Blessed Teresa of Kolkata’s centennial birthday has recently been celebrated. How I wish that time is more generous so that I can read more on the life and times of the erstwhile “living saint”.
As if she has an interview clip pounding the table with her forefinger quoting the Gospel of Matthew stressing “ . . . whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me. (cf: 25:40)
Her humanitarian works and of the Missionary of Charity, a religious congregation she founded are anchored on that reminder from Jesus. Blessed Teresa gave her all in loving and caring the dispossessed, unloved, the “garbaged”, victims of conflicts and the suffering. She literally went to the streets and look for them like the biblical Good Shepherd looking around for a lost sheep in need of help.
Obeying the teaching of Christ before ascending to heaven that we love another as He has loved us (Jn. 15:12), the soft-spoken and diminutive nun is known to have not refused anyone seeking for help nor did she refuse to help anyone who needed help regardless of religious affiliation. She correctly believes that all of us are children of God. She saw the face of God from the face of her suffering brethren!
Does anyone remember the picture of Princess Diana and Mother Teresa in London? For me, it was a simple picture but speaks a thousand words full of contrasts. The princess lived in a castle while the nun lived in a modest house with her community. Diana, with all her expensive royal jewelries had a lot of possessions. And Mother Teresa’s? Wikepedia tells:
“A Sister's possessions include: three saris (one to wear, one to wash, one to mend), a pair of sandals, flour sack underclothes, a crucifix and rosary. They also have a plate and metal spoon, a canvas bag, and prayer book. In cold countries, possessions also include a cardigan. They never wear anything but sandals on their feet.” (Becoming a Missionary of Charity)
Some observed that Mother Teresa’s habit in her meeting with Princess Diana was old and somewhat tattered but clean. The only jewelry she had as seen by the princess was her rosary and a crucifix pinned on her sari.
The saintly nun was not spared from criticisms as her biographical entry in Wikepidia narrates but compared with other modern disciples of the Lord living in our midst if they are called as such, how many times did we see on TV a bejeweled preacher in elegant and signature dress protected by a phalanx of bodyguards? Did we hear a billionaire preacher living comfortably in his mansion? Did we hear a preacher that on his birthday, thousands of roasted pigs and chicken were exclusively for his followers? Did we hear a preacher involved in questionable dealings with the government? Did we see on TV some fanatics kissing the hands of a televangelist instead of doing that to the priests or bishops out of respect on their priesthood?
May Blessed Teresa continue to intercede for all of us. May she intercede for us, Filipinos especially. In here, a country she visited many times, she can see millions with one face --- the face of Christ. -30-
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