The humility and acceptance demonstrated by our Blessed Mother was the model that Blessed Teresa of Kolkata aspired to imitate during her earthly sojourn. Soon-to-be St. Mother Teresa also had an encounter with Our Lord when she received her call within her call.

Our Lord called her to abandon her life as a Loretto Sister and later to leave the convent to embrace him in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor within the slums of Calcutta. 

As with Mother Mary, she inexplicably said, “Yes” to this call of the Lord to abandon her understanding of her life’s purpose, to embrace an unknown and unchartered path in service of Our Lord. Her Yes to the Lord had a tremendous impact on the world and the lives of millions.

Mother Teresa personally touched the lives of millions as a conduit of Our Lord’s mercy and love. She was a pencil in God’s hand that willingly brought the word to life as God moved her freely. 

Those dying in the streets, whom she caressed and comforted, saw Jesus through her, as well as those sisters, brothers and priests who saw Jesus in her and were moved to offer their own Yes to Our Lord.

Tens of thousands of souls were gained as laborers in the vineyard, for the sake of the kingdom. Then there are the millions who have been indirectly affected by Mother’s life, by seeing her on television at the many talks that she gave, reading about her life and the example of putting the Gospels into practice.

What an impact from a simple Yes!

In this Year of Mercy, during which the Church will officially canonize Mother Teresa as a saint, let us reflect on how her Yes had an impact on the world — and how Mother Mary’s Yes enabled all of us to experience the incarnate Word of God.

Let us pray for the grace to say, “Yes” — all for the glory of God.

Bob Dirgo writes from

Akron, Ohio.