Memorial of Saint Teresa of Calcutta, virgin

In today’s Gospel, we hear Jesus say: “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath” (Luke 6:5). The NABRE commentary for verses 1-11 of the Gospel of Luke says: “… Jesus argues that satisfying human needs such as hunger and performing works of mercy take precedence even over the sacred sabbath rest.”

Today we remember Mother Teresa, a Saint who deeply understood what Jesus meant.

In his book, Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Personal Portrait, Monsignor Leo Maasburg relates: “I would even venture to say that she could not handle bread without thinking of the Eucharist. In her view, physical hunger and other sorts of neediness were always the expression of our hunger for Christ.” Later, Monsignor tells the story of what Mother told a journalist who asked for the secret of her worldwide success: “Every day, every morning, I receive Holy Communion.”

We cannot give what we don’t have. Jesus said that the sabbath was made for man (cf. Mark 2:27). We need worship that is only satisfied when we worship God. We have a thirst for God that is only satisfied when we satisfy His thirst through us.

“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40).

When we satisfy human needs, we are not putting the love of creatures above the love of God. That is how God asks to be loved. We are called to serve Jesus disguised among the least of us. This was the mystery Saint Teresa of Calcutta’s eyes clearly saw. In the midst of her own darkness, her sight focused on our crucified Lord. She got to know him so deeply in the Eucharist that she could recognize him where others don’t.

Let us pray:

Lord, help me fall more and more in love with you. Amen.