Through the Eyes of Mother Teresa

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An Inspirational Woman

I was looking for a book about an inspirational woman who lived during my lifetime. As I was browsing Audible, I saw a few books that were compilations with biographies of several outstanding women. One woman’s name kept appearing in these different books: Mother Teresa.

I decided to focus on her, and the book I chose to listen to is called, Mother Teresa: In Her Own Words.

This audio book, which is narrated by Dr. Lou Tartaglia, has recordings of Mother Teresa’s voice as she gives speeches and prayers, along with the voice of Father Angelo, a Catholic Priest who assisted Mother Teresa in her great work.

Listening to this audio presentation has been a life-changing experience for me, and I don’t use the word “life-changing” lightly. Mother Teresa’s voice healed my soul and renewed my energy as I listened to story after story of how she reached out to the “poorest of the poor” to give all people love, dignity, and self-respect.

She took seriously the scripture, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."
 

New Testament—Matthew 25: 34-40

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:

Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.

Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?

Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
 

Serving with Joy

Mother Teresa saw the destitute suffering souls as “Jesus in disguise” as she and her missionaries personally cleaned and cared for each individual. Everything she did, she did with complete joy. Service was not a burden to her; it was a gift of real, tangible joy!

Mother Teresa was a happy woman with a good sense of humor. She brought happiness and love to everyone she met.

The way this book changed me is that it lifted the emotional and physical fatigue that has been accumulating over the years as I’ve continually served the needs of my family, friends, and others throughout my life. Suddenly, I felt “light” as I realized that service, when done continually but with moderation, brings renewal of physical and spiritual energy through Jesus Christ.

Doing a little something for someone every day is the key. As Mother Teresa said, “We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”
 

Hunger for Love & God

The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love.

There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love.

The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty—it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God.

—Mother Teresa
 

Doing the Impossible

Mother was a single-hearted person. She had one vision, one goal, one purpose. She relentlessly trusted God to provide for all the means necessary to fulfill her mission. “I am only a small pencil in his hands, but God can use me for whatever He wants.” And with that conviction, she dared to do the impossible.

—Father Angelo
 

Caring for the Addicted

Mother believed that the alcoholic and the drug attic were among the spiritually poorest of the poor. She knew that alcoholism and addiction were spiritual diseases that needed to be cared for by caring for the soul.

—Dr. Lou Tartaglia
 

Peace in Christ

Each soul is precious to Jesus. There is no need for criticism, judgmental thoughts, or hypocrisy as we view all of humanity. We just simply serve the needs of others around us in our own area of influence—with great joy and love.

We don’t have to do “big” things. Small, simple acts of kindness and service is all that’s required.

Mother Teresa had perfect faith that God would provide what she needed to bless the lives of others. She knew and loved Jesus. She "hastily" followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit. She lovingly and joyfully served the needs of others until the end of her life.

I want to do the same.

I love the quote on her "calling card" that she gave to others: "The fruit of silence is PRAYER. The fruit of prayer is FAITH. The fruit of faith is LOVE. The fruit of love is SERVICE. The fruit of service is PEACE."