Saints

St. Teresa of Calcutta

I love this saint so much! She is the definition of selflessness and put so many before herself. St. Teresa of Calcutta worked in the streets of Calcutta, India to help those who couldn't help themselves. 

She was born and given the name of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in the country of Skopje. She received her first communion at the age of 5 and confirmed at 6. She joined the Institute of Blessed Virgin Mary at 18 and became a nun, taking the name Sister Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux (Chapter 2). Mother Teresa was assigned a to teach girls in Calcutta. 

Mother Teresa became principal of the school and was loved by the students. Her warm nature made her loveable in ways that can't be described. On September 10, 1946, Mother Teresa saw a man in the train station dying as he moaned," I thirst." the very words Jesus cried on his cross. 

She wanted to help those like this man and begged for 2 years to start her own ministry. Finally, on August 17, 1948, Mother Teresa had her own community called," the Little Sisters of the Poor." She was dressed in a blue and white dress that resembled the way Indian women dressed. Her former students began to join her, seeking the happiness that Mother Teresa brought and wanting to help those who couldn't help themselves. 

She'd do anything to help others. Once, there was a flood that was so high it was dangerous to wade through but Mother Teresa had people to save. She told the sisters with her to go back and help those at their convent but Mother Teresa went out and helped those starving during the flood. She was willing to risk herself but in no case was she going to risk other people too. 

Mother Teresa changed the world. She brought awareness to starvation and to not be afraid of doing what was right. Once in her house for the dying, a crowd gathered around and threatened to kill her because those people inside were social outcasts. Mother Teresa stood her ground and said that she was giving them a place so they can die with a roof over their head. The leader of the riot went inside to threaten her more but left a changed man and ordered everyone to leave and that Mother Teresa was doing the right thing.

A nun of hers once was complaining about everything bad that was going on in Calcutta: the wars, the starvation, the dying, everything. Mother Teresa simply nodded her head and continued about her day. The nun asked," Why aren't you upset? Aren't these terrible?" And Mother Teresa smiled, replying," I'd rather look at the good going on than the bad." She acknowledged the bad but did something about it by turning it into an opportunity to do good. She taught that complaining gets you nowhere and if you see something bad, do something about it! 

Mother Teresa was extremely prolife and fought for the unborn. I consider her and Pope John Paul II (Chapter 5) the saints of our generation. They both fought for things many Catholics were afriad to fight for and give us so much to follow. Many great saints come in pairs. Like St. Teresa of Avila (Chapter 4) and St. John of the Cross (Chapter 6), St. Claire (Chapter 7) and St. Francis of Assisi (Chapter 8) and so much more! Mother Teresa was a fighter for peace, love, joy, justice, and most of all God. 

Comment any modern saints that you'd like me to talk about!

Feast Day: September 5

Patron Saint of: World Youth Day

Canonization Date: September 4, 2016 by Pope Francis

For more information about her life:

https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=5611

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