“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love.”
On August 27, 1910, a child named Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born at Skopje, Macedonia. Agnes was also known as the famous Mother Teresa. Throughout her life, she had helped others and lived a poor life from the time when she was merely an adolescent, to when she was old and ready to go to God. Her life was dedicated to caring for well being of others & helping those in need of love & affection.
When she was just at the age of twelve, she felt the calling and knew that she had to be a missionary to spread. When she was eighteen, she left her home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto. Sisters of Loreto are an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. She was sent to India after a few months of training in Dublin & took her initial vows as a nun on May 24, 1931. Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta from 1931 to 1948. She had caught glimpses of the poverty
and suffering of others outside of the convent and she was so moved that she got permission from authority to leave the convent school to devote herself to working with the poorest of the poor in Calcutta. She had no money, but she started a school for the poor children. She was later on joined by voluntary helpers and people helped with financial support. That helped her to carry on with her work.
Towards the middle & end of her life, Mother Teresa had gotten permission to start her own order, The Missionaries of Charity. Their main job was to give love & care to people that had no one to look after them. By 1965, the Society had become International Religious Family because of a decree issued by Pope Paul VI. Now, the Society of Missionaries is spread throughout the entire world by one woman providing effective help for the poor living in poverty. Because of Mother Teresa's order, there is now help for the most needy when there are floods, epidemics, and famine, and if refugees are in dire need of help. The Missionaries of Charity are taken care of and assisted by a variety of people and foundations who became an official International Association on the date of March 29, 1969. Then, by the 1990's, there were more than one million Co Workers in more than 40 countries all over the world. The lay Missionaries of Charity also try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit & attitude with their own families. Everywhere in the world, Mother Teresa's work has been seen and awarded and she was given many awards for her selfless and humanitarian acts. Awarded Mother Teresa the Peace Prize in the year of 1971. Also, she was awarded the Nehru Prize because of her promotion of international peace and understanding in the year of 1972. Mother Teresa had died on September 5, 1997 in her convent in India when she was at the age of 87. Before her passing she had wrote her own memoirs that she so often question before the end of here life yet her convictions have serviced so many. One person so small came to be over time to truly profoundly impact society.
Mother Teresa surely is an inspiration to us all.
ReplyDeleteOne small woman living true to her passion.
ReplyDeleteWe'll have to disagree on this one. With full respect.
ReplyDeleteI think she was regardless of faith - especially as a humanitarian. I got back in here and thought I would write a post on here, I knew a real estate tycoon in Edmonton that contributed to this effort each and every year, what amazed me in seeing the picture of here and this is really what Christmas and the season to me are all about.
ReplyDeleteNot to "all". ..
ReplyDeleteExactly...
ReplyDeleteCertainly Frank by all means.
ReplyDeleteTrue not all, but many.
ReplyDeleteThis woman wouldn't let people use measures that prevent birth in one of the most overpopulated countries at a time when the planet is groaning from overpopulation.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, these "measures" PREVENT and/or CUT RISK of AIDS spreading. ..
Why? Because she was chained to Church dogma and supporting a Pope who was so far behind the times it was embarrassing.
I won't say any more. But be careful of who you build statues to. My opinion.
There are many well meaning people in her order. But they need to LOOK at the condition the planet is in.
ReplyDeleteOur Number One Problem: Forget Copenhagen, look at population numbers. Too many of us. Way too many.
well she certainly gave more of herself to help others selflessly, not expecting anything back in return.
ReplyDeleteFrank she did right on some of this in her memoirs and hey it's all fine. As everyone has there own right and truly you are more intelligent in the time I do get to know you - guess why I check to see if you have wrote something? Honestly....she did do this and the catholic church well I certainly understand the history there to some extent.
ReplyDeleteNot a born again here Frank, I just thought that she had some good merits obviously. Your opinion is well taken.
yes frank I agree with you to-
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more with Copenhagen I feel it's big waste of time and effort. If you ask me. Health care is a touch subject and I have
ReplyDeletenever went there as that is not a waste of time.
I do respect the Mother Teresa and within her efforts look how she did so much, yet no person in this world is perfect. As we are all human beings.
ReplyDeleteAnd there are too many of us.
ReplyDeleteSo what do we do or what is your suggestion - do we put in place limitations like China?
ReplyDeleteshe certainly was a saint
ReplyDeleteactually china already has a progrem in place to try to control population as much as they can-and it is very iportant for there is only so much WATER available -and China is a huge country-and much of is desert or desert like
ReplyDeleteHeidi these are global areas most interesting.
ReplyDeleteArielle within her own way she truly was and there are many out there still today. Yet as said in spanish no perfecto est perfecto. No one is perfect.
ReplyDeleteBut she did some very good humanitarian things....I do believe.
She's my inspiration. Althou' there's something grayish for me as to why the Roman Catholic insist on not allowing birth control. I would like to put the burden of that to the parents who are supposed to know first hand their limitations in raising their kids.
ReplyDeleteI was raised Catholic but I am non denominational yet I do believe in a god - in some manner we all do have a faith that drives us whatever it may be Maritess.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that we have any right to tell someone else what to do about their reproductive capabilities or not. Sure, information about birth control and prevention as well as AIDS and STD's.... but, making it a law about how many children you can or cannot have is not anyone else's business. Religion is a choice too, that no one should make for other people.
ReplyDeleteEverything is within choice I believe.
ReplyDeletebeautiful and so meaningful.
ReplyDeleteHarleen I feel those small things sometimes graduate into larger ones and thank you. As well Happy Birthday.
ReplyDeleteThe Chinese were intelligent enough to see it coming. It's a pity the rest of us didn't have those smarts.
ReplyDeleteNow we have too many heads.
Within governments...especially.
ReplyDeleteWe can EDUCATE people so they understand the PITFALLS of having big families. After education, no laws need to be implemented.
ReplyDeleteIt's that simple. In this part of the world there are races to see who can have the most kids between brothers and sisters. In the poorer, less educated communities, obviously.
The education of these people would help.
We'll have to disagree there too. With respect.
ReplyDeleteFunniest thing ever. I was once told that I was SELFISH for not having kids.
ReplyDeleteNot having kids is perhaps the most UNSELFISH thing anybody can do.
it would help tremendusly but the Catholic Church impedes every step of the way-and our own congress impedes the way-
ReplyDeletein our world of such acute WATER and Food shortage yes I would say so to-
ReplyDeleteWell, I hope they have a plan for finding water, growing more crops, putting more fish in the sea, after it's been unpoisoned. ..
ReplyDeleteThen I hope they have a plan to create jobs for all these people etc.
me to-
ReplyDeleteAnd I object to rainforests being pounded down so we can build more houses, open more space, graze more cattle to fill our bellies while our planet chokes to death. ..
ReplyDeleteThen what do we do? Bring more brats into the world? Very intelligent. Very smart. Superb.
Yes everything is within choice.
ReplyDeleteFrom the moment we get up in the morning, the food we're going to eat ... the choice of clothes we're going to wear. From the mundane to the most complicated ones ... its a choice :)
you, yourself were once a brat. all life if someone wishes it to be so, should have the right to live. I also believe that if someone wishes to use birth control that is their right OR if someone decides to have an abortion, that is their right. but, you nor I have the right to tell another human being to not have a child if they wish to OR to force them into having an abortion. I agree with you, education is KEY and having the opportunity in receiving safe control methods IF one chooses to do so.
ReplyDeletechina has limitations and thus, it has one child policy which limits couples to having one child, through the 2006-2010 five year planning period. well, i feel this should be a personal choice. however, seeing the problems of that country i think this rule is apt. its just the need of the hour.
ReplyDeleteI will be honest I didnt think that there would be much wrote on this very topic Maritess :)
ReplyDeleteBut I wish to read a few more before I head off to bed here - and choice it's something that we all do, as everything within
life is choice. From morning till night.
... yes. And its getting late again ... goodnight Jack! Sweet dreams. Tight hugs :)
ReplyDeleteJack it strayed off from Mother Teresa to population and the world's problems, not your fault. It happens in discussions and that is good, people are interacting and stating their ideas...which is a good thing. Everyone has different opinions on life and survival.
ReplyDeleteSo very true so, I didnt think this would happen as I like to vist other blogs as well but the differing thoughts are what are good. Now I was going to watch the Bourne Identity - I guess not :)
ReplyDeleteLOL.....sometimes this is more fun than watching a movie, interacting on the blogs I mean. :)
ReplyDeleteyes, i agree!! :) i am such a multiply addict.
ReplyDeletelol me to :)
ReplyDeleteJust woke up and having a coffee and me three :)
ReplyDeleteIthink we all have the potential to be a bit of Mother Teresa. We just need to stop and listen to what is felt within.
ReplyDeleteSo true and a very good morning to you Tess as it's 6:30am here and I do believe so.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, It is6:30 here on a cold still quiet Sunday.its going to be a good day for us all.
ReplyDeleteshe truly was a Saint, she said so many quotable words
ReplyDeletewonderful post Jack
Good morning Danette yes she did and this went into so many other things but regardless who would have thought a person from Macedonia
ReplyDeletewould go on and make such great strides and be be notices as a saint, in writing it I thought it was fitting for the time of the year.
read this if intersted and google the subject -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thetruthseeker.co.uk/article.asp?ID=1168
she was a ,, Wonderful..Woman
ReplyDeleteYeah I feel she was she had a book that was published and for one person she certain had done much I don't think one has to be Catholic to see this - it's rather obvious.
ReplyDeleteI greatly admire Mother Theresa she lived a life that showed her faith in action ..the way she indeed did love greatly . Very inspiring blog thanks
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite quotes filled with so much wisdom. I know it has spoken to my heart many times because most of us would like to make some kind of contribution in this life but often it's the little things that reach out in ways we cannot even begin to imagine when done with a heart of love. I think Mother Theresa was like that . She had a heart of love. She never became rich and though she is known for the deeds of kindness she did she didn't do them for the fame and as a result she has touched many life's and her legacy lives on. Proverbs 22:1 A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.
ReplyDeleteMother Theresa indeed had a GOOD name that continues to live on
When will India adopt the One Child policy and join the rest of us?
ReplyDeleteHmm
When I was born there were 4 Billion in the world. Now it's 6 Billion. That's a serious matter that needs to be dealt with.
ReplyDeleteEducation is our best weapon.
Yes, I was a Brat. Still am a Brat. ..
Heavy stuff.
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect. She was NOT a Saint. She may have meant well but she was no Saint. ..
ReplyDeleteWith full respect to you.
a woman of much strength and substance, a kind compassionate person with a heart that was shared by many.I truly admired her right up untill her end.
ReplyDeleteThis certainly took on more than what I had thought but she is remember in history for good causes and perhaps we shall leave it at that. :)
ReplyDeleteQuite a women. And yes, very inspiring. And she showed how much one can really do in our short lifetime to help others physically. How few have done what she has done. F. Nightengale too. I always wondered why we don't hear much from those she help spiritually (which she says was her highest calling in her Bio) who were helped which led them to God.
ReplyDeleteI mean you hear that from others--Gandhi, Jesus, Buddha. They did help others physical but spiritually you saw how they affected people more. Just curious
Great quote- that we all can do
I admired her compassion and thought she was wonderful. Great post Jack.
ReplyDeleteI'm catching up on some of the posts I missed over christmas and came across this. I don't always have a lot of time for some of the so called religious people, but this lady was different, she was truly a spiritual being and an inspiration to all of us, she had more humanity and compassion than all the politicians put together. Its nice to be reminded of the people like her who really make a difference, thanks for posting this.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't inspire me. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteNo worries Frank....
ReplyDeleteFor a while I followed her work very closely and read all there was to read on her. I say she is inspirational not as a christian or as a member of any particular faith or religion, to me she was an inspirational human being. From what I have read and seen many of the so called religious leaders or figureheads of the world are judgmental, intolorant and instrumnetal in many of the worlds conflicts. She on the other hand (as far as I am aware) never uttered a word in judgment on any one, she treated every one exactly the same regardless of their political persuasion, race, religion, or financial status. She witnessed suffering and did what she could to eleviate that suffering, if all she could offer was comfort and solice then thats what she offered. She didn't analyse the political, financial or religious consiquences of her actions, she simply reacted to the poor, the sick and the dying with humanity and compassion, she reacted as a human being. In a world motivated by profit and greed, in a world where it appears socially acceptable to sit back and do nothing for those who are desperatly poor I find it inspirational to witness someone who appears totally selfless. I guess different things inspire different people.
ReplyDeleteI just logged on here and yeah this is an old post.....She certainly did what she did all to well for a person Lorretta. Some have there own views.
ReplyDeleteBut gosh this does go back some.
yeah...............sorry didn't mean to rake up old argumentrs...............I was away from Multiply for about 6 weeks or so and have spent the evening just casually going back through old posts and leaving little comments on those that caught my eye
ReplyDeleteit is a good post though.............very good.
ReplyDeleteNo argument Frank has his thoughts and so forth to each there own. This was a write not an argument nor would be. :) It all good!
ReplyDelete