Berkeley, Sunday, January 25, 2026 11:55 PM
Just before the deadline of day one.
Novena to Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr.
Feast day: February 3.
Day 1 and Day 2: Tuesday 27, 2026 0:24 AM
Although, the devotion of writing this is not about me, I need to dedicate at least a few paragraphs to ponder if I continue log in here, to write something, particularly to write on a daily basis about a Saint.
It is a beautiful thing to do.
OK. Complaints probably for another time.
I will write everyday, a bit of something I read.
I need to be realistic that is hard to know something on a superficial level, or dedicating a few minutes, to learn a bit about their lives or writing over the course of about 9 days.
On the other hand, it is good to learn about the human beings who has been called by the Lord of Host, and have given their lives to keep or fulfill His Will on earth.
Here a but of accounts to what I have learned.
Saint Blaise was martyrized around the year 316.
He was a bishop, or the Bishop of Sebasteia, Armenia. Currently, the place is call Sivas in Turkey. I wonder if there is a church in his honor there (Read this at some point)
Recalling from memory, from some skimming a day ago, I recalled he went to the woods to live in a cave. When thee was some persecution, some solders were surprised to see wolves and other wildlife sitting calm next to him, listening to him.
There is an anecdote, which I will coreect in the next days, but not delete this first draft, so check below. I believe a woman brought his infant to him, because the child had fish bone in his throat. (trapped)
Saint Blaise made the miracle of healing the boy.
I have seen I believe the blessing of throats. I believe I saw fr. Ivan to do that in Newman Hall at Berkeley once. But not fully sure. It consisted on the priest having to candles tied and forming an x. The priest place the candles or the x on your shoulders which is the blessing of the throat.
I just recall I did not go to the resurrection mass around Abril, last year 2025. It might a few things tougher. Though not necessarily.
Who knows the reason of Blaise Pascal given first name. But Saint Blaise was probably was the first saint with that name.
Wow. The beauty of learning or reading a bit. I learned that Saint Blaise is San Blas. There is a church in Cuenca in his honor.
Day 2. Cont’d
Oh, and it is true as well. There is a a harbor (muelle) in Mexico called San Blas. The city is San Blas. It has a famous song by the Mexican Rock band Mana.
Miles de lunas pasaron. Y ella estaba en el muelle, esperando. Smart lyrics.
Day 3. January 28.
I will continue feeding the prayer below.
Another idea, although, it would add some complexities, it is to add a story map with the saints. It creates additional distraction, but it helps to know where they lived.
But I will stick to see where they lived only once. And in general, reference a book written about them.
Wild beast used to come to Saint Blaise cave to be healed. Once a group of hunters following the beast found St. Blaise in the cave surrounded by beasts. Those beast did nothing to him. The hunters were amazed, but regardless they seized St. Blaise and brought him to the authorities. On the way to the authorities, while caught by the hunters, they passed next to an afflicted woman whose pig was being captured or was on the mouth of a wolf. The wolf released the pig under St. Blaise command. That woman brought food to St. Blaise while he was in prison. The story to healing the child who had a fish bone on his throat also was on the way to prison. I explained that above. This is what I recall from memory from reading Buttler’s lives of the Saints.
Day 4. January 29. Continue with the prayer below to San Blas.
Day 5. January 30. Say the prayer below.
But also. Saint Blaise: you secluded, but under persecution did not renounce to your faith.
That is not the point here. I might be learning a little bit about you and about the saints. At the end one does not live for the self.
Any relationship is broken and even could end up in speculations when the truths are not told on the face. This might be about you, but also as a follower of Jesus, as an instrument of God, as a Saint, as having also as an example to John the Baptist. Please guide my life to spit more, to tell the truth, to get the fire of the Holy Spirit, to not hold nor hide anything regardless of consequences of circumstances. I understand that through life many people who spoke your truth oh Lord, where beheaded or cancelled. Well, that is not the goal. At the end You decide Lord what is our path. But please guide me to have the fire and the living water fervent and flowing again. Help me to witness your grace. To put myself last. To serve. To honor Your name and creation in every action of my life.
Day 6. January 31. Apologies Saint Blaise. And I will need to fix my schedule. OK. If now early morning, January 31 is day 6 and your feast is on February 3. I can still end the novena on your feast day, if I pray the prayer below then.
Saint Blaise, cool name, please intercede for me, to regain a good eye vision. I cannot even read well those tiny letters here. It was not the case before.
Make aware of the use of time. I hate superficial conversations and so superficial reflections. But then this is not the place for that. Or might be at times.
Thank You Lord for one day more of life.
Day 7. January 31. A distraction from writing on the library. Should my walk with the Saints would be about personal reflection? It is about the Saint not about me. Well. Someone told me yesterday that I should walk when something happens to resolve an issue. Regardless, settling my brain to focus on my tasks soon. Lord, please guide me on this day, to being able to produce a sort or a bit of your great wisdom. How complicated is to become a bishop? What are the parameters? How complicated is to day as a Martyr? That is very complicated. Meaning not in terms of complication, but in the ability of not comprising things. What is good to compromise? Might be some conversations within the social interactions or the house house. Still, holding oneself the ground on what one believes. Saint Blaise died around one thousand seven hundred and ten years ago. Wisdom and humility, and action are such a gifts from the Lord of Hosts. Please Saint Blaise intercede for us to the Lord, so I can became more aware, and more productive as well. Help me on this study session, and on this grant that I am about to write now.
Day 8. February 1. Saint Blaise. you were a Bishop in a time with probably less interruptions, because it was before the digital era. Yet, you have to serve a larger uneducated population, which probably many trusted on you, but many, including authorities might have seen you as a treat to them. Probably, that is why they killed you in Sebasteia, Armenia; nowadays, a city in Turkey: Sivas. Grant me peace, attention, help me to focus, to Do the Lord’s Will, to write this dissertation, to search truth. I must apply to those challenging jobs that matters. I must get more organized in the day by day. I must be more generous at heart. Please my Lord, grant me with wisdom. Help me to love. Increase my faith. Increase my comprehension, energy, learning qualities. Increase my discermenent, conviction, courage. Don’t allow me to be too naive. Continue guiding me on trusting in You, and trusting in people. Is ingenuity OK? You have said, I believe, behave as intelligent people. The knowledge also comes from You my Lord. But from one’s commitment to do it everyday, and to study. Increase my Will, Spirit, to allow myself to give more to this world, OK. Meaning primary to the cause of seeking You?
Day 9. February 2. Tomorrow is the blessing of throats. Well, walking with a Saint for 9 to 10 days with public reflections is interesting. Also, how much does a notebook, a pencil, and more costs. That is not a point, because I do reflections in both parts. Sometimes, or quite often, one defends a person to the public, but one must execute full straightforward talk in the one to one person. Other forms of resistance are might be soft, unclear, and self-inflicted. One thing that is clear, but unfortunately not in the digital media, it is what is the meaning of the digital media talking? One might become appreciate of people expressing there. Or directly to the self through screens. But how much of a communication is that? Lord, grant me the ability to be productive and frank on each of the tasks. Thanks for the courage of Saint Blaise. Please guide my life. Saint Blaise pray for me.
On February 5, 2026, I received the blessing of the throat with the two candles. A tradition after mass. Fr. Xavier did it.
Tradition! Good to understand the traditions!
Prayer:
From the Liturgy of the Hours Book. Catholic Publishing.
“Lord,
Hear the prayers of your martyr Blaise.
Give us the joy of your peace in this life
and help us to gain the happiness that will never end.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Chirst, your Son, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.”
https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/the-extraordinary-tale-of-st-blaise/
https://www.loyolapress.com/catholic-resources/saints/saints-stories-for-all-ages/saint-blase/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Blaise
https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02592a.htm
http://www.saintsinrome.com/2013/08/st-blaise.html
Novena: https://www.devocionario.com/santos/blas_2.html
Thurston, Herbert S.J. and Donald Attwater. 1963 Butler’s Lives of the Saint. Complete Edition. Edited, revised and supplemented by Herbert Thurston, S.J. and Donald Attwater. PJ Kenedy & Sons. New York.
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