Reflection: Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Saint Teresa of Calcutta founded the Missionaries of Charity, caring for the poorest of the poor, for the dying and the destitute, for orphans, abandoned children, alcoholics, the aging and street people. She was faithful to her everyday duties even though she suffered for many years a darkness in her soul. She carried her cross and persevered in prayer.

Mother and her sisters would spend one hour every day praying in the Presence of the Blessed Sacrament. This hour of Eucharistic Adoration was their daily family Holy Hour through which their community blossomed.

What was the secret of this powerful little woman? She recognized she could do small things with great love. She was a woman of heroic virtue. It was her purity, the purity of heart and of purpose that enabled her to focus every ounce of her energy on her simple and unswerving purpose in life:

To do, to make, to be something beautiful for God.

Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She looked pro-choice politicians in the eye and told them that abortion was murder. She said,

"But I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child, a direct killing of the innocent child, murder by the mother herself."

Let us ask for her intercession as we pray:

Kiss of Mercy Prayer 

(To be recited after kissing an image of Jesus)

Jesus, I trust in You. 

May my kiss and Your grace, convert, heal and reconcile

 to the Father one soul wounded by abortion. Amen  

Recite one Hail Mary

Nihil Obstat: +Arthur L. Kennedy. S.T.D., Ph.D.,
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston

Permission: +Sean P. O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Boston

Imprimatur on the Kiss of Mercy Prayer: Date January 25, 2017

Kiss of Mercy Apostolate for Healing from Abortion

On September 5, 1997, God called her home. This tiny woman was recognized throughout the world for her work among the poor. Speaking in a strained, weary voice at her beatification Mass, Pope John Paul II called Mother Teresa “an icon of the Good Samaritan.” and that her life was “a bold proclamation of the Gospel.”

When Mother Teresa died, she owned nothing but her rosary beads and her distinctive white-and-blue sari. She was enveloped in an immense odor of sanctity. She did so much to serve so many others and had such a great influence on the world. She abandoned her life to God in service of the world.

"I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother Teresa of Calcutta

May we be little pencils allowing God to use us to spread love in the world. May we do small things with great love to make something beautiful for God.

"For we are God's co-workers; you are God's field, God's building." 1 Corinthians 3:9  Today's Reading

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for us and all those for whom we pray through this ministry.