MOTHER THERESA
BEGINNING-LESS SERVICE, ENDLESS SACRIFICE.
ONE SUMMER MORNING IN YUGOSLAVIA,
IN CHURCHGOING MACEDONIA,
THE HANDS OF PROVIDENCE,
STEER A LITTLE ALBANIAN GIRL.
IN A MONASTERY IN WHICH HANGS THE CRUCIFIX,
BEARING THE BLOODY TORTURE
OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
SURVIVED THE EXECUTION
WITH LIFE ENOUGH TO WHISPER,
FLESH AND BLOOD COULD UTTER,
A TREMBLING VOICE CRIES,
“ FATHER FORGIVE THEM,
FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO”
THE GREATEST LESSON TO MANKIND
FLOW FROM THE CROSS OF LOVE DIVINE,
“ I COME TO WASH THE SINS OF ANGRY WRATH,’’
WITH TORTURE TEARS DRIPPING FROM THE GORY CROSS.
‘’FORGIVE AND FORGET,
BECOME YE PERFECT, AS MY FATHER IN HEAVEN,
LISTEN TO THE HOLY VOICE,
BLESSED WITH WORDS OF WISDOM,
THE EVER ADORNING LAW,
IN THE LORD’S KINGDOM’’
AT AGE TWELVE TERESA BEGINS DAILY DISCIPLINE,
PRAYERS, INVOCATION, MEDITATION,
AT AGE EIGHTEEN TOOK THE OATH,
BECAME A NUN IN GLORIFYING FAITH.
ENLIST IN AN IRISH ORDER,
SISTERS OF LORETTO,
SENT TO INDIA FOR SPIRITUAL DUTY,
TAUGHT CATECHISM, BENEDICTION, GEOGRAPHY.
BORN TO SHOULDER RESPONSIBILITY,
TERESA DECIDES TO GO ON HER OWN,
TO WORK, LIVE WITH THE POOR,
STUDY BASIC MEDICINE,
BEGAN SERVICE DOOR TO DOOR.
TERESA LIVED WITH THE LEPERS,
THEY CALLED HER SAINT OF THE GUTTER,
TERESA WASHED AND CLEANSED,
THE HELPLESS VICTIMS,
THE LOWLIEST IN SCORN CRAWLING VERMIN.
MOTHER TERESA- ACCOMMODATES THE DESTITUTE,
TAUGHT THEM SOCIAL VALUES,
TRAINED THEM FOR PUBLIC DUTIES,
SERVICE TO THE HOMELESS, THE HOPELESS.
MOTHER TERESA- THE ARCH ANGEL,
DESCENDED TO TEACH A GREEDY WORLD,
THE TENDER MEANING OF LOVE,
REMOVE WALLS OF SEPARATION,
BUILD BRIDGES, HAND IN HAND, CO-OPERATION,
ONE FAMILY, LOVE AND VENERATION,
THE WHOLE WORLD- GOD’S CREATION.
THE CROSS- MY RAFT TO REDEMPTION,
BREATH OF HIS BREATH AM I,
SERVICE TO ALL IS SERVICE TO CHRIST.
MOTHER TERESA SAYS LOVE MEANS,
REVERENCE FOR ALL LIVING BEINGS,
NON VIOLENCE TOWARDS ALL THAT BREATHE,
THROW A TWIG FOR THE DROWNING ANT,
FLOWERS FOR THE BUSY BEE.
HONOUR NATURAL RELATIONSHIPS,
LIKENESS OF SPIRIT WITH SPIRIT,
TO LOVE IS TO FEEL THE SELF IN ALL,
SERVICE TO ALL IS SERVICE TO CHRIST.
TO SAVE A SCORPION IN A RUNNING STREAM,
IS MERCY IN SERVICE OF CHRIST,
LOVE IS LOVE COMPLETE,
COMPASSION- LOVE REPLETE.
AN ACT OF KINDNESS TO ANOTHER,
IS AN ACT OF KINDNESS OF SPIRIT TO SPIRIT,
KINDNESS IS LOVE, NO GIVER, NO RECEIVER.
LOVE IS A COMPLETE CIRCLE,
AN ACT OF GRACE,
A SACRED RULE OF THE HUMAN RACE.
IN NINETEEN FIFTY,
FOUNDED MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY,
HER MIRACLES PRECEDED HER MINISTRY,
THE MISSION SPREADS TO GLOBAL BORDERS,
HELP WENT TO MANY COUNTRIES.
IN POVERTY AND HUNGER.
TO RAISE THE FALLEN,
THE DOWNTRODDEN,
IS A SACRED DUTY,
IN SERVICE TO CHRIST,
THE HOLY SAVIOUR.
TERESA SAW THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ALL,
AND ALL IN JESUS,
AND A NEW CHAPTER, NOT I, YOU, MINE, WE, ALL, THEE, THINE,
EXPAND THE AGENDA,
ALL WORK TO THE CROSS, SURRENDER.
FAITH IN JESUS,
THE HOLY SACRAMENT,
THE HOLY SPIRIT,
IN ABIDING FULFILLMENT.
THE CRUCIFIX- A HOLY GARLAND,
SYMBOL OF SACRIFICE,
MOTHER TERESA- WEARS THE AGONY SHARES,
HEART TO HEART, THE PAINS OF CHRIST,
THE TORTURE ON THE CROSS,
THE ASCENDING MARTYR,
THE SUPREME ARTIST.
THE WORLD WITNESSED A SEA OF MIRACLES,
THE POWER OF LOVE,
A GLANCE WITH A SMILE,
IN SERVICE OF THE POOR,
THE WORLD, ONE FAMILY CIRCLE,
FAITH I JESUS, THY LORD, THY SAVIOUR.
MOTHER TERESA TRANSFORM THE LEPER COLONY,
FROM INSANITY, DISEASE, OBSCURITY,
INTO A BUSY CITY WITH GROWING PROSPERITY,
IN SERVICE OF JESUS CHRIST,
THE SELFLESS IMAGE OF SANCTITY,
REWARD-LESS DUTY, DESTINY.
DAILY ROUND THE CLOCK SERVICE,
NURSING, CARE, MEDICATIONS,
YOUNG GIRLS BREAK AWAY,
FROM CASTE TRADITIONS,
VOLUNTEER TO SERVE,
FOR LOVE AND LOYALTY.
FAITH IN JESUS,
THE HOLY SACRAMENT,
THE HOLY SPIRIT,
ALL IN ABIDING FULFILLMENT.
MOTHER TERESA- LOVE FOR JESUS,
LIKE A DROP OF WATER- LOST IN THE OCEAN,
GIVE UP ITS IDENTITY,
ALL IN ONENESS, NO SEPARATION.
LIKE THE SUNS RAYS LOVE SPREAD, NO LIMITATION,
LOVE HERE, LOVE THERE, LOVE EVERYWHERE.
AS THE RIVERS IN THE OCEAN MEET,
THE SAVIOUR WITH THE CROSS ALL FAITHFUL GREET.
STRENGTH IN CHRIST,
FAITH IN THE CROSS,
MY ONLY TREASURE,
MY CONSTANT PRAYER.
AS THE RIVERS MERGE WITH THE OCEAN,
ALL LIVING ALL LIFE THE WHOLE CREATION,
IN GRACE WITH JESUS CHRIST,
THE HEAVENLY REALISATION, THE FINAL DESTINATION.
THE PHENOMENON,
UNIQUE IN HER NATURAL SMILE,
GRACEFUL IN SERVICE, SIMPLE PROFILE.
WON NOBEL PEACE PRIZE,
THE WORLDS HIGHEST AWARD,
PRESTIGIOUS, ANONYMOUS,
THE AMERICAN GOLD MEDAL OF FREEDOM,
THE AMERICAN CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
THE PADMASHREE PRIZE,
POPE JOHN PEACE PRIZE,
THE UNITED NATIONS HUMANITY,
THE SUFFERING POOR SALUTE HER PROWESS,
HER NAME SOUNDS THE BELL,
THE HEART OF THE WORLD,
OPEN ITS FRAGRANT FLOWER,
IN HONOUR TO HER HUMILITY, HER CHARITY, HER CHASTITY,
IS THERE A PARALLEL?
WE SHALL SEE, WE SHALL FIND,
THE PUREST OF THE PERFECT SPLENDOUR.
……… By Pandit Birbal Singh
