By Celeste
I’m currently reading through the biography of Mother Teresa. I’ve been really surprised at how much it is affecting me. I’m just so inspired to be better every time I pick it up. She was so amazing.
While learning about her life and all the incredible service she gave to those who needed it most, it’s easy to think, “Gosh she did so much for so many, my attempts seem so meager in comparison. I could never accomplish all that world service.” But she speaks to this point often when she says things like, “What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” and “Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do… but how much love we put in that action.” It seems she really thought that you can do your part to save the world by pouring love into your marriage and family. I agree.
Let’s take a page from one who did a great deal to help the world- let’s focus on just doing what we can and doing it with great love.
“I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, ‘How many good things have you done in your life?’ rather he will ask, ‘How much love did you put into what you did?”
“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.”
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
“God doesn’t require us to succeed, he only requires that you try.”
“These are the few ways we can practice humility:
To speak as little as possible of one’s self.
To mind one’s own business.
Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.
To avoid curiosity.
To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
To pass over the mistakes of others.
To accept insults and injuries.
To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
Never to stand on one’s dignity.
To choose always the hardest.”
“A life not lived for others is not a life.”
“Let us make one point, that we meet each other with a smile, when it is difficult to smile. Smile at each other, make time for each other in your family.”
“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”
“Love to be real, it must cost—it must hurt—it must empty us of self.”
“People are unrealistic, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway.”
“Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less.”
“Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.”
“I must be willing to give whatever it takes to do good to others. This requires that I be willing to give until it hurts. Otherwise, there is no true love in me, and I bring injustice, not peace, to those around me.”
“Intense love does not measure it just gives. ”
“There are many people who can do big things, but there are very few people who will do the small things.”
“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.”
“A joyful heart is the normal result of a heart burning with love. She gives most who gives with joy.”
“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own home. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor . . . Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.”
“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.”
“We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love.”
“It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.”
“Love begins by taking care of the closest ones – the ones at home.”
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway. ”
“If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.”
“Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted and ardent. If you are humble nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”
“Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak in a low, persuasive tone. Listen; be teachable. Laugh at good stories and learn to tell them…For as long as you are green, you can grow.”
“Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.”
“Christ came to be Father’s compassion to the world. Be kind in your actions. Do not think that you are the only one who can do efficient work, work worth showing. This makes you harsh in your judgment of others who may not have the same talents. Do your best and trust that others do their best. And be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies. ”
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
I love Mother Theresa! I am so glad that you have found beauty in her also.
Honestly, my kids need me to apply these ideas more than my husband does, but we all need it. The whole world needs this.