THE FEAST OF SAINTS JOSEPHINE BAKHITA AND JEROME EMILIANI.
FEAST OF SAINTS JOSEPHINE BAKHITA & JEROME EMILIANI.
"The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught.
"He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
"People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat.
"So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
"People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.
"When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things." (Mark 6: 30 - 34).
Saturday 8th February 2025, in the 4th Week in Ordinary Time. We celebrate the feast of two saints today:
++ St Josephine Bakhita (1869 - 1947). Sudanese. Virgin and Religious. Josephine was brought to Italy as a slave. By Divine Providence, she became a sister of the Canossian order. Her exemplary and holy life was noticed. She bore patiently and heroically her last illness. Pope St John Paul II brought her relics to Sudan where she was canonized in 2000. St Josephine Bakhita is the patron saint of Sudan and victims of human trafficking.
++ St Jerome Emiliani. (1481 - 1537). Italian. Priest. Jerome was wayward as a young man. When he was surprised by grace, his life changed 180 degrees. He founded a religious congregation (Somaschi) which looked after the sick, the poor and orphans and abandoned children. St Jerome Emiliani died of the plague while ministering to the afflicted.
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” This is one of the most endearing statements of Jesus for me in the entire Gospel. Jesus the Good Shepherd cares deeply for the welfare of His disciples.
Our Responsorial Psalm 23 today has brought healing and comfort to many people. To non-Christians as well. It is believed that this great Psalm came from David's personal experience of God in his life struggles.
What does it mean that Jesus is our Good Shepherd?
Jesus was moved with pity for the welfare of those who followed Him seeking to hear the word of God. When we seek Jesus, we shall find Him. When we knock on His door, He shall open for us.
The wise old man in the Book of Psalms gave this testimony worthy of notice:
"Neither in my youth, nor now in old age have I seen the righteous one abandoned or his offspring begging for bread." (Psalm 37: 25)
If we follow Jesus, we must trust Him for our welfare and all our provisions. Jesus knows our deepest needs.
Jesus the Good Shepherd is still with us today. It is in the Eucharist that we experience everything that the Good Shepherd offers. It is by faith that we appropriate this blessing.
Jesus says to a mystic:
"Do not the sheep follow the shepherd? Where are the green pastures prophesied by the psalmist king, if not in My Eucharistic presence?" (IN SINU JESU page 55).
FEBRUARY - THE MONTH CONSECRATED TO THE HOLY FAMILY OF JESUS, MARY AND JOSEPH.
For Devotional prayer and prayer intentions to the Holy Family, click the link below:
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