ST MOTHER TERESA
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Mathew Moothasseril
Sep 6, 2017, 2:34:36 AM9/6/17
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Mother Teresa: Epitome of Compassion
Published on: 6:32 am, September 5, 2017 by: mattersindia.com
+
–
By Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Mother Teresa was the epitome of compassion. If ever one would dare to
give a core competency to her, it is this single characteristic of
being a compassionate person. She radiated this quality, when on
earth, in a way, few humans could ever do; her love for the
marginalized and the vulnerable and particularly for the poorest of
the poor and the dying destitute was boundless.
She was able to give and not to count the cost. Her ability to be
compassionate towards others motivated her to found the Missionaries
of Charity. She was effusive in her compassion for the “least of our
sisters and brothers” and did not try to hide this fact.
In a fitting tribute to Mother Teresa the United Nations in 2013,
declared every September 5 (her death anniversary) as the
‘International Day of Charity’ inviting “all Member States and all
international and regional organizations, as well as civil society,
including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to
commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner, by encouraging charity,
including through education and public awareness-raising activities.”
The world desperately stands in need of compassion today! A
compassion, which reaches out to the unloved, the ostracized, the
marginalized and the vulnerable. A compassion, that takes a stand for
the poor, the victims of injustice, the refugees and the displaced. A
compassion, that is able to negate and overcome the hate and
divisiveness; the racism and communalism; the xenophobia and the
exclusiveness that has gripped our world as never before. We need the
compassion of Mother Teresa as never before.
On September 4, 2016, in a very special ceremony at St Peter’s Square
in the Vatican, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa as a Saint of the
Catholic Church. In his homily he reminded the world of the need and
importance to live the values which St Teresa of Kolkata embodied,
“May this tireless worker of mercy help us to increasingly understand
that our only criterion for action is gratuitous love, free from every
ideology and all obligations, offered freely to everyone without
distinction of language, culture, race or religion. Mother Teresa
loved to say, “Perhaps I don’t speak their language, but I can smile.”
Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet
along our journey, especially those who suffer. In this way, we will
open up opportunities of joy and hope for our many brothers and
sisters who are discouraged and who stand in need of understanding and
tenderness.”
Mother Teresa died twenty years ago on September 5, 1997. Strangely
and symbolically, September 5 is also observed as ‘Teachers Day’ in
India in memory of our visionary late President Dr. Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan, who besides being a great educationist and philosopher,
also believed that education is the key to India’s inclusive
development.
Mother Teresa was also a teacher, having taught in a Bengali Medium
Girls School for several years before she founded the Missionaries of
Charity. During her lifetime, she taught the world several important
and valuable lessons. Compassion however, was her hallmark. We need to
do our best to imbibe these values in whatever way we can. She would
say, “In this life we cannot do great things; we can only do small
things with great love!”
As we celebrate on September 5, God’s great gift to mankind in the
person of Mother Teresa, let us also pray to her, this great ‘Saint of
the gutters’ to give us a compassionate heart, the courage to reach
out in love unconditionally and the commitment to give and not to
count the cost!
St Teresa of Kolkata pray for us!
[Fr Cedric Prakash sj is a human rights activist. He is currently
based in Lebanon, engaged with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the
Middle East on advocacy and communications. Contact:
cedric...@gmail.com]
--
*GATHER THE SCATTERED*
Fr Mathew Moothasseril
Sant Thoma Bhavan
Post Box 306
RAMAN MALA
Kolhapur,416 003
Maharashtra
INDIA
Published on: 6:32 am, September 5, 2017 by: mattersindia.com
+
–
By Fr. Cedric Prakash sj
Mother Teresa was the epitome of compassion. If ever one would dare to
give a core competency to her, it is this single characteristic of
being a compassionate person. She radiated this quality, when on
earth, in a way, few humans could ever do; her love for the
marginalized and the vulnerable and particularly for the poorest of
the poor and the dying destitute was boundless.
She was able to give and not to count the cost. Her ability to be
compassionate towards others motivated her to found the Missionaries
of Charity. She was effusive in her compassion for the “least of our
sisters and brothers” and did not try to hide this fact.
In a fitting tribute to Mother Teresa the United Nations in 2013,
declared every September 5 (her death anniversary) as the
‘International Day of Charity’ inviting “all Member States and all
international and regional organizations, as well as civil society,
including non-governmental organizations and individuals, to
commemorate the Day in an appropriate manner, by encouraging charity,
including through education and public awareness-raising activities.”
The world desperately stands in need of compassion today! A
compassion, which reaches out to the unloved, the ostracized, the
marginalized and the vulnerable. A compassion, that takes a stand for
the poor, the victims of injustice, the refugees and the displaced. A
compassion, that is able to negate and overcome the hate and
divisiveness; the racism and communalism; the xenophobia and the
exclusiveness that has gripped our world as never before. We need the
compassion of Mother Teresa as never before.
On September 4, 2016, in a very special ceremony at St Peter’s Square
in the Vatican, Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa as a Saint of the
Catholic Church. In his homily he reminded the world of the need and
importance to live the values which St Teresa of Kolkata embodied,
“May this tireless worker of mercy help us to increasingly understand
that our only criterion for action is gratuitous love, free from every
ideology and all obligations, offered freely to everyone without
distinction of language, culture, race or religion. Mother Teresa
loved to say, “Perhaps I don’t speak their language, but I can smile.”
Let us carry her smile in our hearts and give it to those whom we meet
along our journey, especially those who suffer. In this way, we will
open up opportunities of joy and hope for our many brothers and
sisters who are discouraged and who stand in need of understanding and
tenderness.”
Mother Teresa died twenty years ago on September 5, 1997. Strangely
and symbolically, September 5 is also observed as ‘Teachers Day’ in
India in memory of our visionary late President Dr. Sarvepalli
Radhakrishnan, who besides being a great educationist and philosopher,
also believed that education is the key to India’s inclusive
development.
Mother Teresa was also a teacher, having taught in a Bengali Medium
Girls School for several years before she founded the Missionaries of
Charity. During her lifetime, she taught the world several important
and valuable lessons. Compassion however, was her hallmark. We need to
do our best to imbibe these values in whatever way we can. She would
say, “In this life we cannot do great things; we can only do small
things with great love!”
As we celebrate on September 5, God’s great gift to mankind in the
person of Mother Teresa, let us also pray to her, this great ‘Saint of
the gutters’ to give us a compassionate heart, the courage to reach
out in love unconditionally and the commitment to give and not to
count the cost!
St Teresa of Kolkata pray for us!
[Fr Cedric Prakash sj is a human rights activist. He is currently
based in Lebanon, engaged with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) in the
Middle East on advocacy and communications. Contact:
cedric...@gmail.com]
--
*GATHER THE SCATTERED*
Fr Mathew Moothasseril
Sant Thoma Bhavan
Post Box 306
RAMAN MALA
Kolhapur,416 003
Maharashtra
INDIA
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