"Come be my light...."
These are the words that inspired Mother Teresa and became her purpose and calling. In September 1946, Mother Teresa, then 36 years old, heard the voice of God speak to her. The call was so powerful and unmistakable that it became her burning desire and life's purpose.
I wasn't raised Catholic and there is much I don't know or understand about the Catholic religion. But I am inspired by Mother Teresa. I know the world has been touched and further enlightened by her life, work, and gentle but powerful example. She is one of my "heroes" and I strive to love people in the way that she did. Despite her lifelong struggles with depression, and feeling disconnected from God, she continued to "be God's light" in the world.
She was God's light in simple, consistent ways. She fed the poor, educated children, cared for the homeless,sick and dying and she did it day after day after day without complaint and with great passion. There was nothing glamorous about working in the ghettos and about helping the most weak and ill and "undesirable" members of society. Not glamorous at all.....I wonder how she did it day after day after day while also feeling disconnected from God? For me, my connection with God creates my sense of hope, optimism, internal peace which allows me to continue to do my work, day after day, after day.
Her light is the same light that is in all of us. How viable is it for us to go out into the world each day when it's not glamorous,when we feel tired and empty inside, when we feel we aren't being "rewarded" in concrete ways? See, that's the characteristic about Mother Teresa that is so amazing to me. She experienced "the call" from God, felt the presence of God in powerful ways, then somehow lost that connection, but continued on and on and on, "being God's light" in the world, day after day, after day. She didn't make excuses. She wasn't a victim.
I wonder what would have happened if Mother Teresa would have taken a day off or a month off or an indefinite period of time because she "just wasn't feeling the love" at that particular time? I don't think there would have been a Nobel prize and all of the good and the light and the love she brought into the world through her work would have......never......happened.... and I wouldn't be writing a post on my blog about this remarkable woman who inspires me. Think about it..........
Think about it....If we want to be God's light in the world, we have to do it every day, in every action, in every thought...even when we are sick and tired and bored and depleted. No excuses...
wow. No waiting to proceed until we are inspired, no complaints about not receiving our just recognition or compensation, no blaming others for less than ideal situations. No excuses...no excuses...no excuses. What a tall order to fill. What a powerful example to emulate.
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love. Everything is an opportunity to love" - Mother Teresa
