M A I L B A G

Mother Teresa: The symbol of sacrifice

I fully agree with Mr A.J. Philip for his view on the Saint of the Gutters (Oct 18) that she had already occupied a place in the hearts of the people, long before the Catholic Church initiated the process of her beatification, a prelude to canonisation of a holy person. I appreciate the way in which the writer has described how the legacy of Mother Teresa is translated into reality for the benefit of hundreds of persons like Joseph Stalin, the destitute and the disabled, totally ostracised by society and literally stranded in life.

The divine motive behind the selfless life of Mother is very well brought out in the words: “When she lifted a dying person on the road, she saw in him the image of the peripatetic preacher of Nazareth (Jesus)”. She strongly believed in the words of Jesus “Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me. When I was hungry you gave me to eat, when I was thirsty you gave me to drink, when I was sick or in prison you cared for me, now enter into the home of my Father”.

This was a favourite hymn of the Saint of the Gutters and I remember to have led the choir to sing it along with her during a Convent blessing ceremony in Jalandhar. She not only sang that hymn very devoutly but lived every word of it till the last breath of her life. Well, that was, perhaps, an open secret of her life.

Fr. THOMAS K.J., President, Roshni, Rajpura (Patiala)

II

There are two great beginnings in the life of a person. One, when he/she is born into the world and two, when the person knows why he/she was born into the world. Mother Teresa discovered that she was born as a Saint of the Gutters. She provided succour to the mentally unbalanced brought to Antara — the asylum for the mentally sick. The fact is that Antara owes its existence to Mother Teresa and that it proved to be an epitome of her foresight. This is why Mother Teresa opposed abortion which she had termed as the murder of the womb.

Mr A.J. Philip has correctly remarked that Mother Teresa had become a saint when she had started nursing the needy or the poor. Thus, she rescued Christianity from the shallows and the byways in which it had got lost.

She advised that no man should despise the simple duties of home. Thus, Mother Teresa advises us to abhor lying and stealing, scolding and slandering, slavery and prostitution, meanness and murder.

RAJ KUMARI JAIN, Moga (Punjab)

III

“Mother Teresa: The Saint of the Gutters” by Mr A.J. Philip is an inspiring article. It must be an eye-opener for those who are blinded by the luxuries of life and are least interested in sharing the sorrows of the suffering people and also for those who heed all their attention to their materialistic life without bothering to make their life even little sacrificing.

Mother Teresa was really a Saint of the Gutters. Without ever aiming for any kind of glamour she served the poor and the needy. She was questioned a number of times and also accused but none could stop her firm determination to serve society. Today’s world also needs Mother Teresa; we should walk on her footprints which will surely lead to a better world.

URJA KUMAR, Yamunanagar

IV

Apropos of Mr A.J. Philip’s article “Mother Teresa: Saint of the Guttrers” (Oct 18), Mother Teresa’s beatification is an occasion for jubilation. Being bestowed with sainthood is a sort of reaffirmation of what she had already achieved in life through selfless service to the deprived and the poorest of the poor. Throughout her life, she remained wedded to noble causes by reaching out to the needy which she considered a divine duty. She rose to dizzy heights by doing ordinary things differently.

Humility, dedication, deep commitment, compassion and love for the poor people and destitutes were her hallmark. This way she became a legend in her lifetime.

Mother Teresa had a Gandhian touch in her life which was so simple and austere. She was pure and truthful in thought, word and deed. By setting up asylums and sanatoriums for the sick, she inspired countless social workers to work with missionary zeal without any material gain. She has rightly been called the “Messiah of the poor”.

As Mother Teresa has been sanctified and declared a Saint, her statues and idols can be placed in the churches for worship. Let us strive to follow Her ideals in our ideal life instead of keeping her statues etc as mere idols. We should follow Her principles and ideals for which she lived and died.

Prof. K.L. BATRA, Yamunanagar