Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu it’s the birth name of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, in the Ottoman Empire, on August 26, 1910. Her parents were Albanians from Kosovo. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was the symbol of faith and charity. She dedicated her life to the needs of the weakest and the poor, becoming an example to follow and inspiring the whole world. Through faith, man entrusts himself entirely to God, and hope, in respect of eternal life and the commitment to deserving it. And also through her example of charity as a promise. And as the point of departure and arrival of all the virtues.
Charity is that virtue in which man loves God above all things and his neighbor as himself. There is nothing more significant for a Christian. We can follow Mother Teresa’s example to understand how it is possible to bring this virtue to light and make it the purpose of life. Mother Teresa will be remembered forever for her tireless will to help others, the poor, and the dispossessed. Today she is considered a saint, an object of devotion in the world, and one of the most influential figures in modern history. Mother Teresa has received numerous awards and the Nobel Peace Prize.
How Mother Teresa Story began
Around 1928, Gonxha felt attracted to the religious life, which she later attributed to a “grace” by Our Lady. Having taken the fateful decision, she is welcomed in Dublin by the Sisters of Our Lady of Loreto, whose Rule is inspired by the type of spirituality indicated in the “Spiritual Exercises” of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. And it is thanks to the meditations developed on the pages of the Spanish saint that Mother Teresa also creates the feeling of wanting to “help all men.”
Gonxha is, therefore, irresistibly attracted to the missions. The Superior then sent her to India, Darjeeling, a city at the foot of the Himalayas. Where she began her novitiate on May 24, 1929. Since teaching is the primary vocation of the Sisters of Loreto, she undertakes this activity, in particular following the poor girls of the place. At the same time, she carries out her studies to obtain a diploma from a professor.
When did Mother Ttakea take her religious vows?
On May 25, 1931, she took her religious vows and took the name of Sister Teresa from that moment. It happened to honor Saint Therese of Lisieux. To finish her studies, she was sent, in 1935, to the Institute of Calcutta, the overpopulated and unhealthy capital of Bengal. There, it suddenly finds itself confronted with the reality of the darkest misery at a level that leaves it upset.
A whole population is born, lives, and dies on the sidewalks. If all goes well, their roof consists of a bench seat, the corner of a door, and an abandoned cart. However hand, we have only a few newspapers or cartoons. The average child dies as soon as they are born; their corpses are thrown into a trash can or a drain.
Did Mother Teresa feel God’s presence?
According to the chronicles, on September 10, 1946, while she was praying, Mother Teresa felt the presence of Yahve. She distinctly perceives an invitation from God to leave the convent of Loreto to consecrate herself to the service of the poor, to share their sufferings by living among them. She also confides in the Superior, who makes her wait to test her obedience to her. Finally, after a year, the Holy Spiritual authorizes her to live outside the cloister.
On August 16, 1947, at the age of thirty-seven, mother Teresa wore for the first time a white “sari.” (The traditional dress of Indian women) in rough cotton adorned with a blue border. Her sari colors represent the colors of the Virgin Mary. On her shoulder was a small black crucifix. When she comes and goes about her, she carries a briefcase containing her essential personal belongings but not money. Mother Teresa never asked for money or had any. Yet her works and foundations required very considerable expenses! You attributed this “miracle” to the creation of Providence.
Mother Teresa’s Personality Type
Mother Teresa was a simple, humble woman who chose to give her existence to others. Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu, the actual name of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, was of Albanian origin. Indeed, she had a difficult childhood, marked by her father’s untimely death. Nevertheless, from an early age, she felt a natural propensity for charity and works of mercy—she, since childhood, had shown her love for this land. And she was also demonstrated by the frequent correspondence with the Jesuit missionaries in Bengal.
In India, the saint lived between Calcutta and Darjeeling. Dedicating herself to prayer and charity until, in August 1946, during the independence clashes that bloodied Calcutta, she received the Call. At that moment, she understood that she had to leave the quiet life of the convent to go out into the streets and immerse herself in poverty.
From that moment, going against the church, she began her mission: she abandoned the black veil and received the citizenship of the newly independent Indian Republic. Others followed her example, and Mother Teresa created an increasingly dense network of volunteers around her. So each of them had a task: distributing food, caring for the sick, and teaching.
Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity
It was 1950 when Mother Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a congregation dedicated to mercy and care for the poor. The typical dress was a white sari with blue stripes, the colors of caste and the Untouchables. Little by little, the saint’s influence became more and more intense. She was attracting the attention of the media from all over the world. Thanks to the help of local and foreign personalities, she opened reception and care centers for the poor and the sick.
She remained at the head of the congregation as long as her health permitted and continued to serve as long as possible. She died in Calcutta at the age of 87. For her, Pope John Paul II obtained a unique beatification process only two years after her death.
Representation of Mother Teresa
What is charity?
We often mistake confusing charity with the gesture of giving alms. But, as we have said, charity is something that goes beyond. It is a virtue that leads to loving one’s neighbor as oneself.
We can say that charity is, first of all, love. Also, this is why there is a lot of difference between charity and almsgiving. Charity does not mean giving a few coins found by chance in your pockets. It means being welcoming and available, finding time, energy, and resources to help others, even by removing them from ourselves.
The charity work of Mother Teresa of Calcutta
Mother Teresa is a genuinely great example of charity. She used to have relationships with kings and heads of state, and she collaborated with local and foreign personalities. To open and manage reception and care centers for the needy. The work of Mother Teresa of Calcutta was to denounce the actions that determined the situations of degradation and suffering.
Meeting with Mother Teresa of Calcutta and President Reagan
Her work was tireless. She fought against the hypocrisy of those who prefer to turn away, hiding behind excuses. And without acknowledging their responsibility and their selfishness. Therefore, the saint’s attitude is guided by the full awareness of the new commandment of Jesus. Also, she lived it on her skin, day after day, until her death. Therefore, she loved whoever came upon her path just as Jesus Himself would have loved, forgiving, welcoming, and caring for him like a son or a brother.
Conclusion
The image of Mother Teresa is a symbol of greatness. For this reason, many faithful welcome an iconographic image or statue of her inside their home and remember what it means to be charitable.
Figurine of Mother Teresa JOSEPH STUDIO-RENAISSANCE COLLECTION. I’d like you to see it on Amazon.
On October 19, 2003, Pope John Paul II presided over the beatification of Mother Teresa. Therefore, this event happened before an excited crowd of three hundred thousand faithful. Her canonization took place on September 4, 2016, under the pontificate of Pope Francis.
