Liturgical Calendar

Saint of the day

Saint Blaise (d.316)

Reliable historical sources are slim on the life of Saint Blaise. He is believed to have been a doctor who was ordained a priest and then was consecrated a bishop. The most famous legend surrounding Blaise is that he healed a boy choking on a fishbone. Blaise is honored as a martyr. The Church celebrates the feast of Saint Blaise with the blessing of throats. (Taken from "Exploring Saints and Feast Days with Young Adolescents.")

Reflection

Saint Blaise brought healing to a boy who was choking. Do you give the gift of care or a healing touch when you are around those you know are suffering? Ask Jesus to help you more fully share in his healing ministry, whether it be physical or emotional healing.

Prayer

Holy Spirit, empower me to share in Jesus’ healing ministry. Help me to be aware of when the gift of touch can bring healing into another person’s life. Let me never misuse this great gift. (Taken from “Take Ten: Daily Bible Reflections for Teens.”)

Meditations

Meditation for Gospel

In first-century Israel, the leadership takes extreme measures to separate Jews from foreigners because they consider foreigners unworthy of God's promise of salvation. The leadership's scrupulous adherence to a narrow interpretation of the Law becomes a point of contention between Jesus, who emphasizes love of neighbor, and the leaders, who emphasize compliance with the letter of the Law. The strictest Jews, in their ideology, consider it inconceivable that God would show care and kindness to anyone other than religious Jews. Any challenge to this mindset infuriates them, so they react to Jesus with rage. The leaders are trying to live faithful lives. Partially motivated by the fear that living less-than-perfect lives could jeopardize the future of Israel, and partly by the community's memory of the Babylonian Exile, Jewish leaders want to get it right. When they return to Jerusalem from Babylon, they are overjoyed at getting the Law back. But the memory of being without the Law fuels the fervor with which they now keep the Law -- by observing every detail. But as we can see in our own culture, focusing on the fine detail of the law often keeps us from seeing why the law exists in the first place. In reading the passage from Isaiah, Jesus is trying to get the leaders to see the big picture behind the Law. What is the motivation for observing the Law? Is it about perfect adherence to the details of the Law, or is it about responding to God's call to live in love of God and neighbor? (Taken from "Youth Engaging Scripture: Diving into the Sunday Gospel")