Quick: What Catholic role model of the 20th century spoke the following words?
Give whatever he takes, take whatever he gives, with a big smile.
Very few people are instantly identifiable by fewer than 15 of their unheralded words, especially if they lived to a ripe old age. But I think it’s safe to say that, with just a small clue (in this case, the era) most Catholics would correctly attribute the above quote to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.
In this issue we pay tribute to the diminutive yet towering religious who showed, by her humble words and even humbler life, that — even though she was a “1 in a million” Christian — every one of us is called to sainthood. Mother Teresa’s response to a TV interviewer who told her, “People say you’re a saint” was “We’re all called to be saints. I’m called to be a saint. You’re called to be a saint” — not what the interviewer was expecting to hear.
Don’t miss the exclusive front-page interview with Missionary of Charity Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, postulator of the cause of Mother Teresa’s canonization. The fascinating priest spoke with the Register’s news editor, John Burger, at the Knights of Columbus Museum in New Haven, Conn. Father Brian was there to help launch a marvelous exhibit celebrating the 100th anniversary of Mother Teresa’s birth on Aug. 26.
And speaking of the exhibit, this issue also presents a review by our staff writer, Joseph Pronechen, whose fine reporting will motivate you to travel to New Haven or, next best thing, allow you to experience the exhibit vicariously. Either way, you’ll be glad you read about it.
“We can do no great things; only small things with great love.”
Everyone knows who said that.
Blessed Teresa of Calcutta: Pray for us.
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How often do we wonder what God’s love is? What it should feel like? What does it mean when we hear that God loves each of us more than we can ever imagine?
Reflect upon Our Lord immediately after His Scourging. Left unattended for a few scant seconds or minutes sitting disoriented at the base of the pillar after being beaten so severely for a long period. Imagine if you will that each of us is allowed to witness this spiritually in horror and feel the sadness. It’s all we can think about to bow down on our knees in homage before Him, there are no words. Our heads face down on the ground in front of Him, with our arms also extended on the ground at His Feet.
He is exhausted, battered, beaten, bleeding, naked, probably can’t even see straight because of The Blood Loss now at His Feet. Unimaginable Pain, Thirst and Loneliness. While kneeling in front of Him in homage, I try to sneak a peek up to see how He is doing.
Suddenly, He slowly lifts up His Shaking Head, recognizes me, and knows all the terrible ugliness of horrible mortal and venial sins on my soul. My head immediately bolts back to the ground in terrible shame and fear.
In His terrible agony, His eyes become rejuvenated and He desperately tries to reach out to Bless me. His goal only to touch my head gently, to welcome and thank me for simply being there, for my small gesture.
In spite of the terrible pain He has suffered and will continue to suffer, nothing is more important to Him in this moment than to reach out with love. To one of His lost sheep that hasn’t even been born yet.
He does not make it far when He is roughly pulled up and led to the crowning. He turns back as He is being roughly escorted away and looks at me. His look is one of being completely horrified and filled with Sorrow and Love that He has to leave. The physical torture that will occur over and over to Him in the next few hours seems of little concern compared to His Sorrow and Anxiety for having to leave one soul unattended at that moment…
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