Er, it’s more like Part I, as we go way back in time.

Attached is an icon of St. Blaise.  Look upon the picture of this Holy man of Christ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

St. Blaise was a Bishop of Sebastea, which is now modern day Turkey, in the fourth century.  According to my Butler’s Lives of the Saints, Blaise was born of rich and noble parents.  Even in his youth, he pondered on spiritual issues that weighed heavily on his soul, thinking about the sufferings and persecutions of his time.  He became a bishop at a very young age but when the persecutions of Christians under governor Licinius began, Blaise “withdrew by divine direction to a cave in the mountains.”  That same divine direction led him to heal many of the wild beasts that inhabited that same cave.  And that same divine direction allowed Blaise to be captured by the authorities.  Blaise WAS SENT TO PRISON TO BE BEHEADED.  On the way to his martyr’s death, Blaise was met with people crowding the streets to see their beloved bishop for the last time.  En route, a mother rushed her child to the “dead man walking”.  The child was choking from a fish bone.  The soon-to-be-Saint prayed over and blessed the child, who was immediately cured of his fatal affliction.  The Divine directed Blaise along that Calvary road to his death in the year 316.

I believe we are living in an age in which our own Catholic Bishops will be imprisoned.  It may not be our age in which our beloved Bishops are executed, but let the story of St. Blaise ruminate in your sorry soul.

Now.  Again.  Look upon that icon of beloved St. Blaise, who currently resides in the bosom of the Beatific Vision.

Lord, give me… give us… the strength to love You with all our heart, all our mind, all our soul.

St. Blaise, pray for us.  Pray for our Bishops.