February 3—St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr

“Through the intercession of St. Blaise, may God preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil.”  This is the blessing we receive on this day when the priest blesses our throats.  It goes back to an ancient legend that St. Blaise, who was martyred in the early fourth century, healed a boy with a fishbone stuck in his throat.  Other legends ascribe amazing cures to his intervention, perhaps due to the belief that he was a physician.  There is not much else known about him, except that he lived in Armenia.  Nonetheless, he has been a popular saint in the West since the early Middle Ages.

God cares about our every need, whether we are near death or we have a nagging cold.  All our worries and pains, our joys and delights matter to him.  We have a God who loves us in all of our states of life.  We may be rich or poor, educated or illiterate, happy or sad.  God gives us the sacraments for our souls and for our bodies.  Anointing of the Sick is ministered to those who are near death:  “Is anyone among you sick?  He should summon the presbyters of the church, and they should pray over him and anoint [him] with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up. If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15).  Jesus healed the sick, the lame, the blind, and forgave sins.  And he also changed the water into wine so that the wedding feast at Cana could continue without embarrassment.  We are graced indeed to have a God who gives us a blessing of throats through his saint, Blaise.