Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A Word about Mother Teresa

Last night, I went to Barnes and Nobles to get a book for my husband and also to have alittle "mommy" time. Usually, I head to the coffee shop and then to the craft magazines to check out one that fits my interests for the month. This time, however, I had a specific agenda, pick up the book, look at magazines, but don't touch and leave. Ok, I was successful in getting my book that was waiting for me at the front counter and looking at some crochet magazines (there are not many of them) and skipping the coffee counter, but when I got to the checkout area, it happened. There are some stores that have places I can't resist, SAM's Club's book section and clothes, and Barnes and Nobles' bargain/impulse tables conveniently placed at the checkout area. Usually the books are not really "grabbers" and I leave unscathed, but last night was different, there was a title I couldn't resist. There it was, "No Greater Love", Mother Teresa's collection of teachings and inspirations. It was only $6.95 and if I didn't have it in my person, I was going to head to the reading area couches and start unabashedly turning over couchions for loose change. Whew! I had my checkbook and my birthday check from my mom. Anyway, I want to share with you somethings she wrote. A while back, I wrote a post about silence, here's her take on the subject:

"We cannot find God in noise or agitation. Nature: trees, flowers, and grass grow in silence. The stars, the moon, and the sun move in silence. What is essential is not what we say, but what God tells us and what He tells others through us. In silence He listens to us; in silence He speaks to our souls. In silence, we are granted the privilege of listening to His voice.

Silence of our eyes.
Silence of our ears.
Silence of our mouths.
Silence of our minds.
...in the silence of the heart
God will speak.

Silence of the heart is necessary so you can hear God everywhere - in the closing of the door, in the person who needs you, in the birds that sing, in the flowers, in the animals.

If we are careful of silence, it will be easy to pray. There is so much talk, so much repetition, so much carrying on of tales in the words and in writing. (oops!) Our prayer life suffers so much because our hearts are not silent.

I shall keep the silence of my heart with greater care, so that in the silence of my heart I hear His words of comfort and from the fullness of my heart I comfort Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor." ~Mother Teresa


Wow


4 comments:

kris said...

Great post! Thanks for the good reminder.

Celal Birader said...

"... from the fullness of my heart I comfort Jesus in the distressing disguise of the poor."

"Comforting Jesus" ? Does He need comforting from us ?

EC Gefroh said...

Your post made me smile, especially as I imagined you looking for loose change :-) I am always surprised when I find a good Catholic book in B & N or Borders. I bought Jesus of Nazareth and Saints behaving badly at Borders. But I haven't finished reading them. I left them with my mom.

Ebeth said...

Esther, I have "Jesus of Nazareth" too, started reading it, but alas others get in the way. Way too many books and soo little time in the day to read!!!!!!

Celal Birader, As Veronica did during the passion, so we do in loving our Lord and Savior. No, He doesn't need us to comfort Him, it is just part of our worship to Him.

Kris, Hi! and thanks for dropping by!