Saturday of the Fourth week in Ordinary Time

Letter to the Hebrews

Brothers and sisters: Through Jesus, let us continually offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have; God is pleased by sacrifices of that kind.
Obey your leaders and defer to them, for they keep watch over you and will have to give an account, that they may fulfill their task with joy and not with sorrow, for that would be of no advantage to you.
May the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep by the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord,
furnish you with all that is good, that you may do his will. May he carry out in you what is pleasing to him through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever (and ever). Amen.

Psalms

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for His names's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark

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 he 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.

St. Josephine Bakhita(Religious (1869-1947))

JOSEPHINE BAKHITA (1869-1947) Mother Josephine Bakhita was born in Sudan in 1869, and was recognized as a daughter of the Most High in Schio, Vicenza. As a girl, she experienced the anguish of kidnapping and slavery. In Italy, she bloomed marvelously with the Daughters of Charity.Mother "Moretta" In Schio, Vicenza, where she spent many years, everyone still calls her "our Black Mother." The process for the cause of canonization began twelve years after her death. The Church proclaimed the decree of her heroic practice of all virtues on December 1, 1978. Divine Providence, which "cares for the flowers of the fields and the birds of the air," guided Mother Josephine through innumerable and unspeakable sufferings: from slavery to human freedom; and to the freedom of faith and finally to the consecration of her whole life to God.In Slavery Bakhita was not the name she received from her parents at birth. The fright and the terrible experiences she went through made her forget the name she was given by her parents. Bakhita, which means "fortunate," was the name given to her by her kidnappers.Sold and resold in the markets of El Obeid and of Khartoum, she experienced the humiliations and sufferings of slavery, both physical and moral.Towards freedom In the Capital of Sudan, Bakhita was bought by an Italian consul, Callisto Legnani. For the first time since she was kidnapped, she realized with pleasant surprise that no one used the lash when giving her orders. Instead, she was treated in a loving and cordial way. In the consul's residence, Bakhita experienced peace, warmth and moments of joy, even though veiled by nostalgia for her own family, whom, perhaps, she had lost forever. Political situations forced Castillo Legnani to leave for Italy. Bakhita asked and obtained permission to go with him and his friend, Mr. Augusto Michieli.In Italy Upon arrival in Genoa, Castillo Legnani, pressured by the request of Mr. Michieli's wife, left Bakhita in their care. Bakhita followed the new "family," which settled in Zianigo, near Mirano Veneto. When their daughter Mimmina was born, Bakhita became her babysitter and friend. The acquisition and management of a big hotel in Suakin, on the Red Sea, forced Mrs. Michieli to move to Suakin to help her husband. Meanwhile, on the advice of their administrator, Illuminato Checchini, Mimmina and Bakhita were entrusted to the Canossian Sisters of the Institute of the Catechumens in Venice. It was there that Bakhita came to know about God: whom "she had experienced in her heart without knowing who He was" ever since she was a child. "Seeing the sun, the moon and the stars, I said to myself: Who could be the Master of these beautiful things? And I felt a great desire to see Him, to know Him and to pay Him homage..."Daughter of God After several months in the catechumenate, Bakhita received the sacraments of Christian initiation and was given a new name: "Josephine." It was January 9, 1890. She did not know how to express her joy that day. Her big and expressive eyes sparkled, revealing deep emotions. From then on, she was often seen kissing the baptismal font and saying: "Here, I became a daughter of God!"With each new day, she became more aware of who this God was, whom she now knew and loved, who had led her to Him through mysterious ways, holding her by the hand. When Mrs. Michieli returned from Africa to take back her daughter and Bakhita, the latter, with unusual firmness and courage, expressed her desire to remain with the Canossian Sisters and to serve God who had shown her so many proofs of His love.The young woman, who by then had come of age, enjoyed the freedom of choice that Italian law ensured.Daughter of St. Magdalene Bakhita remained at the catechumenate where she experienced the call to be a religious. She gave herself to the Lord in the Institute of St. Magdalene of Canossa. On December 8, 1896, Josephine Bakhita was consecrated forever to God whom she called with the sweet expression "the Master!"For another 50 years, this humble Daughter of Charity, a true witness of the love of God, lived in the community in Schio, engaged in various services: cooking, sewing, embroidery and attending to the door. When she was on duty, she would gently lay her hands on the heads of the children who daily attended the Canossian schools and caress them. Her amiable voice, which had the inflection and rhythm of the music of her country, was pleasing to the little ones, comforting to the poor and suffering and encouraging for those who knocked at the door of the Institute.Witness of love Her humility, simplicity and constant smile won the hearts of all the citizens. She was esteemed by the community's sisters for her inalterable sweet nature, exquisite goodness and deep desire to make the Lord known."Be good, love the Lord, pray for those who do not know Him. What a great grace it is to know God," she wrote. As she grew older, Mother Bakhita experienced long, painful years of sickness. She continued witnessing to faith, goodness and Christian hope. To those who visited her and asked how she was, she would respond with a smile: "As the Master desires."Final test During her agony, she re-lived the terrible days of her slavery and more then once she begged the nurse who assisted her: "Please, loosen the chains... they are heavy!"It was Mary Most Holy who freed her from all pain. Her last words were: "Our Lady! Our Lady!"; and her final smile testified to her encounter with the Mother of the Lord. Mother Bakhita passed away on February 8, 1947, at the Canossian Convent in Schio, surrounded by her Sisters. A crowd quickly gathered at the Convent to have a last look at their Mother and to ask for her protection from heaven. The fame of her sanctity has spread to every continent and many have received graces through her intercession. St. Josephine Bakhita was canonized by Pope John-Paul II on October 1, 2000.

St. Jerome Emiliani(Founder (1486-1537))

SAINT JEROME EMILIANI(1486-1537) St. Jerome Emiliani was from a patrician family in Venice. In early life, he was a soldier. After being appointed as the governor of a fortress in the mountains of Treviso, he was captured by the enemy while bravely defending his post. Imprisoned in a dungeon, Jerome invoked the Mother of God and promised to lead a new life if she would set him free. In reponse, Our Lady appeared, broke his fetters and led him forth in the midst of his enemies. In Treviso, Jerome hung up his chains at Mother Mary's altar and dedicated himself to Her service. Upon reaching his home in Venice, he devoted himself to a life of active charity. St. Jerome's works included rescuing deserted orphans - oftentimes during plagues or famines. He took them in, clothed and fed them and provided them with education. From Venice, he went to Padua and Verona. In a few years, he had founded orphanages throughout northern Italy. Pious clerics and laymen, who were his fellow-workers, fixed their abode at one of these establishments and devoted themselves to the work. The Saint drew up for them a rule of life and thus founded the Clerks Regular of Somascha: active to this day. St. Jerome passed away on February 8, 1537, from a plague that he contracted while caring for the sick.

St. John of Matha(Priest (1169-1213))

SAINT JOHN OF MATHA Priest and Founder of the Order of the Holy Trinity (1169-1213) St. John of Matha's life was colored by self-sacrifice for the glory of God and the good of his neighbor. As a child, he delighted in serving the poor and often told them he had come into the world for no other end than to wash their feet. He studied in Paris with so much success that his professors advised him to become a priest in order to serve a greater number. For this purpose, John gladly gave up his high rank and other privileges. At his first Mass, an angel appeared, clad in white, with a red and blue cross on his chest, and his hands reposing on the heads of a Christian and a Moorish captive. To ascertain what this signified, John consulted St. Felix of Valois, a holy hermit living near Meaux, under whose direction he led a penitential life. The angel again appeared; so both John and Felix set out for Rome to learn the will of God from the lips of the sovereign pontiff. At their audience, they were directed to devote themselves to the redemption of captives. John and Felix thus founded the Order of the Holy Trinity. They fasted daily, gathered alms throughout Europe and redeemed Christian slaves in Barbary. They also devoted themselves to the sick and to prisoners in all countries. The charity of St. John was visibly blessed by God. On his second return from Tunis, he brought back 120 liberated Christians. Although the Moors had attacked his vessel and taken away its rudder and sails, a miracle in response to faith saw angels bringing the vessel to Ostia three hundred leagues from Tunis. St. John passed away in 1213 at the age of 53. He intercedes for works of mercy and helping prisoners.

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