Hebrews 11:32-40; Ps 31(30):20. 21. 22. 23. 24; Mark 5:1-20
St Blaise is one of the (many) for whom not a lot of facts are known. He was Bishop of Sebaste, and was martyred probably early in the fourth century.
He became widely known in the Middle Ages when the practice of healing those with disorders of the throat using two sticks like a pair of scissors on the sufferer's neck began, this practice is still continued in some places today.
Sometimes due to lack of time the priest will give a general blessing however, some are fortunate enough to receive an individual one. As they approached the priest, they knelt before him, and he crossed two candles bound with a red ribbon, touching their neck with them as he recited the blessing, which went along the lines of:
“Through the intercession of St Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.”
While somewhat forgotten, this unique blessing is a wonderful reminder of the power of God’s love and co-operative nature.
Just as a reminder here:- the sacrament of the sick is for those who might be anticipating a period of illness. It is best to ask your priest for that sacrament before your trip to hospital, or as you arrive at a hospice, rather than in the final hours of life or even worse, in the hours after death (when the sacrament of the sick obviously has no benefit at all). It is a beautiful sacrament and will help you and your loved ones to face a time of trial in peace, knowing that your Lord loves you infinitely.