Oh, what a saint
Mother Teresa’s legacy goes beyond the Catholic church
Mother Teresa is a saint. Literally.
After Pope John Paul II began the process in 2002, the Vatican made her canonization official Sept. 4, 2016 with a series of ceremonies and celebrations that could be viewed via the Vatican’s YouTube channel.
According to BBC, there are approximately 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide. The affect of such a large number of people in various places all over is evident.
SISTER — The canonization process for Mother Teresa began in 2002 under Pope John Paul II. Photo credit: Google images
Mother Teresa’s sainthood is meaningful to the whole body of Christ, Catholic or not, as it shows how one believer’s diligence impacted the world.
She dedicated her life to serving the less fortunate in Calcutta, India — the homeless, the sick, the needy.
Her life highlighted the beauty of a life lived for God and others.
While Jesus should always be our ultimate example, in our human condition, we look to the work of others as models of how we should live.
As a college student who is trying to figure out how I will be a part of changing the world, Mother Teresa has always been an incredible embodiment of the gospel in my eyes.
There are values we all wish we had more of — selflessness, patience and grace — displayed throughout her life.
It is very difficult to image a human being so willing to live a noble lifestyle.
Mother Teresa’s influence has never been limited to the Church.
She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 for her humanitarian work through her Missionaries of Charity.
God uses people and their actions to speak to us and help transform us. He always has. Before she was Mother Teresa, she was just Agnus from Albania who chose a life of obedience.
Not many people are capable of captivating the world and gaining the respect and incredible reputation Mother Teresa was able to.
It is not uncommon to hear, “What are you, Mother Teresa?” when performing a kind deed or gesture.
If your name has become synonymous with compassion and love, you probably did something right.
Some would say that her life was not lived without controversy, with some questioning the conditions of the homes she founded.
Criticism does not invalidate her work. It merely makes her human.
It is unrealistic to think that everyone could do what Mother Teresa was able to do.
Leaving her family behind, she chose to become a nun and to live a life of service.
Though God has not called us all to such extremes, he has commanded the same life of love from those who follow him.
It is not at all important that we gain the prestige of Saint Teresa, but as the body of Christ, we should be making similar strides to improve the lives of those around us.
Calcutta is not the only place faced with poverty and overwhelming needs.
We are all faced with this same poverty, both spiritually and physically, everyday in this world.
As Mother Teresa once said, “Give yourself fully to God. He will use you to accomplish great things on the condition that you believe much more in his love than in your own weakness.”
Carter is the opinion editor.