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The mystical experiences of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, origin of her work.17,10.23.
17 octubre, 2023 Autor: admin
The mystical experiences of Mother Teresa, origin of her work
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ROME, November 29, 2002 (ZENIT.org).- The work of Mother Teresa of Calcutta is impossible to understand without the mystical phenomena she experienced when she took the sari and took to the streets to care for the poor among the poor, origin of the foundation of the Missionaries of Charity.
These locutions and visions were revealed by the nun of Albanian origin in a letter addressed to Monsignor Ferdinand Périer, Archbishop of Calcutta, through her spiritual director, Father Celeste Van Exem, s.j.
The passages of the letter, dated December 3, 1947, in which a moving inner struggle is revealed, and at the same time the vision of all that would later become his work, have now been published by Father Brian Kolodiejchuk, m.c. , postulator of the cause of beatification, in an article that appeared in Zenit (November 28 and 29) and on the new website dedicated to the cause (http://www.motherteresacause.info).
Mother Teresa of Calcutta in those years worked as a nun for the Sisters of Loreto, in Calcutta, but in her prayer Christ asked her to go out into the streets to announce to the abandoned of India, and especially, the
Girls.
How could I? –the nun asks herself in hours of spiritual combat–. I have been and am very happy as a religious of Loreto. Leaving what I have loved and exposing myself to new work and suffering, which will be great, being the laughing stock of so many, especially religious, deliberately adhering to and choosing the hard things of an Indian-style life, loneliness and ignominy, uncertainty, and all because Jesus wants it, because something is calling me to leave everything and gather some companions to live his life, to do his work in India».
In her prayers and in particular in her Communion, Jesus constantly asks her, as she herself explains in her letter addressed to the spiritual father and the archbishop: «Will you refuse? When it came to your soul, I did not think of myself, but I gave myself freely for you on the Cross and now, what do you do? Will you refuse? I desire Indian nuns, victims of my love».
«My dear Jesus – answers Mary Teresa, as she was known by her religious name then – what you ask of me is beyond my strength. I can barely understand half the things you want. I am unworthy. I am a sinner. I’m weak. Go, Jesus, and look for a more dignified and generous soul than me».
«Are you afraid now to take one more step for me, your Bridegroom, for souls? Christ asks them. Is your generosity cooling off? Am I second to you? You have not died for souls. That’s why you don’t care what happens to them.»
“Your vocation is to love and suffer and save souls and, by taking this step, you will fulfill the desire of my Heart for you – Christ insists in the locution -. You will dress in simple Indian dresses, or better, as my Mother dressed, simple and poor. Your current habit is holy because it is my symbol. Your sari will be holy because it will be My symbol.»
«Jesus, my Jesus, don’t let him fool me. If it is You who desires it, give me a proof of it; if not, let [this thought] leave my soul. I trust you blindly. Will you let my soul be lost? I’m so scared, Jesus. I am very afraid, «responds the future Nobel Prize.
Don’t let me fool you. I’m so scared,” she repeats insistently. This fear makes me see how much I love myself. I am afraid of the suffering that will come from leading an Indian-style life, dressing like them, eating like them, sleeping like them, living with them without ever being able to follow my will at all. To what extent comfort has taken possession of my heart.
Christ reassures her by prefiguring what the future would be like: «I want Indian religious, Missionaries of Charity, to be my fire of love among the poor, the sick, the dying, the little children. I want you to bring me closer to the poor and the sisters who will offer their lives as victims of my love will bring these souls to me. You are, I know, the most incapable, weak and sinful person, but precisely because you are that, I want to use you for my glory. Will you refuse?»
«Little one, give me souls – insists Jesus -. Give me the souls of the poor street children. If you knew how it hurts, if you only knew, to see these poor children stained with sin. I desire the purity of your love. If you would only answer and bring me these souls. Take them out of the hands of the evil one. If you only knew how many little ones fall into sin every day. There are many nuns to take care of the rich and well-to-do, but for the poorest, mine, there is absolutely no one. I desire them, I love them. Will you refuse?»
A few more weeks passed. On January 6, 1948, Archbishop Périer called Mother Teresa and told her: «You can proceed.»
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