September 5, 2007

“Mother Teresa, pray for us!”

September 5th marks the tenth Anniversary of the death of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta. By her life of devotion to Jesus in the Eucharist and her sacrificial service to the poorest of the poor, she has become a striking reminder to all of us of the tremendous value of each human person created in God’s image.

Mother Teresa said: “God created us for two reasons: to love and to be loved.” To love is “to will all that is good for another” inthought, desire, word and deed. Mother Teresa used to genuflect before entering the rooms of the poor and sick in reverence of their profound dignity as dearly beloved children of God.

When asked how she could possibly deal with the overwhelming needs of the world, she responded that “God did not call me to be successful, but faithful.” Mother lived a life of heroic virtue, despite suffering terrible interior darkness for almost fifty years.

Our CFR Community owes a great deal to Mother Teresa. Fr. Benedict affectionately calls her our “aunt.” At the dawn of our “Little Reform,” she personally encouraged Fr. Benedict and the friars to trust in God’sProvidence for our financial needs, saying: "God has lots of money.” She insisted that we have a daily Eucharistic Holy Hour with Jesus, the Bread of Life–Who alone gives us the strength of the Holy Spirit to serve others.

The world is starving for love. Deep down, all people have a burning hunger for Jesus–whether they know it or not! Jesus still thirsts for yourlove,and He alone deserves all you are.

You canbring great joy to Jesus by giving your time and attention to Him in prayer (especially at Mass & Eucharistic Adoration), by lovingly offering up your daily duties and each moment for Him & souls, and by generously serving every person you meet.

Jesus invites us to reach out creatively to people who are poor, sick, afflicted and abandoned—both materially and spiritually. Jesus gave us the gift of Himself, and He invites us to give the gift of ourselves in return! Self-donation is the “secret of joy.”

The question to ask yourself is not “How can I help?" but rather “Will I do something, anything, today, right now!” We can begin with our own family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Mother asserted that often a simple smile is enough!

Would that all of us, like Mother Teresa, might do some “small things with great love” to quench the hunger and thirst of Jesus in others today! The smallest act of loveis a spiritual spark thathas the potential to set the whole world on fire with the Holy Spirit! (Remember Mary’s “fiat”−then came Christ & Pentecost!)

Whenever we make some act of love, however tiny, awkward or even embarrassing it may be in its performance, we ourselves and our world begin to change; we come to experience the true and everlasting freedom, peace and joy that only Jesus gives, and come one big step closer to entering the glorious Kingdom of God our Father in Heaven.

Blessed Mother Teresa, pray for us! Amen.

Br. Philip Maria Allen, CFR
Most Blessed Sacrament Friary

Newark, New Jersey

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