The canonization of St Teresa of Kolkata was a celebration of the heart, in all hearts all over the world.
In Nagpur I could feel the joy echoing all around me with a festive mood. Whichever street you entered in Nagpur these days you are sure to find a picture of Mother Teresa smiling at you: “Peace begins with a smile.”
I marveled at this Albanian woman who left her homeland at the age of 18, in 1928, because she wanted to be a missionary.
This detachment and sacrificing love were the hallmarks of the life of Mother Teresa, who had placed complete trust in God.
At a public function that the Archdiocese of Nagpur organized on September 11 to honor the new saint, Maharashtra Chief Minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fandanavis and federal Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari spoke highly of Mother Teresa.
Although the two politicians belong to a party that has been critical of the Catholic nun’s services to the poor, they were indeed there to “celebrate Mother Theresa” along with others.
Gadkari who spoke first, harped on her selfless services for humanity: poor in spirit and in body. “She gave her whole life to be at the service of poor and the marginalized. Her specialty was that she served everyone irrespective of caste and religion. We have to follow her example in our lives.”
Gadkari, who is also known for his humanitarian services, added: “When we help others, God helps us.” He referred to an accident involving a vehicle he traveled with his family. Although the vehicle was severely damaged, all its passengers escaped unhurt. He called it God’s intervention. “Positions will come and go. Whatever we do for the poor will live. When we serve them we become rich in spirit,” the former chief minister of Maharashtra vouched.
Fandanavis ascended the podium adorning his innocent smile. “Mother Theresa’s life inspires us. As a teacher she received a message from God to serve the poor. And she responded willingly. She is with us like the mother of the universe.”
The chief minister who decided to cancel his birthday celebrations to use the fund for the welfare of the people, added, “In Mother Teresa God came to visit us; to wipe away the tears of our people; we salute her holiness, her power now reigning amidst us. She teaches us that serving the last and least of the Society we receive God’s blessings. Because of her our very life has changed. Her message echoes in our hearts: if you are a Muslim be a good Muslim; if you are a Hindu be a good Hindu; if you are Christian be a good Christian.”
Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur, who attended the canonization ceremony at the Vatican on September 4, summarized what was in everyone’s heart. “We witnessed the elevation to sainthood of Karuna ka Dham (home of mercy), Daya Sagar (ocean of empathy), Asha ka Kiran (ray of hope), Pyar ka varsha (shower of love), Ishwar ko Garibom me Dekhnevali, Seva ka Sasnkar, Banana wali, Mamtha ki Moorthi, Sabon ke Dilme Basnevali.
“Her janma bhoomi was Albania, karma bhoomi was India and beyond.
“In the karma bhoomi there was no caste, creed, no religion, because she embraced everyone in her tender kind heart and arms. Her only criterion was that poor people needed love and care
“When on one occasion a Hindu old man was dying in her home for the dying destitute, she asked him to pray for a good death. He responded “ Mother I know only Hindu Prayers, and I can only pray that” She responded, You pray in Hindu way, I will pray in Christian way, and both will together make a beautiful prayer before God.
“Why are we having this celebration here? The inspiration for our celebrations comes from her teaching. When she was doing lot of services to the poor and abandoned people in Kolkata and elsewhere, journalists asked her the question, that in this world there are thousands and thousands of poor and needy, and how can you serve all these people, your strength is very little.
She said “What I am doing is only a drop in the ocean, and if I do not do what I am doing the ocean will be one drop minus, and I do not want it be so.”
“There are lots of celebrations all over India and the world, and what we are doing in Nagpur is a drop, and we need to add that drop to the vast ocean.
“We have come not merely to admire her, but also to be touched and transformed by life. We but we must live her life and be kind and compassionate to the poorest of the poor as she would call them.”
The lay associates of Mother Teresa enacted an event from her life. Once she took an aged and sickly man to the hospital. The doctor spoke to Mother the futility of treating this man because he would always be a liability to the society as he was old and sick. Mother was firm, “Doctor, he is a child of God.” The frail teacher, Principal turned nurse, the Saint of the gutter won the heart of the Physician. “Mother, thank you for teaching me the value and dignity of human life,” he surrendered before this magnificent human being.
Human life, God’s precious gift was the Divine present to her, and was to be returned to God in dignity. Every home of the M C s dedicated look after the abandoned says this.
For me it was a first visit to the Shanti Bhavan, M C house and the home of the aged. Here I had found two M C friends. As we sat over a cup of coffee in their dining hall, I enquired, “Do you still get sarees woven by the lepers?”
Both of them beamed. “These are made by them. We have two for daily use and one for special occasions.” They said, raising up the edge of the blue bordered saree.
“But, lepers,” I stopped.
They must have seen the frown on my forehead, they smiled still broader and said, “These are made by those whose disease is not contagious. They may not have nose or some part of the fingers. But they are cured.”
So as to assure me Sr Kuriakose said, “I like to work with the lepers.”
I rolled my eyes in wonder saying, “ I do not understand. What are your hearts made of?”
Sr Jossica smiled showing all her white teeth, “We were not like this when we joined. Mother taught us. She taught us to see Christ in them.”
I was speechless.
This is our life, she said, as she got up to direct the two sisters: one to the hospital to bring back a patient and the other to the ward to arrange a cremation.
Do you have helpers to wash this place and their clothes, I enquired as we walked through the dormitories. She looked at me, “We do it. See. Sister is already taking the clothes out.”
I looked at the faces, some smiling and others indifferent, sitting on the verandahs and gathered courage to shake hands with a few and give them a smile.
‘Many of them require psychiatric treatment, Sr Kuriakose explained in between “Hello” and “How are you” to them. They suffer from rejection, abandonment, and loneliness.
We give them moments of quietness in this room with soft music and a picture of Jesus, to help them cope with the pain. It has a curative effect on them.
“The poor need your love and kindness,” Mother’s voice echoed in my heart, as we walked out of the house in to the bright light.
And this is what the canonization of St Theresa has brought about in me: a little more love for the poor for she said, “When we touch the sick and the needy, we touch the suffering body of Christ. I ask you one thing: do not tire of giving, but do not give them leftovers. Give until it hurts, until you feel the pain.”
Her words have touched my heart.