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 hope and  trust  to  receive  it  from  the  only  true  and living God  whom  I  adore."

Then the  prefect  sentenced  him  to  death. St. Blase was  beheaded,  suffering  death  for  the  Faith February 3,  316.

t. Blase  gave  us  a  glorious  example  of  fortitude in  the  confession  of  the  Faith. According to the  teaching  of  St.  Paul,  confession  of  the Faith is  necessary  for  our  salvation. He says, "For if  thou  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord Jesus,  and  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  hath raised  Him  up  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved. For  with  the  heart  we  believe  unto  justice,  but with  the  mouth  confession  is  made  unto  salvation" (Rom.  x.  9,  10). We are,  therefore,  not permitted to  be  silent,  much  less  to  agree,  when our Faith,  and  whatever  is  connected  therewith, as the  sacraments,  ceremonies,  priests,  etc.,  are ridiculed and  reviled. Parents especially  must  be most  careful  in  speaking  of  these  subjects  before their children  and  servants,  and  do  so  only  with due reverence.

On the  contrary,  we  must  confess  our  Faith, and if  necessary,  defend  it  against  all  attacks. Often one  serious  word  will  suffice  to  silence  a calumniator  of  the  Faith  and  cause  him  to  blush. We must  confess  our  Faith  not  only  in  the  bosom of our  family,  but  also  in  public. We must  let