The Sermon on the Mount recorded in the Gospel
of Matthew is held up as one of the greatest moral discourses ever given. The Beatitudes were a part of that. Simple and relevant to all, they are etched deeply into our minds.
of Matthew is held up as one of the greatest moral discourses ever given. The Beatitudes were a part of that. Simple and relevant to all, they are etched deeply into our minds.
Mother Teresa, now St. Teresa of Kolkata,
lived them. Her words and life reflected the Beatitudes. Here together, are the lessons Jesus taught
us in the Beatitudes with words that Mother Teresa lived.
lived them. Her words and life reflected the Beatitudes. Here together, are the lessons Jesus taught
us in the Beatitudes with words that Mother Teresa lived.
Jesus: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.”
kingdom of heaven.”
Mother Teresa: “When you have nothing left but God, you have more than enough to
start over again.”
start over again.”
“The spiritual poverty of the Western World is much greater than the
physical poverty of our people.”
physical poverty of our people.”
Jesus: “Blessed are they who mourn,
for they shall be comforted.”
for they shall be comforted.”
Mother Teresa: “Pain and suffering have come into your life, but
remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you
have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.”
remember pain, sorrow, suffering are but the kiss of Jesus – a sign that you
have come so close to Him that He can kiss you.”
Jesus: “Blessed are the
meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
Mother Teresa: “Humility is the mother of all virtues;
purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes
real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither
praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will
not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a
pedestal.”
purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes
real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither
praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will
not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a
pedestal.”
Jesus: Blessed
are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Mother
Teresa: “If you judge people, you have no time to
love them.”
Teresa: “If you judge people, you have no time to
love them.”
“I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than
work miracles in unkindness.”
work miracles in unkindness.”
Jesus: Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
Mother
Teresa: People are often unreasonable and
self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse
you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may
cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be
jealous. Be happy anyway. The good
you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world
the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For
you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and
them anyway.”
Teresa: People are often unreasonable and
self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse
you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may
cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be
jealous. Be happy anyway. The good
you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world
the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For
you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and
them anyway.”
Jesus: Blessed
are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.
Mother
Teresa: “In this life we cannot do great things. We
can only do small things with great love.”
Teresa: “In this life we cannot do great things. We
can only do small things with great love.”
Jesus: Blessed
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.
Mother
Teresa: Peace begins with a smile
Teresa: Peace begins with a smile
Jesus: Blessed
are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
Mother Teresa had the admiration of so many for her ministry to the
sick, the poor, and the unborn, but she was also persecuted. She was persistently criticized
as doing her work for the sake of religious evangelism and also accused of
not doing enough to change things.
sick, the poor, and the unborn, but she was also persecuted. She was persistently criticized
as doing her work for the sake of religious evangelism and also accused of
not doing enough to change things.
Not fearing persecution, but instead
seeking righteousness, the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize recipient braved the ire of members
of Congress, President Clinton and Vice-President Gore and their wives at the
1994 Prayer Breakfast. Her head barely
showing above the podium, Mother Teresa dared to speak out for the unborn. She boldly said that: “The greatest
destroyer of peace today is abortion, because Jesus said, ‘If you receive a
little child, you receive me.’ So every abortion is the denial of receiving
Jesus, the neglect of receiving Jesus. And if we accept that a mother can kill
even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? Any
country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love one another
but to use any violence to get what they want.”
seeking righteousness, the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize recipient braved the ire of members
of Congress, President Clinton and Vice-President Gore and their wives at the
1994 Prayer Breakfast. Her head barely
showing above the podium, Mother Teresa dared to speak out for the unborn. She boldly said that: “The greatest
destroyer of peace today is abortion, because Jesus said, ‘If you receive a
little child, you receive me.’ So every abortion is the denial of receiving
Jesus, the neglect of receiving Jesus. And if we accept that a mother can kill
even her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another? Any
country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love one another
but to use any violence to get what they want.”
While much of the audience stood and
applauded loudly, Clinton, Gore and their wives sat stiffly at the head table.
applauded loudly, Clinton, Gore and their wives sat stiffly at the head table.
Mother Teresa did not just talk about
the lessons of Jesus, she lived them.
St. Teresa of Kolkata, pray for us that we may follow your example.
the lessons of Jesus, she lived them.
St. Teresa of Kolkata, pray for us that we may follow your example.
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