Today the Church celebrates the feast of St. Josephine Bakhita, a modern day saint who found her way to God in the face of horrific suffering. During the homily for her Canonization, Blessed John Paul II said:
"The
law of the Lord is perfect, ... it gives wisdom to the simple" (Ps 19: 8).
These words from today's Responsorial Psalm resound powerfully in the life of Sr. Josephine Bakhita. Abducted and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven, she suffered much at the hands of cruel masters. But she came to understand the profound truth that God, and not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life. This experience became a source of great wisdom for this humble daughter of Africa.
These words from today's Responsorial Psalm resound powerfully in the life of Sr. Josephine Bakhita. Abducted and sold into slavery at the tender age of seven, she suffered much at the hands of cruel masters. But she came to understand the profound truth that God, and not man, is the true Master of every human being, of every human life. This experience became a source of great wisdom for this humble daughter of Africa.
In
today's world, countless women continue to be victimized, even in developed
modern societies. In St. Josephine Bakhita we find a shining advocate of genuine
emancipation. The history of
her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work
effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return
them to their dignity in the full exercise of their rights.
No comments:
Post a Comment