The Saint whose motto was: “As the Master Wishes”
From her childhood, Bakhita had learnt to wonder at the beauties of creation. Even as a slave, she found comfort in admiring the sun, the moon, and the stars. She told how, when she had, finally, lost hope of ever seeing her family again, she began to appreciate more the beauties of nature. She wondered who could have been their CREATOR and ardently desired to know Him so as to be able to thank Him and do Him homage. Once she had been given her freedom, she spontaneously renounced it, wishing to serve as new Master, who was far different from all the others.
“Here I became a child of God!” she exclaimed with emotion, kneeling at the baptismal font when she had the good fortune to visit the church where she had been baptized. Baptism shaped her human and Christian future completely, and her whole life was overwhelmed with wonder at the goodness of a Father who orders everything for the good of those whom He has chosen. This, then, was the source of Bakhita’s constant goodness.
The moment that had a great and decisive impact on her life was when she discovered the infinite love of God, manifested in his CRUCIFIED SON. Seeing the image of Jesus on the cross for the first time, Bakhita was greatly impressed, and asked: “What did that man do that was so wrong, for him to be treated in such a way?” “Nothing,” was the reply, “He wished to die for us, for love of us, and also for you.” “Also for me!” astonished Bakhita repeatedly. Always drawn irresistibly by the love of Jesus who had died on the cross for her, she became a strong woman, firm, and unshakeable in her decision to devote herself totally to the service of her new heavenly Master.
Consequently, her former resignation to her fate was transformed into free and holy abandonment to the divine will of Him whom she still gladly called “el Paron”, “the Master”, out of long-standing mental habit, but now no longer as a salve of arbitrary and evil masters by fate, but as a “slave of love” carrying out the orders of the good God, who loves His servants as a Father.
Her life, after death, would also depend on the will of the “Master”. For this reason, when she was sick, she replied to those who asked for her prayers: “If the Lord permits, I will look after everyone from Heaven. I will obtain many graces for the salvation of souls.”