SAINT

BLESSED MOTHER TERESA…SAINT

2Kings 2:9 Now it came about when they crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you.”  And Elisha said, “Please, let me a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

Mother Teresa was the most unpretentious soul of the suffering.  Her calling came to her a woman with a pure love seeking only to serve Jesus through the suffering, dying, and children.  Her five senses in serving the poor was overridden by the grace she had to see only Jesus.  The magnitude of that grace to see nothing but Jesus as she served was always she was doing it for Him.  It is a deep meditation to understand getting past one’s own knowledge, understanding, values, prejudices, etc. and react and love the suffering because Jesus was in them and she saw Him.  Whomever they were, whatever their faith or not, whatever their lifestyle or weakness concerned her not.  She saw her suffering Savior and wanted to serve Him in this suffering before her. 

To see Jesus in anyone is to have to delete one’s own preconceptions and ideas.  To virtually step back and renounce one’s opinions and be selfless.  To journey in holiness with one thought in mind to serve and see Jesus in all that suffer.  To serve is to have purity of heart, love that has no conditions, and a desire to renounce the trappings of the devil, world, and flesh. Beginning and end to this is be like Jesus when He lived, suffered, and died for all mankind for He saw His Father in us all.

Mother Teresa served the suffering on the streets of Calcutta seeing the worst of suffering most would never experience or want to.  The heat in India can at times take your breath away and yet everyday she went out in the morning and in the dead heat of the afternoon to serve and gather the suffering along with her sisters.  She came upon the suffering who laid in the streets for God only knows how long in the baking sun, filthy, smells from urine and feces as well as the smell of death.   Many had worms and other larva not to mention rats whom fed on these suffering.  However, for Mother Teresa she could not conceive in her heart Jesus suffering so, in these sufferers. 

 At 72 years Mother Teresa went into West Beirut to rescue 60 terrified hungry children with severe mental and physical disabilities from a damaged asylum.  She was in a place of extreme danger for the Christians whom she went to see about in their suffering were warring with the Muslims.  She rescued half then two days later crossed the Militarized Green Line and rescued the rest bringing them to the Mission’s house in the East Christian Zone.  She was described as a military commander and St. Francis.

Another time Mother needed bread for the children at her mission so she went to the baker and put out her hand while asking for bread.  The baker spat in her hand Mother closed it saying “this is for me” while extending her other hand.  The baker gave her the bread and from that day on supplied bread for the children.

Mother Teresa for me was the concert I sang at as she sang to my heart.  No matter what people said she stayed focus to her calling from our Lord for He was whom she saw in the suffering.  She was no respecter of person Mother served with a heart united solely to our Lord in love and mercy.  Mother did not have to preach the gospel she was the gospel in action.  Conversions came by route of whom she was and the faith she demonstrated and the trust that was unwavering in Christ Jesus.

 

I started this blog with the scripture above for this reason I too pray for the blessings of Mother Teresa’s life not a double portion but a single portion one I can work within blessing enough for me.  However, I seek the gift from our Lord to go beyond my five senses and my own thoughts and prejudices and see Him in hearts and souls being not a respecter of anyone that hampers my calling.  I journey towards holiness with a lively faith and unwavering trust to our Lord who suffered and died for me. 

How blessed was the world to have Mother Teresa and how blessed are we to continue to experience her spirit.  GLORY TO YOU LORD! 

©Linda Mary Liotino ME A SERVANT OF CHRIST MISSION 9/4/2016

©Watercolor of MOTHER TERESA and ORPHAN by FRANCO JOSEPH