The Feast Day of Saint Josephine Bakhita – the patron saint of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking is celebrated on 8th February. On this day Catholics are encouraged to pray for all those affected by the crimes of modern slavery and human trafficking, and the people that volunteer and work to eradicate this crime.
Saint Josephine Bakhita, also known as ‘Mother Moretta’ was kidnapped at the age of nine and sold into slavery. Such was the trauma experienced that she forgot her birth name and her kidnappers gave her the name Bakhita meaning ‘fortunate’. Flogging and maltreatment were part of her daily life. She experienced the moral and physical humiliations associated with slavery.
It was only in 1882 that her suffering was alleviated after she was bought for the Italian Consul. This event was to transform her life. In this family and, subsequently in a second Italian home, she received from her masters, kindness, respect, peace and joy.
A change in her owner’s circumstances meant that she was entrusted to the Canossian Sisters and her next fifty years were spent witnessing God’s love through cooking, sewing, embroidery and attending to the door. She was a source of encouragement and her constant smile won people’s hearts, as did her humility and simplicity.
As she grew older she experienced long, painful years of sickness, but she continued to persevere in hope, constantly choosing the good. During her last days she relived the painful days of her slavery and more than once begged: ‘Please, loosen the chains… they are heavy!’.
Surrounded by the sisters, she died on 8 February 1947. February 8 has been designated as a day of prayer, reflection and action to end the injustice of human trafficking.
Gospel – Mark 6:53-56
When Jesus and the disciples had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was.
And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
The Gospel of the Lord
The Mass intention is Private
Reflection:
The Gospel today is only 3 verses long. This may be the shortest reading in the lectionary. The Gospel begins as Jesus and his disciples reach the other side of the lake. As they get out of the boat, Jesus was recognized as the teacher and healer that so many of the people had heard. As the word spread about Jesus preaching and healing, many people began to gather. They brought their family members and loved ones to Jesus for healing. And Mark says that everyone who was touched by Jesus that day was healed.
How would we react if Jesus appeared to us today?
Would we seek Him out and ask Him to heal us?
What is the healing that we would ask for?
Or would we be skeptical and watch Jesus from a safe distance?
What is it that might keep us from approaching Jesus and asking Him for what we desire: fear, a sense of unworthiness, scepticism, shyness, or frightened if we ask he would say no?
- In your prayer today, ask Jesus with firmness of faith in him, to heal that part of your life that you longed to be healed?
