One of the most powerful testimonies of the power and the work of the Holy Spirit in our time was Mother Teresa of Calcuta.
Mother Teresa took care of the persons, giving her total attention to everyone. She treated every person as if at the moment when they met that person was the most important one in the world. She did this with everyone, but especially with those that she called, "The poorest of the poor", or those who really "Were not loved" by others.
Mother Teresa literally experienced Jesus Himself in the souls of those who "were not loved" and that was the reason that she lived what she taught when she said:
"Jesus is the hungry person
Who needs to be fed.
Jesus is the naked person
Who needs to be clothed.
Jesus is the sick one
Who needs to be healed.
Jesus is the rejected one
Who we need to welcome.
Jesus is the little one
Who needs our hug.
Jesus is the blind one
Who needs our guidance.
Jesus is the deaf one
Who needs that we talk to him/her.
Jesus is the addict
Who needs our help.
Jesus is the prisoner
Who needs our visit.
Jesus is the poor one
Who needs our help. …"
Mother Teresa literally saw Jesus very clearly in our brothers and sisters in need, and she acted accordingly.
And we also should do the same!
Mother Teresa was not afraid of "getting her hands dirty" to be able to serve her brothers and sisters in need… Mother Teresa frequently chose the persons most difficult to clean and bathe them. In Calcutta, when the very sick were not clean, they died very soon. The Sisters constantly cleaned and continue to clean the sick and the dying, the houses of the poor, themselves and their saris and everything in their convents. Mother Teresa took the less desirable tasks and she focused on cleaning the toilets. Mother Teresa did not have a problem recognizing that. She said, "I am a specialist in that, probably the worldwide specialist in cleaning the toilets!"
For her, that was one of the practices that countered her pride and kept her humble. To be able to be filled of the Holy Spirit, you and I need to learn humility. Humility is so attractive to the Holy Spirit!
Humility and the acts of humility can give us great joy!
My dear friends, my question for you is: Are you ready to "get your hands dirty" for God and his people?
Are you ready to really get involved to get to the others with the love of Jesus — even though this means sacrificing yourselves as, without doubt, you have to do?
Are you ready to "clean toilets" to serve our brothers and sisters?
Are you ready to "get your hands dirty" to do what Mother Teresa said that we have to do: welcome those who are "not loved," the stranger and the poor and in this way minister Jesus Himself?
Mother Teresa urged, "Do little things with great love!"
Let us pay attention to the words of Mother Teresa, who said, "Together, let us do something wonderful for God!"
Father Mugavero is the pastor of the Holy Apostles Church in Rochester.
