Brothers and sisters: Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. "So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
REFLECTION
This month is dedicated to the Passion of Christ. In February PAPA prays for all Priests to have the virtue: Love of God!
Today is also the Memorial of St. Blaise, who was a Bishop and martyred in 316. Who could love God more than a Bishop of His Church, who refused to deny his faith in Christ?
St. Blaise was a physician and well known for his birthplace, Sebaste, Armenia, which is now Silvas, Turkey. He was greatly loved by his community and respected for his faith and virtue. Bishop of Sebaste died and Blaise was selected to take his place by "the acclaim of the people." The people knew that he could physically heal but also spiritually heal.
In 313 the Roman Emperors by decree issued the Edict of Milan which brought about religious toleration in the Empire. Yet, in 316 the Cappadocia Governor, by the order of Emperor Licinius, arrested Bishop Blaise.
On Blaise's path to imprisonment, a mother presented her son choking on a fishbone. St. Blaise "cured him on the spot." This did not stop the arrest. They continued to march him onward, and then they encountered a woman who pleaded with Bishop Blaise to save her pig taken by a wolf. Blaise called out to the wolf to let the pig go. It was let go completely unharmed. The woman in thanksgiving gave Bishop Blaise two candles for light in his cell.
The governor pressured Bishop Blaise to give up his faith, but he refused. He was tortured with metal combs, which were used to shred his body, and then he was beheaded.
The life of St. Blaise is significantly highlighted in Romans 5: 1-5 by St. Paul and the Gospel by St. Mark 16: 15-20. His "love of God" was not only rewarded by the gift of signs, but also that his faithfulness and hope in God was rewarded for eternity.
Let us pray for all Priests to have the virtue of " love of God."
