Mother Teresa

A long time hero of mine, Mother Teresa was a woman who breathed and lived Jesus. She dedicated her life to loving and caring for the poorest of the poor - the untouchables, because in each one she saw the human face of God. I just finished reading the only biography that Mother Teresa authorized to be written on her. What an incredible selfless woman after the heart of God. As I write this, I can only imagine Mother Teresa's opposition to me even speaking of the life she lived, for she didn't want anyone to applaud her, but that everything she did and say be only to the glory of God. Here are a few of Mother Teresa's words, and words about her, that have profoundly affected me...

Give me the strength to be ever the light of their lives, so that I may lead them ever to you!

We do not want to do what other religious orders have done throughout history; and begin by serving the poor only to end up unconsciously serving the rich. In order to understand and help those who have nothing, we must live like them...The only difference is that these people are poor by birth, and we are poor by choice.

Learn, my children, to be holy, for true holiness consists in doing God's will with a smile.

What made death of the streets of Calcutta so terrible was the fact that it was frequently the consequence of a lack of concern on the part of others; there was in the world today a disease more awful than leprosy or cancer - namely that of being unwanted.

The Sisters were not allowed to accept anything but a glass of water by way of hospitality, for often that was all that the poor could offer and they must not be made to feel outdone by others who had more luxurious provisions at their disposal.

Our works of love reveal to the suffering poor the love of God for them.

You can do what I can't do. I can do what you can't do. Together we can do something beautiful for God.

In those days she would visit Shishu Bhavan, the children's home in Calcutta, every morning. She would go from one tiny baby to the next, and if she spotted one which was so frail or sick that it seemed likely to die that day, she would wrap it in a blanket and give it to one of the helpers to hold, with the instruction simply to love that child till it died. What mattered was that no child in her care should die without having experienced love.

Mother Teresa called upon those who lived in a world caught up in the race to be rich, powerful and effective, to be aware of their own poverty, to make themselves weak with the weak and no to seek to do big things but only small things with great love.

She urged her Co-Workers not to give from their abundance, but rather to give "until it hurt."

Especially we must take care of our big girls (prostitutes) - in their hunger for love and in their rejection they are inclined to give trouble sometimes. The work with them is more difficult than with the lepers, but they are Christ in his distressing disguise. Help them to pray, pray with them, go among them as one to serve and not be served. Never use the words, "You have been picked up" or "You are a bad girl," etc. She like you and me has been created by the same loving hand of God, for greater things, to love and to be loved.

God has shown his greatness by using nothingness - so let us always remain in our nothingness - so as to give God free hand to use us without consulting us. Let us accept whatever he gives and give whatever he gives and give whatever he takes with a big smile.

I did not know that our work would grow so fast or go so far. I never doubted that it would live, but I did not think that it would be like this. Doubt I never had, because I had this conviction that if God blesses it, it will prosper.

How often had she told those who worked with her that they must be empty in order that God might fill them with himself and his love. To be empty, to be poor in spirit had its price.

Total surrender to her meant not seeking to be put out on the street but accepting the loss of all possessions and being put out on the street if that was the will of God. "Total surrender is to accept whatever he gives and give whatever it takes with a big smile. It is to accept to be cut to pieces and yet every piece to belong only to him. We must accept emptiness, accept being broken to pieces, accept success and failure. To give whatever it takes - if it takes your good name or your health - that is surrender and then you are free."

God has not called me to be successful. God has called me to be faithful.

From the very beginning she had made a deliberate choice to serve the poorest of the poor, not simply the poor but the very poorest among them.

She saw the Christ in every man...the same logic that induced her to go where others feared to tread, to tend the nauseating wounds of the leper or work at great personal risk in places of violence and pain.

Jesus, it is for you and for souls!

Be only all for God.