Many of us have probably heard of Mother Teresa. She founded the Missionaries of Charity which run hospices and homes for people with HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. Along with that, she also ran soup kitchens, dispensaries and mobile clinics assisting many families in great distress. Mother Teresa exercised the vow of chastity, poverty and obedience and lived to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor”.
Mother Teresa was an inspiration to many. She was a woman of great wisdom. Below are a few ideas from her book ‘Where There Is Love There Is God’.
Love Begins With God
In order for us to serve God and serve others, we first need to begin with prayer. When our own interior life is rich, we will be able to bring a lot of souls closer to God. With prayer, all things are fruitful.
How is our relationship with Our Lord? Do we have a prayer life? If we generously make time for God, everything else will fall into place.
Click here for tips on how to do Mental Prayer with Our Lord.
What Prevents Me From Loving?’
Some days can certainly be more difficult to get through than others; but what prevents me from loving others? Be watchful and mindful of certain behaviours which may creep up on us:
- Giving in to tiredness
- Giving in to moodiness
- Self- seeking love
- Giving too much importance to oneself
Fighting Against Temptation
All of us will come across temptations daily, but it can be a good thing! Mother Theresa said “We have to fight the temptation like Our Lord, with confidence and humility”.
For us mums, it will probably only be the little things of each day – delaying the chores, giving in to that third cup of coffee, easily losing patience with the kids etc. The devil however, will always remind us that these are only small things which do not matter. The matter of fact is, they do! If we can conquer in these small acts, how much easier it will be for us when a bigger temptation comes along.
In these moments, we can seek the help of Our Lady, asking her assistance in fighting against our pride, self-love, lack of charity etc. So many graces can be gained, if we keep up that constant fighting spirit!
Mother Teresa also encouraged many to use the rosary. “Fight – to spread the Kingdom of God; like a good soldier, to fight right in front.”
Keeping busy also prevents us from becoming idle, wasting our time and thinking too much about ourselves. When we are busy with life, keeping up good friendships, attending to our children’s needs before our own, there is very little time left for selfishness or laziness.
True Joy
“Joy is prayer – the sign of generosity, selflessness and close and continual union with God”. When we are filled with joy, everyone wants to be in our company! We must spread this joy to others so they too can see how attractive motherhood can be. We must be happy all the time, a deep interior serenity and happiness that no one can take away. In this way, we will be able to cheerfully give our time to others and shower those closest to us with love and affection.
We can be filled with joy each day even while doing those everyday jobs; whether it is preparing meals, feeding the baby or washing the dishes. We should never lose our peace regardless of what life brings. If we remain full of joy, we will not get discouraged against our own faults and weaknesses. If we fail, we start again. Our Lord loves a cheerful giver, and often something as small as a smile to another can be one of the toughest things to do after a demanding day.
As mothers, we could aspire to live more like Mother Teresa and the example that she was, pouring great love into the little things of each day. “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love… spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” – Mother Teresa.
Originally posted 2015-04-14 12:00:16.