Mother Teresa in her own words

Once a sister, who had picked up a man off the street, told me that the man's skin stuck to the ground while lifting him up. The man had been devoured by worms. She brought him home and bathed him. Two or three hours later the man died. I then asked the sister what she felt when caring for him. "I know I was taking care of Jesus." She didn't answer: "It was as if I had taken care of Jesus," but rather "I know I was taking care of Jesus." Sisters, see where our faith and prayer can bring us? Mother wants all of you to experience the same thing.

(from Mother Teresa's Instructions)

Once, at the beginning of my work for the poor, I had a really high fever. And I dreamt that I went to St. Peter. But he wouldn't let me through heaven's gates, saying: "There are no slums in heaven!" Feeling annoyed, I said: "Fine then. I'll fill heaven up with so many poor people that you'll be forced to let me in." Poor St. Peter! Since then, sisters and brothers have never given him rest. And he has to be careful: for a long time our people, on account of their suffering, all have had theirs places reserved in heaven and, in the end, receive a ticket to go right to St. Peter.

All the thousands of those who have died in our arms have had the joy of receiving a ticket to go straight to St. Peter.

(from a reading by Mother Teresa)

Recently a man with a doctor's prescription came to our Mother House. His only son was dying. The doctor had prescribed a medicine that could only be found in England. I had given my permission to use life-saving medicine from other parts of the world. Right at that very moment, a man came in with a basket of used medicine which he had gathered here and there. On top of the pile was the very medicine the man needed. And there was just enough. If it had been below the others, I wouldn't have seen it. There are millions of children in the world, but God worried about making us find medicine just for that child from the dregs of society. This is God's love and tenderness.

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