Mother Teresa’s love for the wounded in today's world
The Missionaries of Charity marked the saint’s feast day with a liturgical service 26 years after her death. Archbishop D'Souza of Calcutta celebrated the Mass at the mother house, describing her as a model for teachers, whose day it is in India. She “saw the face of Jesus in everyone,” said sisters Medard, and bear witness to peace for everyone.
Kolkata (AsiaNews) - The Missionaries of Charity today marked the feast day of their foundress, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, with the people they care for; the celebration coincided with the day when the saint passed away 26 years ago.
The United Nations also observes 5 September every year as the International Day of Charity to commemorate the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
At 6 am, the Archbishop Thomas D'Souza of Calcutta led the solemn Eucharistic concelebration at the Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity.
At the end of the ceremony, the religious sisters and novices, foreign guests and children of Shishu Bhavan, the shelter for disabled children without a family able to care for them, prayed at the tomb of Mother Teresa.
In his homily Bishop D'Souza linked Pope Francis's trip to Mongolia to Mother Teresa's message of love, noting that only love and service can transform lives while the Christian faith is a response to man's thirst for God.
The archbishop also pointed out that today is Teachers’ Day in India. “Mother Teresa was a teacher herself, and her teaching was full of love for her students,” he said.
Mother Teresa's Ashram in Pune (Maharashtra) celebrated Saint Teresa’s feast day as well. At this venue, the Missionaries of Charity care for scores of destitute women, aged 18 to 90.
Mother Teresa's Ashram was “filled with peoples of all faiths,” said Sister Medard. “This was the first house in Pune, Maharashtra in 1968 and Mother came here often.
“She was loved by everyone and the generosity of non-Christians was overwhelming. Today a lady in her 90s who knew Mother personally came for Mother's feast; she comes regularly to meet us.”
“We have 80 women residents, physically and mentally challenged, destitute. Most are found at the nearby Pune Railway station, and after police formalities we bring them to our home,” Sister Medard explained.
A missionary of Charity for 50 years, the nun met Mother Teresa as a student in London when she received the Templeton Prize.
For her, the saint’s message remains timeless. “Mother Teresa saw the face of Jesus in everyone. She gave love to everyone; hers was love in action. Everyone was a child of God.
“Many non-Christians come to help us in all sorts of ways, materially and otherwise. They are all in love with Mother Teresa and her work and example.”
More importantly, “Mother Theresa can be a model for peace and dialogue, which she bore witness through works of Love. Her religion was love and she saw the face of Jesus in every destitute, homeless, unloved person, in the poor and the dying. She imparted God's love to all.”
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