Mother Teresa 1910 AD to 1997
“By blood, I am Albanian. By citizenship, I am an Indian.
By faith, I am a Catholic nun.
As to my calling, I belong to the world. As to my heart,
I belong entirely to the Heart of Christ.
Small of stature, rock-like in faith, Mother Teresa of Calcutta was entrusted with the mission of proclaiming God’s thirsting love for humanity, especially for the poorest of the poor. Not an easy path to feel you have been called.
She visited families, bandaged and cleaned children with sores, sat with the dying old or young in the street and nursed woman dying of hunger and TB. She started each day in communion at Eucharist and then went out. Rosary in her hand, focused on being present and still she moved among the “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.”
Mother Teresa of Calcutta shared her spirit of prayer, simplicity, sacrifice and her apostlate of humble works of love with everyone she came in contact with, regardless of race, color, creed or nationality. This woman’s spirit and commitment inspired the Lay Missionaries of Charity.
The whole of Mother Teresa’s life and labor bore witness to the simple joy released through loving.
She saw clearly the greatness and dignity of every human person, the value of little things done faithfully and with love. He faith and friendship with God is inspirational, even if towards the end of her life she doubted. There is no deep understanding of God and our crazy world with all its continuous pain without doubt.
By 1997, Mother Teresa’s Sisters of Mercy numbered nearly 1,000,000 co-workers and were established in 610 foundations in 123 countries.
May she rest in peace and content to know she has inspired many to love more than we think possible. Without examples like hers we are lost in a sea of individualism and abandonment because it is Love which binds us together as creatures made in God’s image.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta is Love in a walking human icon.
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