Thursday, August 26, 2021

Day Ten - A Mini Retreat with St. Teresa of Calcutta - Conclusion

Day 10 A Mini Retreat with St. Teresa of Calcutta - “I Loved Jesus in the Night”

One of Mother Teresa’s famous Prayers was the five finger Prayer.  Place your hand on a Bible, on your heart or on a table, gentle spread out your fingers and slowly pray: “You-did-it-to-Me.’

Read the Gospel of St. Matthew 25:31-46 [The Solemn Judgment at the End of Time]

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you welcomed me; I was naked and you clothed me; I was ill and you took care of me; I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

“Then the righteous will say to him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you something to eat, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  

 

When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?’ And the King will answer, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you did it to Me.’

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  For I was hungry and you did not give me anything to eat; I was thirsty and you did not give me anything to drink; I was a stranger and you did not welcome me; I was naked and you did not give me any clothing; I was ill and in prison and you did not visit me.’

“Then they will ask him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison and not minister to You?’ He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you failed to do for one of the least of these brethren of mine, you failed to do for me.’ And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life.”

Jesus calls each one of us to be faithful servants, remember that whatever you did, “you-did-it-to-Me.”  Mother Teresa recognized that her darkness was the price of lighting ‘the fire of love.’”  [p.248]

Let her example lead you closer to Jesus, who is your Lord and Savior, “you-did-it-to-Me."  “The reality of her relationship with Jesus was truly a paradox.  He was living in and through her without her being able to savor the sweetness of His presence …. it was only when she was with the poor that she perceived His presence vividly.  There she felt Him to be so alive and so real.”  [p.212-213]

Saint Teresa of Calcutta's Relic presented at her Canonization Mass on September 4, 2016 and her feast day is September 5. 

Reflection:

St. Francis de Sales advised, “Ask for nothing, refuse nothing, but leave ourselves in the arms of divine Providence, without busying ourselves with any desires, except to will what God wills of us.”  de Sales’ advice is fundamental to anyone who wants to do God’s Will faithfully and fully.  Simply put, “Ask for nothing, refuse nothing.”

St. Joseph pray for us.

St. Andre Bessette intercede for us. 

St. Francis de Sales pray for us.

“Tune my spirit to the music of heaven.”  St. Brendan the Navigator

May God Be Praised.

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