Compassion by James W. Goll; Michal Ann Goll

Author:James W. Goll; Michal Ann Goll
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Compassion - Religious Aspects - Christianity, Christian Life, Women - Religious Life, Religion, Compassion, Religious Aspects, General, Spirituality, Religious Life, Christianity, Women
ISBN: 9780768423860
Publisher: Destiny Image Publishers
Published: 2006-11-19T22:00:00+00:00

In the slums we are the light of God's kindness to the poor. To the children, to all who suffer and are lonely, give always a happy smile. Give them not only your care but also your heart.1

Mother Teresa, 1910-1997

PARAGON OF COMPASSION

If you asked people, “Who was the most compassionate person of the 20th century?” I'm sure many would answer without hesitation, “Mother Teresa.” She moved in compassion among the poor in her beloved Calcutta, India, and among the rich and famous around the world, as well. She was a flesh-and-blood example of what compassion looks like, and she seemed to constantly exhibit the qualities of humility and love wherever she was.

Indeed, she obviously took joy from her service to others and this seemed to fill her heart with peace. This was reflected in her radiant, smiling countenance.

There is much we can learn from Mother Teresa, and I feel as if I have actually gotten to know her as I researched and wrote this chapter. I hope you are inspired as you read these pages about her life and ministry.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta (Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu) was born on August 27, 1910, in Skopje, which is in modern Macedonia. Her family was of Albanian descent, and she was the youngest of three children. Her father was a builder.

At the age of 12 Agnes strongly felt the call of God on her life, and she knew that she was destined to become a missionary. The overarching desire of her life from then on was to spread the love of Jesus Christ, particularly among the poor, the sick, and the outcasts of society. God called her and she responded with a vibrant “Yes!”

When she was 18 years old, Agnes left home to join the Sisters of Loretto, an Irish community of nuns who managed mission schools in India. As a novice in this order, she took the name of Sister Teresa. She served her novitiate in Dublin, and after several months of training she was sent to India. On May 25, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun.

From 1931 to 1948, Sister Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta. While there, she was moved with deep compassion for the poor and suffering people she saw outside the walls of the convent. Thousands of destitute refugees lived there with little hope that the basic necessities of life—food, shelter, health, cleanliness, and income— would ever be theirs.

In 1946, Sister Teresa developed a suspected case of tuberculosis. Thinking that mountain air would be good for her, she took a train to the village of Darjeeling in the foothills of the Himalayas. While sitting on the train, she heard God speaking to her and telling her that He wanted her to serve Him “among the poorest of the poor.”

Soon thereafter she recovered from her illness and received permission to leave her order. She moved to Calcutta's slums to set up her first school for slum children in an open-air mission. She had

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