From: trudie.Miller@cox.net   
      
   February 8th - St. Josephine Bakhita, Ex-Slave and nun   
      
    (1869-1947)   
      
   As the people of Darfur, Sudan, continue to suffer from their government's   
   policy of genocide against the African population, it is important to know of   
   St. Josephine Bakhita, born in Darfur, so that we may pray to her to intercede.   
      
   St. Josephine Bakhita, born in 1869 in what is now Darfur, Sudan, spent her   
   first six years in her native village, until she was kidnapped by slave   
   traders.   
   The experience of kidnapping was so traumatic that she forgot her own name. The   
   kidnappers therefore gave her the name "Bakhita": "the fortunate one."   
      
   One of her purchasers, a general in the Turkish army, had her "branded" like   
   his   
   other slaves. A woman expert in the procedure inflicted 114 razor cuts on the   
   breasts, arms and abdomen of the 13-year-old. Then she rubbed salt and flour   
   into the wounds so that they healed into a permanent seal of ownership.   
      
   Throughout her early life, Bakhita demonstrated an inborn goodness and   
   gentility   
   that protected her virtue. The last couple that owned her made no mistake in   
   appointing her "nanny" to their little daughter. Having moved to Venice, Italy,   
   they enrolled the daughter in a course of religious instruction conducted by   
   the   
   Canossian Sisters, a branch of the Sisters of Charity. Bakhita accompanied the   
   child to each catechism class. At last the pagan slave from Sudan encountered   
   Catholic doctrine and Catholic nuns, and found both deeply impressive.   
      
   After nine months, Bakhita's mistress announced that they were returning to the   
   Sudan. Bakhita, who now understood that it was God's will that she be free,   
   expressed her intention to remain. This was not easy, as the family had always   
   treated her well and tried to order her to come with them. During her period of   
   indecision the question of her legal status as a slave was also raised before   
   an   
   Italian tribunal. Having studied the case carefully, the judge reached the   
   decision that since Sudan had enacted a law forbidding slavery not long before   
   her birth, the young black woman had actually never been a slave. "I am sure   
   the   
   Lord gave me strength at that moment," she later wrote, "because he wanted me   
   for himself alone.   
      
   In 1893 she sought admission into the Canossian Sisters, and in 1896 she took   
   final vows as a member of their community. During the next half century, Sister   
   Bakhita proved herself a model religious, ever humble, ever grateful. She was   
   so   
   recognized for her holiness that, during World War I and World War II, in her   
   town of Schio, she was invoked as a protection against falling bombs. She had   
   assured the people that no bomb would damage the town, a promise that was   
   fulfillled.   
      
   Pope John Paul II beatified Sister Josephine in 1992. Only eight, years later,   
   during the Great Jubilee, he canonized her. The space and beatification and   
   canonization was unusually brief. In declaring her a saint the Pope was   
   doubtless influenced in part by the fact that in the year 2000 Sudan was still   
   a   
   land fraught with conflict and notorious for its disregard of civil rights.   
      
   Let us pray to St. Bakhita that the genocide in Darfur comes to an end.   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Whoever humbleth himself shall be exalted. -Lk. 14:11   
      
   "Humility is necessary not only for the acquisition of virtues but even for   
   salvation. For the gate of Heaven, as Christ testifies, is so narrow that it   
   admits only little ones"   
   -St. Bernard   
      
        The Pharisee was separated by his condition in life from the rest of the   
   people, as this sect formed a kind of religious order, in which they prayed,   
   fasted, and performed many other good works; but he was, notwithstanding,   
   reproved by God. Why, then, was this? For no other reason than that he was   
   wanting in humility; for he felt much satisfaction in his good works, and   
   gloried in them as if they were the result of his own virtue.   
      
        William, Bishop of Lyons, tells in his Chronicles, of a monk who often   
   violated the prescribed silence, but upon being admonished spiritually by his   
   Abbot he amended, and became So recollected and so devout that he was worthy to   
   receive from God many revelations. Now, it happened that the Father Abbot was   
   sent for by a hermit, who, having reached the close of a virtuous life, desired   
   to receive from him the last Sacraments. The Abbot went, and took with him the   
   silent monk. On the road, a robber, hearing the little bell, accompanied the   
   Blessed Sacrament as far as the cell of the dying man; but he stopped outside,   
   considering himself unworthy to enter the abode of a saint. After the hermit   
   had   
   confessed and received Communion with humility, the robber kept repeating at   
   the   
   door, "Oh, Father, if I were but like you, oh, how happy should I be!" The   
   hermit hearing this, said in his heart, with presumption and complacency, "You   
   are right to desire this; who can doubt it?" and immediately expired. Then the   
   good Religious began to weep, and withdrew from the Abbot. The robber followed   
   them, with tears and hatred for his sins, and the full purpose of confessing   
   and   
   doing penance for them, as soon as they should arrive at the monastery. But he   
   was not able to reach it, for on the way he fell unexpectedly to the ground and   
   died. At this accident, the Religious became joyous again and laughed; and when   
   the Abbot asked him why he had been sad at the death of the hermit, and joyful   
   at that of the robber, he replied: "Because the former is lost, in punishment   
   for his presumption, and the latter saved, on account of his strong resolution   
   to do fitting penance for his sins; and the sorrow he felt for them was so   
   great   
   that it has canceled even all their penalty"   
      
   (Taken from the book "A Year with the Saints". February - Humility)   
      
   Bible Quote:   
   4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the   
   greater in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4)   
      
      
   <><><><>   
   Jesus, Prince of all Heavenly truths,   
   Your Words are carved for eternity!   
   You have commanded the virtue of honesty,   
   It is the power against all deceptions.   
   Direct Your Spirit of honesty upon me,   
   That by soul may always remain stainless.   
   Guide my daily thoughts, words and actions,   
   To join those living by the Spirit of truth.   
   For honesty yields harmony and loyalty,   
   Enriching all human relationships.   
   By the power of Your Spirit that flourishes,   
   Honesty will prevail in this world!   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)