Saint Teresa of Calcutta devoted her entire life to serving “the poorest of the poor.” In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, India, a congregation that is dedicated to caring for the abandoned, the sick and the dying. Her tireless service and radiant witness to God’s love earned her global recognition, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Mother Teresa passed away on September 5, 1997, and the Catholic Church now celebrates this date as her feast day. Canonized by Pope Francis in 2016, she is remembered not only for her works of mercy but also for her fearless voice in defense of human dignity, especially the unborn. Her feast gently reminds us that each of us, in our own way, can bring the light of Christ into the world by serving with love and proclaiming His Kingdom with courage and compassion.
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus calls Simon the fisherman with the words, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” He is thus called to fish men and women for God’s Kingdom. We all are called to be disciples of Jesus who proclaim the Kingdom of God after Him. Perhaps we want to proclaim the Kingdom, but it is barred by pressure from the secular powers. We do not want to lose the prestige, perks, privileges and professions we are secularly blessed with. Hence we call off or put off our duty to proclaim the Kingdom.
Politicians and professionals could become ‘Almighty’ for us. Hence we applaud for whatever they say and do; at times, try to justify their misdemeanours without any shame; and even, prostitute our conscience and sell our dignity by helping them retain or regain power. The end does not justify, we should know, the means!
But see what Saint Mother Teresa did! It was the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. in 1994. Nearly 3,000 – political and religious leaders from across the United States – had packed a huge room. Near the dais were the President and the First Lady, the Clintons – the rabid abortion advocates. The keynoter on the occasion was a special guest: Mother Teresa. Slowly she hunched toward the microphone.
The gentle Mother made this elite group uncomfortable, when she said comfortably: “But I feel 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.” After an awkward silence, the entire ballroom erupted in a standing ovation that seemed to last minutes. It felt even longer to the embarrassed Clintons, who remained seated and did not clap.
Undeterred by the Clintons’ coldness, the tiny, aged Mother was only warming up. Abortion was, said Mother, “really a war against the child, and I hate the killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself. And if we accept that the 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 the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”
Then Mother offered an olive branch: “Please don’t kill the child. I want the child. Give me the child. I’m willing to accept any child who would be aborted and to give that child to a married couple who will love the child and be loved by the child. I will tell you something beautiful. We are fighting abortion by adoption.”
Thus Saint Mother Teresa proclaimed God’s Kingdom so bravely. So should we!
Based on an interview with Rev. Fr. Don Anton Saman Hettiarachchi, Internet Media Ministry, St. Anthony’s Bible Academy (SABA)
