SAINT MOTHER TERESA’s SERVICE

I had wondered how do people like Mother Teresa had given up their life entirely for the sake of sick and helpless people. Then I searched and read many articles regarding Mother Teresa. I look the great service of Mother Teresa as one form of spiritual way to attain salvation.

                Mother’s family was very virtuous and she was taught about all forms of good thoughts and discipline. Teresa’s father died when she was young. Teresa’s mother worked hard to raise the children. Even though, in such a struggle, Teresa’s mother never missed to teach virtues to her kids. Even at a very young age, Teresa was brought up with a saint’s mentality, as sources say. She had no interest in normal life. She was moved by the ‘poverty’ that prevailed in the world. Europe was under financial crisis during the world wars. Yugoslavia and Albania were the mostly poverty-stricken countries. Teresa decided to toil for the poor to relieve their pain. We all have great faith in Mother Teresa. But she had great and devoted respect to a French nun called ‘Teresa Martin’. Mother Teresa’s name was not actually known by this name. Her true name was ‘Agnes’. She had changed her name as ‘Teresa’ to pay respect to ‘Teresa Martin’. Teresa Martin’s story is also important to say here. This great person had worked day and night and was well-known for her selfless service even in the worst conditions. As a result she got sick severely and died at a young age of 24.

                Though Mother Teresa was born in Macedonia (in 1910) she left home for Ireland at the age of 18. There, she became a nun of the Catholic Church. Later she moved to India and started her career in the slum areas of Calcutta. She served for the poor, the severely sick people and the patients at dead bed. For her service, it was necessary that she had to get herself qualified as a nurse. So she did her proper qualification in nursing in Patna. But mother had worked as a teacher in Darjeeling before she had moved to Calcutta. Mother was also well-versed in Bengali language. To Mother Teresa, her medical service was a part of service to the God. Step by step, slowly Mother’s service gained patronage and many came forward to assist her in this service. Then with the combined forced the charitable trust ‘Missionary of Charities’ was founded.

                Mother Teresa was conferred ‘Sainthood’, this September 4. But I had seen many people telling “she was long remembered as a saint to us, even before a very long time ago”. Yes, that is true, even during her days she was known to be a ‘living legend’. I regret that I hadn’t been born earlier to witness Mother Teresa’s selfless service. “Missionary of Charities” has got lots of branches all over the world. But the Indian Branch is the oldest and foremost, I suppose. Mother Teresa opened her first orphanage in India in 1957 and also extended her service by visiting many other homes throughout the country. Mother’s important principles were ‘pure love and selfless service’. She was looked upon beyond the limits of religion, country and language. Mother Teresa received many awards like she had received “Padma Shri Award” in 1962 and “Ramon Magsaysay Award” in the same year. She also received “Bharat Ratna Award” in 1980 by the Indian Government. “Nobel Peace Prize” was awarded to her in 1979. Once there came a beggar to see Mother. He offered his ‘a day’s alms’ to Mother Teresa as a small amount of donation. But Mother refused. But still the beggar persisted to get the money. It was then, Mother said that she had considered ‘his offering’ as the greatest among all the awards she had received. Such a generous and humble person she was. But to world’s disappointment, this great gem passed away on September 5th in1997. It was really a huge loss to the entire world.

                But now I am extraordinarily delightful, at the moment, about the conferring of “Sainthood” to our Mother. I will continue to pay my homage to Mother Teresa all throughout my life, which is for sure.