40 Days - 40 Ways to Mercy - Ash Wednesday The Spiritual Works of Mercy-Counsel the Doubtful
"Even now, says the LORD, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning; Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the LORD, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment." Joel 2:12-13
Lent calls us to look deep into our hearts and confront what we find there. It is a time for taking responsibility for the words, thoughts or actions that we would rather not think about. Lent brings the dark things that dwell inside of us into the light and takes a good look to see what can be done to heal what is wounded, reconcile what is divided, and free what is bound. Lent forces us to confront our fears and our doubts by guiding us toward the immeasurable mercy of God, the loving Father.
Saint Josephine Bakhita 1869-1947
Josephine was born in the Sudanese region of Dafur in Africa. Around the age of seven she was kidnapped by Arab slave traders and forced to walk more than 600 miles. Over the next twelve years she was resold three more times and even given away to work for her many "masters.".
The trauma of her abduction and slavery was so deep that it caused her to forget her own name. She was given the name of Bakhita which means, "lucky." She would never see her family or her people again.
Several of her masters treated her cruelly, beating and abusing her. Once she was beaten so hard that she couldn't stand for a month. Finally she was purchased by a family at the Italian Consul. When they returned to Italy from Africa they brought her with them to care for their children.
A business problem caused her masters to leave once more for Africa. This time they left Josephine and their daughter in the care of the Canossian sisters. There, in the convent, she found the first kindness and happiness that she had experienced since before she was captured.
When her masters returned for the two girls, Josephine refused to leave the convent. Since she was of age and because Italian law did not recognize slavery, she was finally free to choose her own destiny.
She chose to be baptized into the Catholic Church and, after receiving the sacraments of initiation, entered the order of the Canossian Sisters.
She remained with the sisters for the rest of her life. Her role as a porter (doorkeeper) frequently put her in touch with the people of the local community and she received many visitors who wanted to speak with her and seek her wisdom and guidance because of her reputation for kindness, understanding, her gentle voice, and quiet, joyful heart.
In 1931 her community published a book about her life experience and she became famous throughout Italy. She became an inspiration to many, particularly to women and young girls.
Her ever present smile and gentle spirit belied the fact that she was in constant pain because of the abuses she had suffered during her slavery. However, whenever she was asked how she was feeling she would smile and quietly say, "as the Master desires," for she had chosen this Master and her service to him was not a burden, but a joy.
At the end of her life, racked with pain, she cried out, "Please loosen the chains, they are heavy!" Alarmed, her nurse asked how she was. She smiled, "I am so happy...our lady...our Lady!" These were her last audible words.
A student once asked her, "What would you do if you were to meet your captors?" She smiled and said, "If I were to meet those who kidnapped me, even those who tortured me, I would kneel and kiss their hands. For if these things had not happened I would not be a Christian and a religious today."
On February 10, 1993, facing all risks, surrounded by an immense crowd in the huge Green Square of the capital of Sudan, Saint Pope John Paul II solemnly honored Bakhita on her own soil. "Rejoice, all of Africa! Bakhita has come back to you. The daughter of Sudan sold into slavery as a living piece of merchandise and yet still free. Free with the freedom of the saints."
Lent gives us the opportunity to remove those chains that bind us and tie us down, for they are heavy. The chains of sin, worry, addiction or hatred can cause us to bend under the weight. Although she knew the terrors of enslavement, Josephine's heart was free. In the cross of Christ she found the true freedom of God's merciful love and kindness and through her gratitude and peace was able to extend it to others.
