Daily Meditation for February 20, 2025

The month of February includes in it the Feast of St. Blaise (bishop and martyr, c. 316.) Working as a chaplain at a Catholic hospital, I feel acutely aware of the relevance of the helpfulness of the intercession of St. Blaise. Particularly this time of year, when so many viruses are in full swing. A special ceremony of blessing our throats is offered on the feast day, an occasion for us to bestow and receive a blessing together as a church. Virus or not, there are many reasons to receive this blessing, as there is much we need healing and protection from: our inner blindness, the words that get caught in our throat, the ways we are paralyzed to do the courageous and loving thing. “Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness. Amen”

By Nicole Reuter, OblSB