I have recently been blessed by reading a book which presents and comments on the private writings of Mother Teresa entitled “Come be my light”. What I found illuminating in these writings is Mother Teresa’s capacity of letting Jesus fill her, through her sufferings, with his ardent love for souls.
The Saint of Calcutta’s trusting faith in God was absolute. In her letter to her former confessor in Skopje, Jesuit Fr Franjo Jambrekoviæ, Mother Teresa wrote: “Do not think that my spiritual life is strewn with roses – that is the flower which I hardly ever find on my way. Quite the contrary, I have more often as my companions ‘darkness’. And when the night becomes very thick – and it seems to me as if I will end up in hell – then I simply offer myself to Jesus. If He wants me to go there – I am ready – but only on the condition that it really makes Him happy. I need much grace, much of Christ’s strength to persevere in trust, in that blind love which leads only to Jesus Crucified.”
Various elements are brought into the fore from this periscope. Authentic spirituality bears the sign of the cross. It is imbued with suffering. But such suffering is not a defeatist stance to life. On the contrary. Suffering with, in and for Christ brings. “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Pet 2, 24). Mother Teresa’s sharing in Christ’s suffering made of her “a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim 2, 3). She knew that her mission on earth was to satiate Jesus’ love for souls. Thus, Mother Teresa was determined to abide to her hidden vow of being a victim of love for souls. With Saint Paul she tells us today: “In my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church” (Col 1, 24). Mother Teresa’s heroic life proclaims that when one’s suffering is united with that of Christ its powerful resonance becomes ecclesial and cosmic.
Amid the harsh torments of her spiritual emptiness Mother Teresa was resolute to keep her lamp of faith burning till the very end. She could say with the psalmist: “I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted” (Psalm 116, 10). Her deep faith in Jesus instilled in her perseverance. In faith she believed that the more she persevered the more the Lord was bestowing on her his mysterious comfort as the second letter to the Corinthians instructs: “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2 Cur 1, 5). In Mother Teresa’s experience perseverance in suffering generated in her joy. As a matter of fact in the same letter to Fr Jambrekoviæ she exclaimed: “But I am happier – yes happier than ever. And I would not wish at any price to give up my sufferings.” Furthermore, because she was deeply grounded in Jesus, Mother Teresa had the stamina to carry on with her normal life. Thus, she confided to Fr Jambrekoviæ: “But do not, however, think that I am only suffering. Ah no – I am laughing more than I am suffering – so that some have concluded that I am Jesus’ spoiled bride, who lives with Jesus in Nazareth – far away from Calvary”. Having said that she was humble and prudent enough to ask for support when she felt the need for it. “Pray, pray much for me – I really need His love.”
This contemporary saint has much to teach us. In front of our suffering it is useless to victimise ourselves. By having the Christian perspective of suffering, that is uniting our suffering with that of Christ for the salvation of souls, we shall be enriched as persons and believers.
Real love loves. And the more it loves the more it realises how much it needs to love. Nevertheless, in many ways, love is catered for by the love it imparts on others.
Hence, God’s comfort comes into play. Since He is a faithful God he always cares for his oppressed and afflicted ones. He is God of the poor and the needy, be it materially, spiritually or emotionally.
Perseverance in our suffering helps us not only to lead a normal life but also perfumes our contribution to our faith and society with the fragrance of Jesus’ disinterested love. Thanks to Christ’s love in us, our suffering becomes a powerful means to build the civilisation of love, which our world craves for. Let us befriend our suffering!
Fr Mario Attard OFM Cap
San Gwann