The secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with Him the hope of all glorious things to come.
Colossians 1:27 (Phillips)
In 1988, Katie and I had the wonderful privilege of spending part of a day with Mother Teresa, at her haven of help and hope in Calcutta, India. How wonderful to speak personally to the little saint in the white sari with blue trim. She and her Sisters of Mercy left comfortable positions in life to become one with the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the dying in 120 countries.
In the book, Mother Teresa-A Simple Path, she encourages all Christians to translate their beliefs into love-in-action in our daily living.
These trying days are an especially good time to apply Mother Teresa's five essential steps for peace. Focus on others-many of whom are wounded and hurting in ways they have never expected or experienced. As we struggle through this time of Coronavirus, we should heed Mother Teresa's call to this way of living life, the Simple Path:
The fruit of silence is
PRAYER.
The fruit of prayer is
FAITH.
The fruit of faith is
LOVE.
The fruit of love is
SERVICE.
The fruit of service is
PEACE.
Do you have anything to offer? Is your "fruit basket" empty? Can you make a difference? Will you? If you find yourself saying, "No", or if silence and prayer are unfamiliar, Mother Teresa proves that we can accomplish something EXTRAORDINARY by doing something ORDINARY-WITH LOVE, just one attempt at a time.
HYMN:
Hope of this world, God's gift from highest heaven,
Bringing to hungry souls the bread of life,
Still let thy spirit unto us be given,
To heal earth's wounds and end all bitter strife.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, Dwell in my every thought, word and action that I may give loving service to all with whom I associate. Amen.
Rev. Donald Hodges