-
Our Faith
-
 LOVE MAKES SMILE
- By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
-
-
-
-
-
On October 19,
2003, Pope John Paul II declared Mother Teresa (1910-1997) of Calcutta
blessed (beata). We may rightfully say that during her life in India,
she had been God’s Love incarnated. She not only dedicated all
her activities to the cause of the “poorest among the poor” but she
herself wanted to be one of them, live among them and share in their
needs. It made the Pope once say, “In Mother Teresa’s smile, words and
deeds, Jesus walked again the streets of the world as the Good
Samaritan.” She could do nothing else but identify the suffering with
the Crucified Jesus Christ, who had said, “Whatever you do for
the least of My brethren, you do it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).
-
-
The work that
Mother Teresa started in Calcutta around the middle of last century is
now continued throughout the world by the Missionaries of Charity, a
Society of 4,000 sisters and many associated lay people. Mother Teresa
has been highly respected all over, but her fame could not prevent that
she was bitterly criticized, too, for her belief that the proper place
of women was the household. Her opponents among the feminists called it
“religious imperialism.” Further, it was said about her that her
unconditional commitment to the poor made her more or less blind to the
causes of poverty. She denied by saying that poverty in itself was not
something beautiful and to be idealized. Beautiful is rather
the courage by which the poor bear their poverty and remain able to
smile and
-
hope for a better
future. “I do not admire hunger, humidity or cold,” she said, “but I
admire the courage to face all this, smile and go on living.”
-
-
Perhaps we will
think that these are beautiful words, however not true. But Mother
Teresa has persisted, because she had seen it with her own eyes. On the
occasion of the presentation of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979 in
Oslo, she said in her message: “The poor are very special people. On
one evening, we picked up four misers from the gutters along
the streets. One of them was in an utmost bad condition. I said to the
sisters, ‘would you mind taking care of the others, while I take care of
this woman?’ She was in a terrible state. I tried to do the best I
could to nurse and love her. When I took her to bed, a beautiful smile
appeared on her face. She took my hand and only said ‘Thank you!’ Then
she died. At that moment, I asked myself what I would have said in case
I was in the same circumstance. My answer was simple. I would have tried
to attract attention to myself by saying ‘I am hungry!’ ‘I am about to
die!’ ‘I feel cold!’ ‘I have pain!’ But she gave me much more! She gave
me her grateful love and passed away with a smile on her face.”
-
-
In another case,
the man who had been lifted from the gutter and brought to the care
center had half of his face eaten away by worms. He said to Mother
Teresa, “I’ve been living as a beast on the streets, but I will die as
an angel cherished by love.” How impressing the greatness of this man,
who could say such words. He was not blaming anybody. Neither cursing
his fate. In the wake of his death, he felt himself like an angel!
-
- Already by
life, Mother Teresa was called “saint of the gutters.” Like in each
house is a gutter for the discharge of garbage and all that is unwanted.
Society, too, has certain places where the unwanted people are kept from
sight, so that they cannot disturb anybody. These places, either
bridges, pedestrian passings, empty buildings or just abandoned roads,
were the working fields of Mother Teresa and later her followers,
searching for neglected children and the dying of sickness or
rejection. Love makes these poor people smile at their last moment of
life on earth.
- TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has something
wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God answer your
prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet God’s
whisper?
- Have you felt His
powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday, people are
experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a pity that very
few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good News to
share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org) or fax us
(021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t have to be
a great writer to do this. We can help you write it – just tell us like
it is!
- Don’t forget to write
the subject: “Let Me Tell You A
Story”
Please take a
moment to sign our guestbook.
For comments, suggestions or
ideas:
Genesis Catholic
Community - All Rights Reserved 2004
No part of this website may be copied,
reproduced or modified without the permission from the
webmaster.
|
This site has been awarded
IN THIS ISSUE:
HIS Servant
by Bro. Pete Lapid
The Father Speaks
By Fr. Siegfried Binzler,
SJ
Surabaya Corner
By Ramon Martillano
Our Faith
By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
Community Life ~
Here's the Latest
By Beth Manibog
Place of Refuge
By Philip Yuson
The LampLight
By Fr. Agustinus Tupen
Belo, PR
Viewpoint
By Leslie Freires
Straight from the Heart
By Carolle Bautista
Surabaya Sharing
By Bombet Malinao
G* KIDSPACE
By Tintin Magbitang
Reflections
By Fr. Harry Toledano,
OAD
Catholic News ~
Sites and Bites
Compiled by Armand Sol
Saint for the Month
Source: Catholic Online
On Focus
By Sansu Garin
- Meet the
Staff
-
-
-
Catholic
Links
-
-
- PROFILE OF THE
-
GENESIS CATHOLIC
COMMUNITY
|
