Saint Teresa

I have always been fascinated by Mother Teresa. As a Congregationalist, we don’t believe in saints, but if there ever where one, I believe Mother Teresa should be she. Currently, Mother Teresa is on the track toward sainthood, but now apparently a second miracle must be ascribed to her. A second miracle? How about the millionth miracle? Her miracles are the bringing of a thousand hearts to God. Few else could match her record of conversion. Mind you, I don’t mean the people of Calcutta or the nuns of her diocese. I mean the people of the word. So rarely has a person with such good intention touched so many in the world and inspired them along their path God. Even now when her private notes are published and we hear of her own doubts, this does not weaken her case, but strengthens it. She has shown that she is us and that we can be her. What greater miracle can a mortal offer? Mother Teresa’s miracle of conversion is far more spectacular and far reaching that curing a stomach tumor or a crying statue.

As I think on this more, maybe it is right that the Catholic church does not canonize her. Their sainting a person is just an earthly symbol of an eternal truth anyway. Perhaps if we all personally see her as a saint, this is more a truth than sainthood being bestowed upon her. As for now in the Church, she is considered Beatified. She is the Blessed Mother Teresa. But for me, she will be the best example of a saint. She will not be corrupted by statutes or trivialized with prayer to locate lost items. She will be a beacon, showing us what humanity can be if it chooses. She was and continues even after her death to help us toward walking in Christ’s footsteps. She is a Sherpa, who has walked the path and can help us along our way.

picture from http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9709/mother.teresa/impact/index.html

Dear Pope Benedict, Please consider Mother Teresa’s miracle her impact on others. As this impact has lasted past her death and as she continues to inspire and move people toward Christ, this miracle should be her second miracle and therefore move her forward to be canonized as Saint Teresa.

Sincerely,
A non-Catholic but a fellow Christian, who was deeply inspired,
Dawn

Sinner or Saint

Recently an old friend came by. It was so good to see him. Back in high school, we would talk for hours on the phone discussing all the problems of the world or at least the world as we knew it back then. Many years have passed and we both now have families of our own. As we sat at the table reminiscing, I caught myself staring at a tattoo on his arm. It was he that brought it up, “What do you think it says?”

“Saint”

“Now?” He turned his arm the other way.

I could not make it out at first. “What is the opposite of saint?” he hinted.

“Sinner?”

How easy it would be in life to change so simply. How simple if it was always a clear as choosing which to be. Most of us are probably not purely saint or purely sinner, but more in the middle. We affectionately call this condition “human”. Perhaps after confessing our sins and asking forgiveness, we tilt a little closer to saint, but most of the time we are probably closer to the sinner side. None of us want to admit that. We like to believe that we are living right and certainly most of us strive to live as Jesus, but few of us can actually accomplish it.

Irronically, his arm is more naturally in the sinner position, which perhaps he may think he is more likely to be (I know better though). But maybe it is a reminder to us all that we have to work at doing what it right. It is very easy to sin and fall away. 13". . . For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Each day we need to think about what message we want our life to project. Do we want our sign to say “sinner” or “saint”? What would someone reading your life say that your life says? Is this in line with what you want it to say? How can you change your life so that these two things are in alignment? Remember there will come a day when the sheep are separated from goats. Which group do you want to be in?

Philippians 1:9-11, “I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand 10how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, 11Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.”