Episode Twenty Five: Josephine Bakhita

0:00Hi, this is Kylie. Thank you all for listening to Lent with the Saints, and for sending in your questions. I loved hearing from you. I will be answering three of your questions in a bonus episode this weekend. This special episode comes out on Sunday at LentWithTheSaints.com or wherever you listen to the podcast. Lent with the Saints, from the Merry Vegas. Episode 25, Josephine Bikita. Hi there. Today, I want to tell you about Josephine Bikita and the gift of grace, Jesus' friendship and life in our hearts. Yesterday, we talked about how we can offer our feelings to Jesus as little sacrifices to unite to His cross.

1:06But that's not all. When we give our feelings of sadness or disappointment to Jesus, He joins us in those feelings. He walks with us in our suffering just like we walk with Him as He carries His cross, loving Him and staying close to Him. And when Jesus walks with us, sharing in our suffering, He gives us special graces to be able to deal with the hard things in life. Saint Josephine Bikita is an incredible example of how this grace Jesus gives His friends works. Josephine Bikita grew up in Africa, in a country called the Sudan. She had a happy life with her parents in their small village, but there were some big dangers in her country at the time. My name is Josephine Bikita. I have suffered much sisters, suffered in my body, in my heart, in my mind, and it's taken a great toll.

2:12And yet, I say it is through the grace of this very suffering that I have come to know and love God as my one true Lord and master. If you will indulge me, I wish to tell you of that journey now. I take you back to my days as a happy child in Sudan. Molyba Makasi. I'm here, Mama. I was singing the song we land from... It didn't matter with you. And how many times have I told you it's no longer safe to go out alone and without your word?

3:16I'm sorry, Mama. You should know better. Yes, Mama. I'm not going to lose another child. Do you understand? Yes, Mama. Oh, my sweet girl. I didn't mean to scare you. I know, darling. I know. I just wanted to look at the moon and the stars. The moon and the stars you can see from the ghatia. The sound of the creek helps me to think about them. And what thoughts is it nurturing tonight? Mama, who's the master of these beautiful things? Master, little one. I look at them and I feel that they're so beautiful, so... So... Mysterious? Yes. But what about the one who made them? I want to know who could do something so amazing, Mama. Yes, but Bigita, why master? Whenever I'm here looking up at these things, I feel that their makeup is somehow singing to me. And I want to sing back, Mama. I want to fall to my knees and...

4:17Deep your hand into the creek. There's a spirit present within the waters that run through her. And within the stones that rest in her. And the trees that grow beside her. Just as there's a spirit present within the moon and every star in the sky. To sing songs to them is a very good thing. They deserve our honor. But must they be ruled, darling? Is it not far better to be free? I guess, but I still wonder... I love how much you wonder, little one. Your wonder is wonderful. Bigita loved her mother and her home in the Sudan. But one day, when she was still very young, bad people took her away from her family. Even though her life became very hard, Jesus was still watching over her. Bigita was taken far from her home. She had to travel on long roads and across the sea.

5:19Many days were sad and frightening. But deep inside her heart, Bigita felt something warm and quiet. She felt that God, the maker of the sun, moon, and stars, loved her. Even when life was hard. Later, Bigita was taken to Italy. There, she lived with a family who treated her more kindly. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe. In Italy, Bigita learned about Jesus. She learned that Jesus knew her and loved her very much and wanted to be her friend. Bigita asked to be baptized, and then she became a nun. She lived with other sisters who prayed, worked, and helped people. She cooked, cleaned, smiled, and listened. Everyone who met Bigita was touched by her gentleness and cheerfulness. When people asked her how she could forgive those who hurt her, she would smile and say, if I met them today, I would thank them,

6:21because they helped me know God. Bigita suffered a lot, but Jesus was close to her through it all. He gave her grace to help her overcome her suffering. You and I can ask Jesus for grace, like Bigita received. Ask Jesus to enter into your heart and give you strength to do whatever comes your way. Jesus is always close to you. He loves to be with you, his friend. Thank you for listening today. This was our last day to talk about fasting. Tomorrow, we'll talk about Onesgiving with St. Padre Pio. Until then, Saint Josephine Bacchita, pray for us.

7:29Amen.