ST. JOSEPHINE BAKHITA

February 8 marks the memorial of St. Josephine Bakhita. This is also the annual day of prayer and awareness against human trafficking. When we hear St. Josephine Bakhita’s story, we realize that this is not a coincidence. As a young girl in 19th century Sudan, she was enslaved, branded and tortured. As a young woman she was sold to an Italian family which led to her liberation. She joined the Canossian Sisters in Italy and became a known for her piety, joy and good works.

Canadian religious artist, Tianna Williams painted this beautiful image of St. Josephine showing different aspects of her spirituality. She wears the habit of the Canossian Sisters with a medallion of Our Lady of Sorrows. She had such a strong devotion to Our Lady, that on her death bed in 1947 she rejoiced that it was a Saturday, a day of special devotion to Mother Mary.

St. Josephine carries the chains that are a symbol of her slavery, but these are chains that are disintegrating, a sign of her ultimate freedom. These chains also pose a challenge for us to work on behalf of those who are being trafficked today. We also look at the different chains that bind us: addictions, unhealthy distractions, destructive lifestyles, dysfunctional relationships and apathy. Those melting chains are both acts of defiance against oppression and a sign of hope that slavery will fall away.

When Tianna Williams was painting this image in 2021, she wrote that she was, “loving the cheerfulness of these sunflowers! Which is why they are St. Josephine Bakhita’s flower; she was known for her sunny disposition and welcoming spirit.” Ultimately, St. Josephine’s suffering did not define her. Her gentleness, forgiveness and humility despite all she endured is an example to us all of how oppressors do not have the final word in defining us.

As we pray with this image of St. Josephine, let our hearts be opened to sacred seeing. Gaze at the image, noticing the details, the feelings evoked, and the different ways in which God is present. Consider her story from her African roots, to her captivity, her release, her time with the Canossian Sisters and her death. What would you say to her? What would she say to you? As you leave this meditation, ask for what are you grateful?

St. Josephine,

Smile on us today as we stumble toward true freedom.

Pray that our eyes be opened to the scourges of slavery and trafficking.

May your example stir in us the desire to be people embracing forgiveness and gentleness,

yet kindle in us the desire to break the chains of captivity in ourselves in in our world.

We pray with Our Lady of Sorrows to Jesus the Liberator that justice will triumph.

You are blessed, you are blessed, you are blessed.

Amen.

Les Miller is a husband, dad, grandfather and catechist. He has served the Catholic education community for 40 years as teacher, chaplaincy team leader, Department Head. AQ Instructor, textbook writer, and Religious Education and Family Life Consultant. Les authored the 25 Questions Series, Words for the Journey and award-winners Catholic Teacher’s Companion and Northern Light. Currently, he is an instructor and advisor with the Archdiocese of Toronto’s online Catechist formation program and lead contributor to the St. Monica Institute’s series on praying with art, Abide in Beauty.