Sunday, May 15, 2011

Mother Teresa

I think most people know about Mother Teresa. An Albanian born in 1910, she felt the Lord’s calling to serve Him at the age of 12. After becoming a nun, she felt a strong pulling to serve the poor in India. Mother Teresa’s ministry focused a lot on love and compassion, genuine love and heartfelt compassion. I recently read her book “No Greater Love.” Many of her words touched me and moved me into prayer.

“Souls of prayer are souls of great silence…Listen to silence, because if your heart is full of other things you cannot hear the voice of God. But when you have listened to the voice of God in the stillness of your heart, then your heart is filled with God.” Lord, help me to be still. I want to hear your voice clearly.

“There are many medicines and cures for all kinds of sicknesses. But unless kind hands are given in service and generous hearts are given in love, I do not think there can ever be a cure for the terrible sickness of feeling unloved.” Lord, as a nurse, it is so easy to give medications or ‘quick fixes’ for pain and sickness. Help me to be reminded to always love on my patients. With kind words, healing hands and a selfless heart. All we need is love.

“If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed, you won’t be discouraged; if anyone calls you a saint, you won’t put yourself on a pedestal. If you are a saint, thank God; if you are a sinner, don’t remain one.” I pray for a humble heart O Lord.

“Once, someone asked me, “Why do you go abroad? Don’t you have enough poor in India?” So I answered, “Jesus told us to go and preach to all the nations,” That is why we go all over the world to preach his love and compassion.” Lord, I pray I never forget your people all over the world. Their sufferings. Their hunger. Their hearts. May your love be shown today, especially to those in Haiti.

“Whatever you do, even if you help somebody cross the road, you do it to Jesus. Even giving somebody a glass of water, you do it to Jesus.” Lord, I want to have a heart that would give everything up to just have you. Remind me in the small things I do, that I do it for you.

“However beautiful the work is, be detached from it, even ready to give it up. The work is not yours. The talents God has given you are not yours; they have been given to you for your use, for the glory of God.” Lord, I pray that I’m not attached to my job, my community, my status, my materialism. I pray that I’m attached to you alone. I’m willing to give everything else up. But not you. I pray the things you have given me would be used for your glory.

“Love, in order to survive, must be nourished by sacrifices, especially the sacrifice of self.” Create in me a selfless heart O God.

“Suffering will never be completely absent from our lives. So don’t be afraid of suffering.” Lord protect and guide me through times of suffering.

“A vocation is a gift of Christ. He has said, ‘I have chosen you.’ Every vocation must really belong to Christ. The work that we are called to accomplish is just a means to give concrete substance to our love for God.” I pray that each and every gift you’ve given to me, God, is turned back to you in praise, honor and glory!

“We all have been called by God. As missionaries we must be carriers of God’s love, ready to go in haste, like Mary, in search of souls; burning lights that give light to all men; the salt of the earth; souls consumed with one desire: Jesus.” All for you, Jesus. In everything I do, I pray I do it for you. I love you!

1 comment:

  1. Beautiful, Heidi. You have a beautiful heart and the Lord delights in you! Thanks for sharing.

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