"We must go to God in His way; we shall only be saints in the measure wherein we adapt ourselves to the divine plan.”
- Blessed Columba Marmion
On September 5th, 13 years ago, Mother Teresa of Calcutta died. She was widely regarded as a living saint. Her simplicity, sincerity, smallness and smile radiated the globe over with the face of Christ’s light. She was the recipient of countless awards including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. Her congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, encompasses 594 homes in 123 countries today. There are more than 3600 sisters, nearly 380 brothers, 13 priests and countless coworkers all committed to living her spirit throughout the world. On the "fast-track" to beatification, she was named “Blessed” Mother Teresa Calcutta in 2003 and most likely will be canonized within the next few years.
She was born the youngest of 3 children of Albanian parents and her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She grew up in a multi-ethnic, multi-faith town of Skopje where her father was a successful business man. Her childhood was a happy one. Making her first Holy Communion at the age of five, she was graced with a profound love of souls, a special gift from God that would characterize her entire life. She set sail for India in 1928 and chose the name “Teresa” as her religious name, taken after St. Theresa of Lisieux, the Little Flower, who believed that the way to holiness comes through fidelity in small things and spoke of the immense power of suffering to win God’s grace for others. Mother Teresa would often pray, “Jesus, it is for you and for souls.”
In 2007, a new book called "Come Be My Light: the Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta" detailed Mother Teresa’s relentless surrender to God’s will despite doubts, dry spells in prayer and "dark nights of the soul". A mature spiritual person must experience suffering and pain to be brought into clearer light. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw life as a prism:
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it!
She also espoused the following ten commandments for viewing life and service to people each new day:
1. People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will make friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.
6. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
7. People really need help but may attack you if you really help them. Help people anyway.
8. Give the world the best you have, and you will get kicked in the teeth. Give the world your best anyway.
9. If you choose to live a life of communion with your people, making them the first priority in your life, you will be judged old-fashioned. Live with your people anyway.
10. When you openly proclaim your love for your people, you will be dismissed as hopelessly idealistic. Proclaim your love anyway.
On this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus clearly spells out the cost of discipleship. At first He may seem too idealistic, too other-worldly, and too harsh for us to take Him too seriously. However, Jesus does not "arm-twist" us to follow Him. He does not cajole, bribe, "brow-beat" or "sugar-coat" the message to be His follower. He tells us from the onset that it will cost us everything!
Jesus is the teacher/leader and we are the pupils, "the learners." He reminds us that we cannot be casual, comfortable and convenient disciples. Jesus reminds us that there is a ‘"hree-fold requirement" of discipleship:
1) ”If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
2) “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
3) “Everyone of you who does not renounce all of his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
The path to discipleship demands a 100% total commitment for the long haul. Following Christ may cost us some natural biological relationships and natural friendships as well as some material comforts and pleasures that we all desire. A follower of Jesus must be prepared to carry his/her cross by making a conscious and willing commitment to Him and His Gospel. Jesus is simply saying we must love Him above all else! Jesus is very clear that nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand between us and following Him. Perhaps we think the cost of discipleship is too high or too demanding. However, Jesus knew it would be hard but He promised to help us. God does not ask to do something without giving us the grace to do it!
As we celebrate Labor Day in our country this Monday, September 6, let us ask the Lord to bless the work of our minds, hearts, hands and lives as seek to do His daily will.
- Blessed Columba Marmion
On September 5th, 13 years ago, Mother Teresa of Calcutta died. She was widely regarded as a living saint. Her simplicity, sincerity, smallness and smile radiated the globe over with the face of Christ’s light. She was the recipient of countless awards including the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize. Her congregation, the Missionaries of Charity, encompasses 594 homes in 123 countries today. There are more than 3600 sisters, nearly 380 brothers, 13 priests and countless coworkers all committed to living her spirit throughout the world. On the "fast-track" to beatification, she was named “Blessed” Mother Teresa Calcutta in 2003 and most likely will be canonized within the next few years.
She was born the youngest of 3 children of Albanian parents and her birth name was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She grew up in a multi-ethnic, multi-faith town of Skopje where her father was a successful business man. Her childhood was a happy one. Making her first Holy Communion at the age of five, she was graced with a profound love of souls, a special gift from God that would characterize her entire life. She set sail for India in 1928 and chose the name “Teresa” as her religious name, taken after St. Theresa of Lisieux, the Little Flower, who believed that the way to holiness comes through fidelity in small things and spoke of the immense power of suffering to win God’s grace for others. Mother Teresa would often pray, “Jesus, it is for you and for souls.”
In 2007, a new book called "Come Be My Light: the Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta" detailed Mother Teresa’s relentless surrender to God’s will despite doubts, dry spells in prayer and "dark nights of the soul". A mature spiritual person must experience suffering and pain to be brought into clearer light. Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta saw life as a prism:
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it!
She also espoused the following ten commandments for viewing life and service to people each new day:
1. People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you will make friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today, will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway.
6. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
7. People really need help but may attack you if you really help them. Help people anyway.
8. Give the world the best you have, and you will get kicked in the teeth. Give the world your best anyway.
9. If you choose to live a life of communion with your people, making them the first priority in your life, you will be judged old-fashioned. Live with your people anyway.
10. When you openly proclaim your love for your people, you will be dismissed as hopelessly idealistic. Proclaim your love anyway.
On this 23rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Jesus clearly spells out the cost of discipleship. At first He may seem too idealistic, too other-worldly, and too harsh for us to take Him too seriously. However, Jesus does not "arm-twist" us to follow Him. He does not cajole, bribe, "brow-beat" or "sugar-coat" the message to be His follower. He tells us from the onset that it will cost us everything!
Jesus is the teacher/leader and we are the pupils, "the learners." He reminds us that we cannot be casual, comfortable and convenient disciples. Jesus reminds us that there is a ‘"hree-fold requirement" of discipleship:
1) ”If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
2) “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”
3) “Everyone of you who does not renounce all of his possessions cannot be my disciple.”
The path to discipleship demands a 100% total commitment for the long haul. Following Christ may cost us some natural biological relationships and natural friendships as well as some material comforts and pleasures that we all desire. A follower of Jesus must be prepared to carry his/her cross by making a conscious and willing commitment to Him and His Gospel. Jesus is simply saying we must love Him above all else! Jesus is very clear that nothing, absolutely nothing, can stand between us and following Him. Perhaps we think the cost of discipleship is too high or too demanding. However, Jesus knew it would be hard but He promised to help us. God does not ask to do something without giving us the grace to do it!
As we celebrate Labor Day in our country this Monday, September 6, let us ask the Lord to bless the work of our minds, hearts, hands and lives as seek to do His daily will.
