On the Feast of the Presentation, also called Candlemas, liturgical candles are blessed for the year’s service. We often roll this feast and that of St. Blaise into one, and have blessing of throats at the same time.
Before Mass, the Sisters assembled in the Gathering Space around the Baptismal font, and Fr. Lee Flaherty blessed representative candles with the waters of Baptism, reminding us of our own consecration to God’s service.
After his sermon, Father gave us all a blessing of St. Blaise, and then after Mass was concluded he blessed individual throats in the traditional way. With two candles crossed at the base of the throat, he said: “Through the intercession of Saint 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.” To which each replied, “Amen.”
God blesses us in so many ways!