Happy Fourth Sunday!

The beginning of February always brings us two special celebrations: the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on the 2nd, and the Memorial of St. Blaise on the 3rd. The Feast of the Presentation marks forty days from the celebration of Christmas and coincides with an important occasion in Judaism. On this day, Mary and Joseph presented their firstborn son, Jesus, at the Temple in Jerusalem to complete the consecration and purification rites commanded by Mosaic and Levitical law (Exodus 13; Leviticus 12).

This was no small detail in the life of Jewish families. It was connected to the remembrance of the Exodus, when God delivered the Hebrews from the slavery of Egypt. Through Moses, God executed divine judgment upon the false gods of Egypt and upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians through ten plagues of heavenly power. The most dreadful was the final plague, wherein the angel of death, in a single night, returned to God the life of every firstborn animal and every firstborn son in Egypt. The firstborn sons among the Hebrews were spared death by the marking of their doorpost lintels with the blood of the sacrificed paschal lamb. Jewish parents thereafter were commanded by Moses to render to God a redemption price if their firstborn was male.

At his own Temple presentation, the baby Jesus was met by two prophets, Simeon and Anna. Simeon took Jesus in his arms and proclaimed him a light for revelation to the Gentiles. This was a reference to a messianic name found in Isaiah—one who would be called “Light to the Nations.” For this reason, you may sometimes hear the Christian celebration of the Lord’s Presentation called “Candlemas.” As early as the fifth century, the tradition developed to observe this day’s Mass with many lighted candles in honor of Jesus, the Light of the Nations.

On Tuesday, we remember an early fourth-century martyr, the bishop St. Blaise, who lived in the land of modern-day Armenia. He was known during his lifetime for procuring miraculous healings of body and spirit, an acclaimed holy soul who was elected bishop of Sebaste. Eventually, the local Roman governor, Agricola, had him arrested on account of his Christian faith. When Blaise would not renounce his beliefs, he was scourged and then beheaded.

St. Blaise is especially remembered for the miracle of his intercessory prayer, which saved the life of a mother’s only child who was choking to death on a fishbone. This unfolded at the time of his arrest, no less. In gratitude, she gifted him two crossed candles to light his way to the Roman jail before his execution. Today, St. Blaise is the patron saint of throats and physicians, and on his feast many of the Christian faithful receive the traditional blessing of their throats through his holy intercession and the imposition of crossed candles.

St. Blaise, powerful healer, pray for us!

Jesus, Light of the Nations, guide our footsteps in the way of peace!

Fr. Brian