Mass for the school students at Saint John the Baptist.
Lots of times when we have stories of saints who lived centuries ago, we don’t know a whole lot about them. And the stories that we get are maybe true, maybe not so much. But the stories of the saints always point to Jesus, the one who came that we might have life. So even if the stories aren’t really true, they have the Truth that is Jesus in them.
All that we know for sure about St. Blaise was that he was the bishop of Sebaste in Armenia during the fourth century. Everything else is legend, which again means that it may or may not be true. St. Blaise is, as the author of the letter to the Hebrews says today, one of that “great cloud of witnesses” who helps us to “keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of our faith.” He was known to take up the work of Jesus the healer, as we see in today’s Gospel.
The legendary Acts of St. Blaise were written 400 years after his death, which again means they probably have a little grain of truth in them, but lots of legend. According to the stories, Blaise was a good bishop, working hard to encourage the spiritual and physical health of his people. Because of persecution that raged in that country at that time, Blaise was apparently forced to flee to the back country. He lived there as a hermit in solitude and prayer, but made friends with the wild animals. One day a group of hunters seeking wild animals for entertainment in the amphitheater stumbled upon Blaise’s cave. They were first surprised and then frightened. The bishop was kneeling in prayer surrounded by patiently waiting wolves, lions and bears.
As the hunters hauled Blaise off to prison, the legend has it, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command the child was able to cough up the bone. That is the reason he has become the patron saint of those suffering from diseases of the throat.
Eventually, Blase was tortured, and because he refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, he was beheaded in the year 316. Today we pray in a special way for protection from afflictions of the throat and from other illnesses. The blessing of St. Blaise, which we will receive at the end of Mass today, is a sign of our faith in God’s protection and love for us and for the sick.
Saint Blaise, pray for us.