St. Josephine Bakhita

ONE

Today is the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita

Born in 1869 in Darfur Sudan, she was kidnapped when she was 9 years old by Muslim slave traders and forced to walk 600 miles barefoot. She was then sold five times in the slave markets of Sudan. Every day she was whipped until she bled. Finally, in 1882 Bakhita was bought by an Italian merchant, who returned to Venice, Italy, taking her with him.

Soon after, he had to return to Sudan, so he entrusted Bakhita to Catholic Nuns in Venice. There she learned about God and Heaven for the first time. Up to this time she had known only slave masters who beat her. Now she heard of the King of the Universe who is Goodness in Person. What is more, this Lord knew, loved, and delighted in her. This “master” had himself become a slave like her and for her, had been scourged like her and for her. And now He was awaiting her at the Father’s right hand.

She said; “I am definitely loved and whatever happens to me – I am awaited by this Love. And so, my life is good.”

·   In 1890 Bakhita was Baptized, Confirmed, and received 1st Communion

·   In 1896 she became a Canossian Sister

·   And spent the rest of her life encouraging people to go on missions and help others to friendship with Jesus.

·   She Died in 1947 and was Canonized in 2000

TWO

One might say Josephine’s life was far from perfect, but she was always full of joy. Joy comes from an awareness of the good we possess. Unlike Bakhita, we are not always joyful, we are not aware of the good.

To have joy we must slow down, stop living in the future and become aware of the good that is in us and around us.

God thinks you are very good. He keeps you in existence at each moment because he approves and delights in you. You are good. So, delight in yourself and have joy.

We live in an amazing country, in wonderful towns, in beautiful neighborhoods and countryside. We have homes set at room temperature year-round. We can have any food or drink we want. Education, healthcare, opportunities galore. We have family, friends, the Church and Jesus…Endless good things result in a constant state of joy.

You will have joy if you are aware of the good you possess.

THREE

Too often we don’t have joy because we want things to be perfect.

We focus on the imperfections and lose sight of the good.

The perfect is the enemy of the good.   

Nothing in this life is or will be perfect…Not our health, marriage, kids, kids health, kids choices, work, friends, house…

This illusion of perfection has two dangers:

We become discontented because nothing is perfect, much is broken or amiss and the result is that we lack joy.

Then since perfection is not possible, they are tempted to despair. We give up striving for more and settle for less than God intends, less than transforming union with God – less than holiness.

FOUR

God’s idea of perfection is like an oyster and a pearl.

Oysters turn irritants into Pearls

Pearls are formed inside the shell of an Oyster

Oysters have an amazing defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant, such as a parasite inside the shell or an attack from outside, injuring the mantle tissue. The Oyster accepts the irritant, embraces it. Then it creates a pearl sac with its tears, transforming the irritant into a pearl.

Without the Irritant or the imperfection, the oyster can’t make the Pearl. In the same way imperfection is part of God’s plan to transform us.

FIVE

The letter of James tells us;  “My brothers and sisters, you will always have trials. But when they come try to treat them as a happy privilege. You are put to the test as an opportunity to grow in virtue."

Imperfections and Trials are the irritants.

The virtues are the pearls of life.

Turn your irritants into pearls, that is, into virtues.

If you are suffering, that is an irritant that could be transformed into the virtue of patience, to enduring cheerfully.

If you have a difficult marriage, that might be an irritant you turn into the virtue of love and fidelity.

Accept or encompass the unchangeable Irritant or Imperfection as part of God’s plan

·   Learn what virtue God wants to develop in you

·   Practice that virtue with God’s help

·     Let him make pearls out of irritants.