Admonishing sinners was one of the works of mercy that Mother Teresa practiced with utmost tact. She knew herself to be a sinner (and thus not better than others); for this reason she could show understanding and sympathy even when correcting others. The sacrament of reconciliation (confession) was one of her favorite manners of making things right with God and others, and she had a great appreciation of it. She would not miss her own weekly confession and would recommend this encounter with God’s mercy to others as a source of forgiveness, healing, inner peace, and reconciliation.

“Hate the sin, love the sinner” was a principle much ingrained in Mother Teresa’s manner of dealing with people. She knew very well how to separate the sin from the sinner, the wrong from the person who did it, always respecting the person’s dignity in spite of the fault committed. This uncommon ability was at times misunderstood and taken as leniency or a lack of courage. Yet she would not miss an opportunity to correct the wrong. This she would do, though, without condemning the wrongdoer; rather, she would encourage the person, calling them to repentance and a change of life. She was not correcting others because their wrongdoing was annoying or affecting her, but out of love for God and for the sinner himself, since by that sin he was damaging his relationship with God, with others, and with himself. She would do everything possible to help the person reconcile with God and find their own inner peace. She corrected people not to put them down, not to crush them, but to build them up, ultimately, because, as she would say, “I want you to be holy.”

With her sisters, Mother Teresa could be strong and exacting. Yet they never kept away from her but went to her when they did something wrong. “With you my sisters, I will not be satisfied by [your] being just good religious. I want to be able to offer God a perfect sacrifice. Only holiness perfects the gift.” That was her standard, yet the sisters knew that they did not need to hide their errors from her and could go to her with all their mistakes and uncertainties, as her words brought relief, comfort, and healing. She was a true mother and consoler.

HER WORDS

I Am a Sinner

During the Stations, when you are facing the Passion of Christ, look at the Cross. I can find my sins on the Cross….We can be sinners with sin and we can be sinners without sin. Are you really in love with Christ? Can you face the world? Are you so convinced that “nothing can separate me from Him”? [Rom 8:39] Cut me to pieces and every piece will be yours.1

See, that Prodigal Son could go back to his father only when he said, “I will rise, I will go, I will tell. I will tell my father that I am a sinner, that I am sorry” [cf. Lk 15:18–19]. He couldn’t tell his father, “I’m sorry,” until he took that step, “I will go.” He knew that in his home there was love, there was kindness—that his father loved him. Our Lady will help us to do that. Let us do it today: rise and go to the Father, and tell Him that we are not worthy to be here, to be His own.2

How unlike [Jesus] we are. How little love, how little compassion, how little forgiveness, how little kindness we have, that we are not worthy to be so close to Him—to enter His Heart. For His Heart is still open to embrace us. His head is still crowned with thorns, His hands nailed to the Cross today. Let us find out, “Are the nails mine? That sputum on His face, mine? What part of His body, of His mind, has suffered because of me?” Not with anxiety or fear, but with a meek and humble heart, let us find out what part of His body has [suffered], [what are] the wounds inflicted by my sin. Let us not go alone but put my hand in His. He is there to forgive seventy times seven, as long as I know my Father loves me, He has called me in a special way, given me a name, I belong to Him with all my misery, my sin, my weakness, my goodness…I am His.3

The Sacrament of Mercy

How great and tender is the love of the Father to have given the sacrament of mercy where we go as sinners with sin and we return as sinners without sin. Oh, the tenderness of God’s love! If we would only allow Him to love us. “Be not afraid—I have called you by your name, you are Mine. Water (sin) will not drown you, fire (passions) will not burn you. You are precious to Me. I love you. I have carved you in the palm of My hand. You are Mine” [cf. Is 43:2, 49:16].4

The beginning of holiness is a good confession. We are all sinners. There is holiness without sin, for we must become sinners without sin. Our Lady did not have to say, “Pray for us sinners.” I am a sinner with sin. When I make a good confession, I become a sinner without sin. How do I become a sinner with sin? When I deliberately say that word something tells me, “don’t say.” That is why we have confession. I hope you make good use of confession every week.5

Confession is as important to Jesus as it is to us. It’s a joint action: Jesus and I. Just as in Holy Communion: Jesus and I. I cannot be forgiven without Jesus. Jesus cannot forgive if I don’t tell [my sins]. More important than Mother’s instruction or Sister’s instruction is one good confession. “I will rise and go to my Father.”6

Do I Make a Good Confession?

Do I make a good confession? Examine your confessions. Do you make them with a real desire, with real sincerity to say the things as they are, or do you say “half-half,” hiding something or taking away something? The devil is very clever. Jesus has said, “Do not be afraid.” If there is something that is worrying you, say it in confession and once you have said it, do not be busy with that anymore because sometimes, after many months, the devil is after us until he breaks our love for confession. It is not meant to be a torture.7

Confession is Jesus and I, and nobody else. Confession is a beautiful act of great love….We don’t measure our love by mortal sin or venial sin, but when we fall, confession is there to cleanse us. Even if there is a big gap, don’t be ashamed, still go as a child.8

Confession is just that, acknowledging sin. Never postpone confession whenever you have done a deliberate act….What a wonderful gift. That is why confession must not be used for gossip but to acknowledge my sin: deliberately I have answered back, deliberately I have given things without permission. Like a little child, like that Prodigal Son, go and say it in confession; never hide, otherwise for life it will eat you up.9

Each time when you fall, go to confession and say, “I am sorry.” God is a merciful Father and He will forgive you. The devil cannot move me or touch me even a small bit unless I say “Yes.” So you must not be afraid of him.10

Do not be ashamed and think, “Oh, what will Father think of it?” Father is there to take away your sins from you. We tell our sins to God and obtain forgiveness from God. God takes away our sins. We must be simple like a child: “I shall arise and go to my Father.” And what does God do? “Bring the robe, the ring, the shoes, the fatted calf”…and see the great joy. Why? Because “My son was dead and has come back to life” [Lk 15:22–24]. Same for us; but we must have that simplicity of a child and go to confession.11

Don’t create scruples in your mind….If by mistake you accept this pleasure, go to confession, and remember God’s mercy is very, very great….See the greatness of God’s love—Mary Magdalene, Margaret of Cortona, Saint Peter, Saint Augustine. To Saint Peter, Jesus said, “Do you love Me?” [Jn 21:15ff] That is the condition. Never say, “Tomorrow”; don’t play with chastity. The devil will say to you, “Oh don’t worry [about] it. Mother has told you all those things. Mother doesn’t know. I know better. You’re a human being, you feel that pleasure.” In spite of the temptation, willfully say, “I don’t want it.” See Maria Goretti, “Die yes, sin no.” Saint Agnes, “Die yes, sin no.”12

Even if we have fallen and have committed a sin of impurity, have the courage to go to confession. Saint Margaret of Cortona was like a prostitute, a big sinner, but to prove that God had really forgiven her, every year on her feast day her body becomes full and complete. Make one good confession and finish. Never, never, never think about it! Except to say, “For these and all the sins of my life, especially sins of impurity, I am sorry,” as an act of humility.13

Our Lady Will Help You

Our Lady will help you to remain pure. If I read that thing, I may be caught. You must have the courage to protect yourself. Why do we have dogs? To warn that somebody is coming—just by the dog barking we know that someone is there. The devil is a barking dog. You are inclined to that person, there is someone who will divide your love for Christ, or you want to give things without permission. You cannot be only all for Jesus unless you go to confession.14

Our Lady had a clean heart so she could see God. She had a humble heart. We too can see God if we are really pure of heart. That is why we need confession, not to go and talk, but to go in a sinner with sin and come out a sinner without sin. If we have that love among us, we can give it. If we are disturbed inside, we cannot give love—we can go on pretending, but there will be just none.15

As pure as the Immaculate Heart, as pure as the sunshine—nothing will come between Jesus and me. Make use of confession. “I know I should not have done that”—anything that is a deliberate refusal. Something is telling me inside the heart, “Don’t,” and I do it. Go to confession….You’ve been impatient with dispensary people, make up for it.16

Jesus Washes Our Sins

Why do you make a general confession? Not because I am doubting, but to make that connection, to realize how good the Lord God has been to me—the goodness of God….We make our sincere and humble confession not to the priest, but to Jesus.17

How pure the priest must be to pour the Precious Blood on me, to wash my sins away. How great that priest is to say, “This is my Body.” You must never doubt that word, “I absolve you, I free you.” Even if that priest is a bad priest, he has the power to forgive you, to make you free.18

The moment Father says, “I absolve you,” Jesus comes and washes our sins. The Precious Blood of Jesus [is] poured on our souls to purify us and cleanse our souls.19

Standing Before Jesus Like That Sinful Woman

Before you go to bed…do you really look at the Cross? Not in imagination. Take the Cross in your hands and meditate….We see our own sisters struggling with a bucket of water. Am I like that little bird, trying to take away that little thorn? Do I have compassion? Jesus had compassion on the sinners. That sinful woman standing before Jesus, Jesus did not condemn her [Jn 8:11]. That is confession. I too need to be forgiven. Confession is nothing but standing before Jesus like that sinful woman, because I have caught myself in sin.20

Confessions Must Be a Real Joy

Saint Ignatius has in mind as a rule, confession—an expression of our need for forgiveness, not discouragement. Confession was not instituted on Good Friday but on Resurrection Sunday, so it is a means of joy. It was not established as a torture, but as a means of joy.21

A priest who is a writer of books makes confession every day. I asked him, “But what do you say?” He said that after writing, he reads through and corrects [what he has written], but sometimes he reads it for the sake of pleasure or pride. So he goes for confession. Cardinal Sin of Manila—such a holy man—said to me, “I make confession nearly every day. In the archbishop’s house there are a lot of priests, so I catch any of them.” See, sisters, confession must be a real joy. I must not neglect confession. Negligence is one thing we have to confess. I must go to confession with love because I have an opportunity to make my soul clean, to become pure. Confession is coming face-to-face with God. When I die, I have to come face-to-face with God, but now I have the chance to go to Him with sin and come away without sin.22

We Must Acknowledge Our Sinfulness

That man Zacchaeus [Lk 19:1–10], he wanted to see Jesus and tried in many ways. He could not see Him until he accepted that he was small—that acceptance led him to the next step—the acceptance of the humiliation to climb the tree and let all the people know that he was very small. The people were surprised that such an important man should climb a tree to see Jesus. Zacchaeus was small in body, but for us our sinfulness is our smallness. We must acknowledge it by going to confession—as a sinner with sin—and we come out as a sinner without sin.23

When Temptation Comes

Let your purity be really pure. Whatever has happened, I want you to go to confession. I want your purity to be pure, your chastity to be chaste, your virginity to be virgin. Don’t busy your mind with yourself. Temptation comes to us all; it is meant to be a wonderful way of growing. Temptations against our vocation will come, but be like the Little Flower [Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus]: “I belong to Jesus and nobody and nothing will separate us.” The temptation came to Saint Paul, and we must be able to say what Saint Paul said, “I belong to Christ.” Then the people will come and see only Jesus, because we will truly be carriers of God’s love.24

When temptation comes, remember the three things:

1. I don’t want it. Then the devil cannot touch you. You are safe.

2. Be busy—as long as you know and say, “I don’t want it,” you are all right.

3. Turn to Mary. This is something very precious for her to give to Jesus.25

Seeking Out Sinners

With the coming of Jesus, He shows in His own person that tender love, that compassion…except when He saw the hard-heartedness and unbelief of the Pharisees. Otherwise He was gentle and meek, and anyone who acknowledged Him had a place in the Heart of Jesus. It was that tender love and compassion that caused Him to feel pity for the crowds, to cure the sick, and to seek out sinners.26

We are all so small, sinners, miserable, and so on, but God stoops down to each one of us and asks us, “Will you come?” He does not force us. This is the wonderful, tender freedom that God gives us. You can grow in the love of your vows so fully that you become a living saint.27

I think of Our Lady most when we face ourselves as sinners. When we say the Hail Mary, that part, “pray for us sinners,” let us say it with our whole heart and soul. She is the one who will obtain for us a pure heart. She is the one who saw there was no wine [Jn 2:3]. Let us ask her to see in us that we have that sinfulness—no holiness—and to tell Jesus. And she will tell us, “Do whatever He tells you” [Jn 2:5]—to obey.28

Do Not Kill the Little Child

It is true; some of you have done the wrong thing in killing the unborn child in your womb through abortion. But turn to God and say, “My God, I am very sorry for killing my unborn child. Please forgive me. I will never do it again.” And God, being our loving Father, will forgive you. Never do it again—and believe me, God has forgiven you. Also remember your action does not harm the child. Your little one is with God for all eternity. There is no such thing [as] the child [punishing] you or your family. The child is with God. Your child loves you, has forgiven you, and is praying for you. He is with God, so he cannot do any harm but only love you.29

The presence of nuclear weapons in the world has created fear and distrust among nations, as [they are] one more weapon to destroy human life, God’s beautiful presence in the world. Just as abortion is used to kill the unborn child, this new weapon will become a means to eliminate the poor of the world—our brothers and sisters whom Jesus Christ has taught us to love as He has loved each one of us.30

Mistakes are being made all over the world. That mistake about not keeping a pure heart, a pure body, which we can give to God, we can give to each other. And it is not wrong that a young woman and a young man love each other. But today that part of beautiful purity has been more or less neglected, and mistakes are made. But I beg of you, help the parents, help your children to accept that little one, not to kill the little child. To accept. Mistakes we all make, and mistakes can be forgiven. But to murder an innocent child is a very big sin.31

No Time for the Children to Be Loved

We didn’t have these difficulties before because the family was always together. The children knew their parents, and the parents knew their children. But now the parents know their children less and less, because they have no time. Or they sit for hours before television and never exchange words between the children and themselves. And I think television is a good thing if it is used properly. But television has also been a means of separating the parents from their children. They have no time to exchange love, for the children to be kissed, to be loved; they need that. Because that hunger for love is there in every child’s heart, the child goes out to look for it. That has brought much loneliness into the lives of the children. To kill that loneliness, they do all kinds of things.32

Correct Yourself

A mother went to a holy man with her boy, who had a bad habit of eating [between meals], and this man said to her, “Bring him to me after a week,” for he realized that he too had the same bad habit and he could not talk to the boy with a clean, sincere heart unless he corrected it himself.33

We must realize our faults and correct ourselves. Why did I become like this? Because I am proud.34

You have to know yourself; if you are not sincere with yourself, you will not correct the mistakes. Now is the time to correct your mistakes. If you really love Jesus, you will be happy to know and correct yourself; otherwise it will go on and on with you.35

There is no meaning in showing temper when you are corrected. Then there is no sense in joining a religious society if you don’t want to be holy. We must watch our moods very closely and check them in the very beginning. When we find out that we are inclined to be moody and hysterical, watch, watch, watch. Women are inclined to that—we live on our feelings, but as religious we can’t do that. Because I am very fervent today, don’t think I [will be fervent tomorrow]; I am not what my feelings make me, but I am what I am before God. I beg of you, sisters, watch yourselves well in the beginning. Be harsh with yourselves now, rather than later on when it will be so much more difficult. That I am inclined to be dragged down—that is all right, but I must not give in to that inclination.36

Never Correct in Public

Do not be harsh in your voice when you have to correct. Never correct in public. Always [speak about] the correction you want to give to a sister first with Jesus, and ask yourself, “How would Mother correct me if I was guilty of the same fault?”37

Correction does not mean shouting and saying just anything that comes to your lips. Correction is a token of love. You give it because you love the sister.38

Do not allow any uncharitable, harsh remarks to come from your lips when you correct your sisters. So much hurt has come into so many hearts due to hurtful, harsh words….I do not know why you have to do it, when I have never done it to you. Not one in the Society, from the beginning to this day, can say that I have hurt any of you with my words; maybe sometime when you found obedience difficult, you thought Mother was hard on you. It was not I; it was you who were hard on yourself for not accepting to obey.39

Silence Cannot Be Corrected

If we keep silence, silence cannot be corrected; if we speak, if we answer back, we make mistakes.40

Very often I have the answer and I don’t give it. I wait and I am always grateful to God for giving me this opportunity, because silence cannot be corrected. Mary could have told Joseph that the child she was expecting was the Son of God. That little unborn boy (John the Baptist) knew that Jesus had come. Joseph, standing here, did not know [Lk 1:39–41]. Mary knew that Joseph was going to run away. Let us make that marvelous resolution. Let us control our tongues from getting dirty. I will love Jesus with undivided love by loving my sisters and the poor as He did. My tongue must be clean; tomorrow Jesus comes on my tongue.41

I remember my mother. They say she was very holy. One day three of us were [saying] not nice things about the teacher. It was night. [My mother] got up and [turned] off the main switch. She said, “I am a widow….I have no money to spend on electricity for you to talk evil.” And we had to do everything in darkness—go up and down, wash, go to bed.

My sister was a dressmaker. We had a board on the wall: “In this house no one will speak against another.” One day a very rich woman came to give orders to my sister. She started talking against somebody. My mother said to that lady, “See what is written there.” [The lady] got up and went. My mother said, “I’d rather beg in the street than to bear uncharitableness in my house.” Do you have that courage, sisters?42

Remain Faithful

There has been much disturbance in the religious life of sisters, all due to misguided advice and zeal. Something of that oneness with Jesus and oneness with His Church has been lost. There is more love for freedom in action and the way of life. Like in many laywomen, so also in our religious, the ambition to be equal to men in all things, even in the priesthood, has taken away that peace and joy of being one with Jesus and His Church. I would be grateful if you would help us to love, obey, and remain faithful to the Church and the Vicar of Christ and so come back to our full consecration by living the true life of the spouse of Jesus Crucified.43

HER EXAMPLE: THE TESTIMONIES

Jesus Wants You to Be a Saint

If she spoke to a person in deep sin she would never say, “You are a sinner.” She would say, “Jesus wants you to be a saint,” and such and such is wrong. She tried to make that person understand what God was calling them to be. She didn’t judge. She would remind everyone of how special they were to God. And that was what used to move people. It wasn’t “change yourself so God will accept you and love you,” but rather that “God accepts and loves you as you are even in your sins, but He loves you too much to leave you as you are.” She knew from Jesus that making people feel loved would [challenge] them to respond in love.44

She Made Us Aware That She Was Disappointed

Once it happened that we failed to show respect for Mother Cenacle. She complained to Mother about us. Mother made us aware that she was disappointed and hurt by our behavior. She did not scold us, but at mealtime she went around the refectory outside saying her Rosary instead of coming into the room with us. We all felt so miserable. We went to ask pardon from Mother Cenacle. This made us realize the love and respect [that Mother] had for authority. She had such concern, compassionate love, availability, and approachability. The word Mother was not only on our lips, but also in our hearts. She could manage us, “rebels” as we were.45

I Did Not Expect This from You, My Own Child

Mother had learned each one’s temperament and need, and so treated us accordingly. If we tried to say something that was not nice, she would put her hand on our mouth to stop [us from] speaking. There were times when we would behave badly and say things to Mother that were not nice. Mother would accept it by saying, “I did not expect this from you, my own child. This is good for me. Thank you.” She would pray and wait for us to cool down and come back to her to say sorry. If we did not come back by evening, she would call for us so that we could make up [with] her. After this, she would never mention it again. There were times when Mother was very strict with me and did not spare me when I used to be stubborn. But it was done with love and for my good. After correcting me, she would make it a point to call me or to give [me] something so that I would not keep feeling hurt.46

Like Eve After Eating the Forbidden Fruit

It was rainy season and we had to carry our umbrella. I was feeling uneasy to carry the big umbrella in the crowded trams because I had the biggest men’s umbrella….Before we could escape the gates, behold, Mother was standing there. She asked me why am I going out without an umbrella. I answered her, that mine was broken….Mother told me to go upstairs and see in Mother’s room there was an umbrella, to take that and go. I went up and saw it was a brand-new one…and the same size as mine. I could not refuse it. I took it to the Sunday School….I do not know what made me think to travel back by the double-decker bus….For me it was something wonderful to travel in it….I climbed the second story of the bus and sat near the window and enjoyed the sight.

Just as we crossed the Howrah Bridge, a thought suddenly came to my mind: if we get down in front of the Mother House, Mother or any other sister would see us. Now fear entered in my heart. So we planned to get down near Sealdah. From there we walked toward Mother House….As Adam and Eve after eating the forbidden fruit experienced the fear of God, so too we both of us….When the time came to get down, there was no rain and I forgot to take the umbrella in the bus. My whole body was cold. Fortunately, we were late for community lunch….My conscience was haunting me to go and to tell Mother….No courage…Mother called me….She knew my fear because by the time I went to her, the umbrella had reached her. I do not know when and by whom it was brought….Anyway, Mother made me kneel down and asked me the details. At first, I went on telling lies after lies….I told her that I lost the umbrella in the tram. Mother asked me the tram number because she knew that we did not travel by tram. She made me speak the truth….I did it after much pressure from her side. Once she got the whole truth, she made me speak my faults one by one for each item….She did not say much. Only I remember Mother saying, “Never to do it again.” See Mother’s compassion and love for me. Patient and kind.47

Mother would not scold me for wrong done, but she would call me and tell me sweetly, “You have been so good, what has happened to you now?” Then she would give a blessing with both hands. That was the way Mother used to correct in her later years.48

We Can Only Change Them by Our Love

Some of our orphan children were naughty, and one day I punished them by not serving the lunch for them, and I said at the table that I did not give them lunch. Mother made me leave my lunch and go and serve their lunch. She said, “We can only change them by our love, not by our punishment.”49

With Great Patience She Corrected

In Shkodra, Albania, Mother would feed the children; as they were spastic and gravely handicapped, they made their whole face dirty after each spoon they were fed. Mother never left the children dirty and she wiped their mouths after each spoon she fed them. With great patience, she corrected the aspirants and showed them how to wipe the mouths of the children. The love with which she herself did it spoke more than her corrections. I remember specially one child who was so disfigured in his body. He was also full of fear and screamed a lot, and screamed even more when someone approached him. Mother gave special attention to him, began to be able to hold his hand, etc., and after a few days he smiled whenever he saw Mother. Then Mother would call us to his bed and so “introduce” us to him as her friends, so that he would accept us too.50

This Is Not the Way We Deal with Christ

As a young religious, I was placed in a leprosy hospital. Once an elderly crippled couple had a little difficulty in the hospital and they came to Mother House. They wanted to meet Mother. Somehow Mother could not meet them; so every day they came to the Mother House, disturbing the sisters. One day the sisters rang up to me and said, “A couple of your patients are sitting here and are disturbing the whole house. Why don’t you do something?” As I heard this, I was angry, and in my anger, I came running. As I reached in front of the Mother House, I could see this couple: the man with an artificial limb and so deformed, a very frail person. In all my anger, I lifted him and put him in the ambulance. After a while I could see Mother coming down. She said, “Brother, you have a fourth vow. What is our fourth vow? Wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor. Did you make this vow?” “Yes, Mother, I did make the vow.” “What did you do here now?” She said it very politely and without many words. I could feel the motherly way of correction, and Mother said, “This is not the way we deal with Christ. The poor man is Christ. He is the distressing Christ. All that this poor man is showing to us is Christ on the Cross that we have come across. We should not run away.” The way Mother gave me that correction soundly influenced my life. To this day I remember…and cherish it.51

A Shock Treatment

When I first went for leprosy work as a postulant, I was afraid of getting the disease. After a week, I went to Mother to tell her that I could see a patch on my forearm. Mother believed me and asked Dr. S. to examine me, and he said there was nothing, not even a spot. Then Mother called me and said, “I am going to change your place of work. I think you are not worthy to serve the lepers.” It came as a shock treatment for me. From that day, I prayed to get over my fear of the disease, and whenever there was an opportunity I would go to them.52

The Truth in Charity

When a prime ministry of India introduced sterilization of adults to decrease births, [Mother] wrote to that [person] and clearly said, “Aren’t you afraid of dying and having to answer for this terrible sin?” She allowed the letter to be given to the press and quoted in the newspapers because she believed the issue to be that serious. She didn’t back down. She spoke the truth in charity.53

Speak the Truth

In 1979 Mother Teresa received the Nobel Peace Prize….Passing through Rome on her return to India, she came to our seminary and gave us a talk….It seems that the day following the event of the Peace Prize, a priest came for Mass in the convent where Mother was staying, as MCs were not yet in Norway. After Mass the priest told Mother that he had listened to the broadcast of her speech the night before and had become quite upset. Mother had spoken out against abortion for the first time, and she had spoken strongly that abortion was nothing less than murder, and how can a young woman commit murder like that? The priest said that she would just alienate young women by speaking in that fashion. Mother said to us, “I just looked at Father and said, ‘Father, Jesus said, “I am the Truth” [Jn 14:6], and it is for you and me to speak the truth. Then it’s for those who listen to accept or reject it.’ ” Mother believed in the radicalism of the Gospel message, and she loved souls too much to be influenced by human respect.54

You Need to Come Back to Your First Love

One cardinal…brought a group of theologians. He said to Mother, “I would like you to tell them what is really in your heart for them.” She turned to them and said, “When we read the Gospels and read the passage where Jesus rebuked religious leaders of that day, can you truthfully say that you would not stand in that position to be rebuked today?” And then she went on to say, “You need to come back to your first love.”55

I Prefer to See the Good

One day [Miss X] began to complain about the corruption of government services. Everything required a bribe. In fact, she wanted Mother to intercede on behalf of someone [who] could not get a permit from the city without putting down a great deal of money. [She] said, “Mother, can you help because [this city] is so corrupt. You cannot get anything unless you pay people off.” Mother immediately said, “You know our people are so beautiful.” And she started telling us of how many gifts they bring at Christmastime. And the woman said, “Yes, Mother, that is very nice, but let’s face it. The vast majority are just out for money.” The second time Mother interjected a ray of hope: “You know [they] have a beautiful custom. They take a handful of rice and put it aside for the poor.” And she started a story about the family sharing rice. This woman became frustrated and shouted, “Mother, will you wake up? [This city] is a hell of corruption!” A great silence settled over us. It was embarrassing to hear the woman speak like that. And again Mother became very quiet. She looked at the person, straight in the eye, and she said, “I know very well there is corruption,…but I know also there is good! I prefer to see the good.”56

There Is So Much Good

Once I said to Mother, “Mother, there is so much evil in the world.” Mother paused a moment, looked intently at me, and said, “Sister, there is so much good in the world.”57

With Folded Hands She Begged Them

In 1992, when the Hindu-Muslim riots broke out in Calcutta, Mother and some sisters, with children who were going to be adopted, were going by ambulance to the airport. On the way they encountered open fighting and violence between the Muslims and Hindus. Mother got out of the ambulance, and in the middle of the danger put up her hands for them to stop. With folded hands she begged them to put an end to the fighting and reminded them that they were all brothers.58

She Admonished Him Gently

One day when I was a novice, a [poor] boy aged about fourteen years entered Mother House, climbing the wall, and broke the lock of the [warehouse] and took out some boxes of soap, plates, etc. It had happened in the morning while we were at prayers. He was waiting to carry his booty when the portress would open the door. The sister [portress] shouted, “Thief, Thief.” We all rushed to the site. The boy out of fear hid in one of our bathing rooms. We told Mother and were gleefully waiting to see the punishment of the culprit. To our utter amazement, Mother took the boy by the hand and brought him with great compassion near the gate. She herself opened the door, admonished him gently, “Don’t do that again,” and let him go as if nothing had happened.59

It Could Happen to Me and You

Two of the men in the shelter were seen by people in the neighborhood masturbating in the window. So these people were understandably upset….Lo and behold, at that point, Mother comes to town. [A Co-Worker] says to Mother, “What should we do?” And Mother said, “You know this is very, very, very bad, these men must go to confession.” I have to be honest, at this point I was waiting for her to say and then throw them out, right? She said, “It’s very, very bad, these men they must go to confession, but it could happen to me and you tomorrow.” I don’t know but for me in my life that statement was like a wrecking ball hitting me in the back of my head, and it’s something that I’ll never forget to the day I die….I mean I was haunted by that statement, and only after Mother died not only did it mean so much in terms of her holiness, but the real kicker, which I not too long ago realized, [was that] she really meant it.60

Never Doubt the Mercy of God

Once I came to Calcutta for a retreat. I was much worried about a sin I had committed. So I went to see Mother. I wrote all my faults and especially my sin, which was disturbing me, and gave it to Mother to read. She read the whole thing. Then she tore it to pieces and she said to me, “I am putting all this into the Heart of Jesus, and never, never doubt the mercy of God. Once you have confessed your sin, remember God has forgiven you and He has forgotten everything.” And Mother explained to me about God’s great love, forgiveness, and mercy. Then she took a picture of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, wrote on it “Be a Mother to me” and “God bless you, Mother,” and at the back of the picture she wrote “I forbid you to be busy with the past, put your trust in our Lady,” and gave it to me. And that sin of mine, instead of taking me away from God, was an instrument in making me humble, drew me closer to Him, increased my devotion to the Merciful Heart of Jesus. Thanks to Mother.61

REFLECTION

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col 3:16)

“We are all poor, for we are all sinners.”62

“We are not sinless, but we must be sinners without sin.”63

Do I recognize that I am a sinner with many sins? Am I willing to recognize my own mistakes and sins and accept correction from others? Do I become aggravated if someone points out my mistakes to me? How can I respond more graciously to those who point out my errors to me?

Do I allow myself to take the path of least resistance and avoid taking a stance for what is true and good? Do I lack courage to do or say what is right because I am afraid of the opinion of others?

Do I make good use of the sacrament of mercy, of reconciliation?

What are the ways that I can help someone realize that what they are doing is not right, or in what way can I encourage them to do better? Is there a way that I can show with my example the way of truth and the good?

PRAYER

ACT OF CONTRITION

O God, I love You with my whole

heart and above all things. I am heartily

sorry for having offended You, because

You are so good. I firmly resolve, with

the help of Your grace, not to offend You

anymore. And I shall do whatever You

will ask of me.

Amen.