Triduum for Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Part I)

Young Mother Teresa of Calcutta

In preparation for remembering Mother Teresa on her feast day I have prepared a short series of reflections on her life.

Before she founded the Missionaries of Charity, Teresa was a Sister of Loretto. She taught young Indian girls, and was quite content doing this. She was not looking to start a new religious order. She was not looking to be sent out on mission. This all changed when she was travelling to her annual retreat. On the way there she was inspired to care for God in His poorest of the poor.

We too are on a journey like Mother was. We too are quite content the way things are. Are we prepared to be lead by God into the direction that He wants to take us? This can be scary, since this direction very often be different than where we would like to go. Mother Teresa also experienced this same fear, but she was inspired. God also wants to inspire us. He loves us and wants to direct us to the deep happiness that we can only find in His heart.

When we look at the word inspire, we can see it literally means to breath into. When God inspired Mother Teresa, He literally breathed His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, into her heart. This is what gave Mother the strength to follow where God was leading her. God also breathes the Holy Spirit into our hearts.

Let us pray:

Mary, Mother of Jesus,
Give me your most beautiful heart,
As pure, as immaculate,
As full of love and of humility,
So that I can receive Jesus in the Bread of Life,
So that I can love Him as you have loved Him,
And so that I can serve Him as you have served Him
Under the figure of the poorest of the poor.
Amen.

Prayer composed by Blessed Teresa of Calcutta