cured immediately. Regardless, the governor, unable to make Blaise renounce his faith, beat him with a stick, ripped his flesh with iron combs, and beheaded him.

In many places on this day, the blessing of Saint Blaise is given: two burning candles, blessed on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord (which was yesterday), are held in a crossed position by a priest over the heads of the faithful or the people are touched on the throat with them. At the same time the following blessing is given: Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, may Almighty God preserve you from infections of the throat and from all other afflictions. Then the priest makes the sign of the cross over the faithful.

Jesus is always watching over his beloved people, caring for those of us who are sick.  When he sees us facing such trials, or when he sees us struggling in some way, his heart is moved with pity for us .. and he willingly begins to teach us many things (Mk 6:34).  Today, let us ask Saint Blaise to intercede on our behalf, to keep our families and loved ones safe from throat ailments and from whatever sicknesses they may be facing ... and let us also ask for the grace to look upon the world around us through his eyes, to see the struggles endured with others and to come quickly to their help.

Have a great day.