Mother Teresa had numerous values and beliefs that shaped her work and guided her. She was a Christian and followed in the footsteps of Jesus, constantly caring for the poor in Calcutta. Mother Teresa believed that she served God by serving and nursing the poor. She believed in the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and also took an extra one - that she would give 'wholehearted and free service to the poor'. Lastly, she believed that no one should be left behind and that everyone should feel wanted and loved. These few beliefs contributed greatly to her life and affected her choices, relationships with others and society.
From the moment she became a Loreto Sister in 1931, Mother Teresa served God through serving others. After teaching at St Mary's High School for twenty years, she left to follow her 'call within a call'. This involved her serving the very poorest of Calcutta's slum-dwellers, which included the sick who were on the brink of death, the thousands of abandoned children and those who were facing injustice. Her belief of serving God through giving up her life for the poor slum-dwellers is what guided her to continue her work until the day she died. Like any other Christian, Mother Teresa believed she was called to love and she showed this through creating her own order which was to see Christ in every single human being. Her order was called the Missionaries of Charity, and they devoted their lives to helping those less fortunate and those living on the streets and in poverty. One day in 1952, Mother Teresa passed by a woman lying on the pavement who was nearly dead. Without hesitation, she took the dying woman in her arms and took her to the nearest hospital, where she demanded the woman to be admitted. At first they refused, but Mother Teresa persisted until they agreed to take the woman in. This is one example of how Mother Teresa and her Order saved and served numerous people in the slums. By believing and living by the three vows, Mother Teresa and her Order learnt what is was like living in poverty in Calcutta. Mother Teresa made a profession of vows, to live a life of gospel chastity, poverty and obedience in the service of God's people. This meant that she had to love everyone in a celibate way, give up everything she had and obey God the Father. Chastity is imitating Christ who loved God and everyone in a celibate way. Mother Teresa believed that by loving everyone in a celibate way, she was loving God and following in Christ's footsteps. By living a life of chastity, Mother Teresa was following the Two Great Commandments which were to basically love you neighbour and love God. Mother Teresa believed that in order for her to serve the poor, she had to understand them and their hardships. So she equipped herself and each Nun within her Order two cheap saris, one crucifix, a rope girdle, some rough underwear and a pair of sandals to walk in. A few other items included a bucket to wash in and a thin mattress to sleep in. Mother Teresa and the other Sisters led a hard life going from door to door begging for food. They were living a life of poverty, just like Mother Teresa intended them to do. They were also living a life of obedience, imitating Christ who gave his entire life to obeying God. Mother Teresa never gave up on her call from God which was to serve in the slums. She never disobeyed God and turned her back on those suffering on the streets. She believed in completing her vocation and living up to God's intentions for her. |
Mother Teresa believed strongly in never leaving someone behind and made sure that those she met felt wanted and loved. When her work expanded, she bought a four-storey building that housed abandoned children and babies. In there she took care of them and made them feel loved, even though sadly some died. Most of them though lived and grew up to be healthy, happy children who either got adopted or returned to their parents. Never once did Mother Teresa or her Order turn away or refuse a child. She never left a child behind and made sure they felt wanted and loved. Not only did she make children feel loved, but also those who were dying. The Home for the Destitute Dying was officially opened in August, 1952. Each day, Mother Teresa and the Sisters bought back dying people and took care of them until they died. Even though most lived like animals, she wanted them to die like human beings. An old man on the edge of death once said to Mother Teresa: 'I have lived like an animal, but I'll die like an angel.' This proves how much of an impact Mother Teresa and her fellow Sisters had on others, especially those suffering.
Mother Teresa's beliefs impacted the choices she made. Like her belief to never leave anyone behind impacted how she never turned down an abandoned child or baby. The relationships she had with others was also important. The relationship she built with those suffering from poverty was aided with her understanding of their hardships by also being a beggar before she had enough money to support herself and her Order. Once word got around what Mother Teresa and her Order were doing, the community started donating money to go towards those suffering in the slums. Society started knowing what Mother Teresa was doing and started commending her work and helping however they could. |