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CONNECTING WITH PEOPLE BEYOND WORDS
CHAPTER 9
BURDEN OF SAINTHOOD
Mother Teresa was not comfortable with the label of “living saint.” It is true
that she had an aura, a kind of charisma, that drew people to her. But she was
also very human. A documentary about her, done over a 5-year period, depicts
in gritty detail the world that was her life. As one reviewer put it, “The frail fig-
ure huddled inside the Indian sari is clearly a force, a soft-spoken lode of iron
reserve. The deeply committed no-frills humanity comes through.” When
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asked what it is like to be a living saint, Mother Teresa responds, “I have to be
holy in my position. That’s nothing extraordinary. It’s my simple duty. We have
been created for that.” 6
Also depicted in the film is her visit to Beirut in 1982 at the height of the
fighting between Muslims and Christians. Mother Teresa wishes to retrieve a
group of spastic children who were isolated in an abandoned hospital. A priest
says it’s a good idea, but it’s impractical because the hospital is in a free-fire
zone. To which Mother Teresa responds, “It’s not an idea. It’s our duty.” At her
insistence, a cease-fire was arranged and the children were rescued. 7
WORDS TO LIVE BY
Like many leaders, Mother Teresa was a powerful storyteller. Many of her
writings tell of the people she has encountered and what they have taught her.
Rather than assuming some kind of superior role, she paints a portrait of her-
self as a seeker. She was famous for telling the story about the first person to
whom she ministered. The woman’s body was half-eaten by rats; instead of
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revulsion, Mother Teresa saw “Christ in his distressing disguise.” And in her
Nobel Peace Prize lecture she tells the story of a bedridden man whose only
joy was smoking. He abstained from tobacco for a week and sent Mother
Teresa $15 for the mission. “It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him but
see . . . how he shared. And with that money I brought bread and I gave to
those who are hungry.” 9
Although Mother Teresa was strictly Catholic in faith, she was liberal in
reaching out to others, seeking to help all regardless of their faith as well as
receiving aid from anyone of any faith. She also saw her ministry as taking
care of the poor and sick, not as proselytizing: “Love has no other message but
its own. . . . If we do any preaching, it is done with deeds, not with words. That
is our witness to the gospel.” 10
A considerable body of literature is growing up around Mother Teresa.
Some of her writings have been collected as inspirational texts. Another book
is a collection of reflections from the famous (e.g., Senator Ted Kennedy),
from religious leaders, and from ordinary people who met her only once. All
of these are testaments to the power of her example, and these communica-
tions serve to extend her message further.