Wednesday, February 3, 2010

health and illness

today we celebrate the feast of St. Blase, bishop and martyr.

Blase was a physician who became bishop in the 4th century. He was reputed as one who cured a little boy who had a fishbone stuck in his throat. Because of this he is the patron of those with throat illness.

"through the intercession of St. Blase, bishop and martyr, may God cure you from every illness of the throat and any other illness. In the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. "

Health and sickness are constant part of our life, a constant part of our journey of faith.

We should never understand our prayers for cures as an invocation of some kind of magical reality. Rather, the prayer itself is already beginning to reveal to us the deep connection God wants for us in life with him in all times, sickness and health.

Sickness in itself can be a profound encounter with God, regardless of whether we are healed.
In fact the sickness itself is an invitation for us to embrace the reality that we are never in control; it is an invitation for us to embrace the first beatitude, "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God."

It is our poverty that leads us to God; it is when our weakness lays claim to God's strength we understand what it means to be human, created not creator.

We should never judge the effectiveness of prayer based on the results of a cure. Rather, the invocation of God is already the remedy for all that ails us, regardless if the cure is physically granted.

Nonetheless, we see God's grace and care and strength in all of life's journeys. Sickness often provides the most immediate encounter with God.

so we invoke him and we seek him and thus he leads us to himself.

St. Blase pray for us.

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