September 5th

 

BLESSED TERESA OF CALCUTTA
Virgin

Mother Teresa of CalcuOa (Gonxha Agnes Bojaxhiu~ was born ofAlbanian parents ~n Skopje lo 1910. Journeying as a missionary lo India she laboured manyyears as a teacher befare hearing the “cali within the cali” (o satiate (he - thirst offesusfor love and tite salvation ofsouls byfoundíng (he Missionaries of Charily. Site experienced a profound union with Jesus in His Passion and dedí­cated herself lo alleviating (he suffering of ah of God ‘s children. joyfuliy serving Jesus “u~der (he dlstressing disguise of Mepoorest ofthepoor “Site became an international symbol of Godt ¡ove anda Irue motherfor unwanted ond unloved pruple everywhere. After inuch suffering site died on Septeinber 5. 1997 in Calcutta.                  -

From the Common of Virgins or holy women for thosé worked with the underprivileged.

 

OFFICE OF READINGS

SECOND READING
From the last letter of Mother Teresa, MC.,

The Missionairy of Chariz’y Sisters, dated Sth September 1997.

 

My dearest Children,

This brings you Mother’s love, prayer and blessing that each one of you may be only ah for Jesus through Mary. 1 know that Móther says often — “Be only al! for Jesus through Mary” — but that is because that is ah Mother wants for you, all Mother wants from you. If in your heart you are only alI for Jesus through Mary, and if you do everything only ah for Jesus thrc>ugh Mary, you wihl be a trae Missionary of Charity.
Thank you for all -the loving wishes you seat for the Society Feast. Wehave mach to thank God for, especially that He has -given usOur Lady’s spirit tobe the spirit of our Society. Loving Trust and Total Surrender made Our Lady say “Yes” to the message of tlie angel, and CheerÑlness made her to run in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth. That is so much our life— saying “Yes” to Jesus and running in haste to serve Him in the poorest of the poor. Let as keep chose to Our Lady and she will make that samspirit grow in each one of us.

 

September 10th is comíng very close. That is another beautiful chance for us to stand ilear Our Lady, to listen to the Thirst of Jesus and to answer with our whole heart. It is only with Our Lady that we can hear Jesus cry, “1 Thirst”, and it is only with Our Lady that we can thank God properly for giving this great gifi to our Society. Last year was the Golden Jubilee of Inspiration Day, and 1 hope that the whole year has been one of thanksgiving. We will never come to the end of the gift that carne to Mother for the Society on that day, and so we must never stop thanking for it. Let our grati­tude be our strong resolution to quench the Thirst of Jesus by lives of real charity — love for Jesus in prayer, love for Jesus in our Sisters, love for Jesus in the poorest of the poor — nothing else.
And now 1 have heard that Jesus is giving lis one more gift. This year, one hundred years after she went home to Jesus, Holy Father is declaring Little Fiower to be a Doctor of the Church. Can you imagine — for doing little things with great love the Church is making her a Doctor, like St. Augustine and the big St. Teresa! It is just like Jesus said in the Gospel to the one who was seated iii the lowest place, “Friend, come np higher.” So let us keep very small and follow Little Flower’s way of trust and love and joy, and we will fuiflul Mother’s promise to give saints to mother Church.

 

RESPONSORY            Mt. 25:34-35,40

R/, Come, O blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; *for 1 was hungry and you gaye Me food, 1 was thirsty aoci you gaye Me drink, 1 was a stranger and you welcomed Me.
VI. Truly, 1 say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me; *for 1 was hungry.

 

Concluding Prayer

God, who called Biessed Teresa, virgin,

to respond to the love of your Son thirsting on the Cross

with outstanding charity to the poorest of the poor, grant us,

we beseech you, by her intercession, to minister to Christ in our suffering brothers.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, forever and ever.