throat, and, causing great
pain, threatened suffocation. St. Blase prayed and made the sign of the
cross over the boy, and behold, he was cured. For this reason the saint
is invoked in throat troubles.

At length the holy bishop was again brought before the judge and
commanded to sacrifice to the idols. But he said: "Thou art blind,
because thou art not illuminated by the true light. How can a man
sacrifice to idols, when he adores the true God alone? I do not fear thy
threats. Do with me according to thy pleasure. My body is in thy power,
but God alone has power over my soul. Thou seekest salvation with the
idols; I hope and trust to receive it from the only true and living God
whom I adore."

Then the prefect sentenced him to death. St. Blase was beheaded,
suffering death for the Faith February 3, 316.

LESSON

ST. BLASE gave us a glorious example of fortitude in the confession of
the Faith. According to the teaching of St. Paul, confession of the
Faith is necessary for our salvation. He says, "For if thou confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised
Him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart we believe
unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"
(_Rom._ x. 9, 10). We are, therefore, not permitted to be silent, much
less to agree, when our Faith, and whatever is connected therewith, as
the sacraments, ceremonies, priests, etc., are ridiculed and reviled.
Parents especially must be most careful in speaking of these subjects
before their children and servants, and do so only with due reverence.

On the contrary, we must confess our Faith, and if necessary, defend it
against all attacks. Often one serious word will suffice to silence a
calumniator of the Faith and cause him to blush. We must confess our
Faith not only in the bosom of our family, but also in public. We must
let our fellow-men know that we are true Catholics, who adhere to our
Faith from conviction, without regard to what others say of us, or how
they judge us, remembering the words of Our Lord, "Every one, therefore,
that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my
Father who is in heaven" (_Matt._ x. 32).

It was remarked above that St. Blase is the patron invoked in throat
troubles. Therefore the Church, on his feast, February 3, gives a
special blessing, at which she prays over those receiving it: "By the
intercession of St. Blase, bishop and m