Story of Compassion; Mother Teresa was the founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic congregation of women dedicated to helping the poor. She taught in India for 17 years before she received the call to dedicate her life to caring for the sick and indigent. The Missionaries of Charity established a hospice; homes for the blind, aged, and disabled. They also set up a leper colony.
Mother Teresa was of Albanian descent. Her father was an entrepreneur who worked as a trader of medicines and other goods.
Her father died in 1919, possibly from poisoning perpetrated by political enemies. Her mother, Drana Bojaxhiu, opened her home to the city's destitute to dine with the family. "My child, never eat a single mouthful unless you are sharing it with others," she counseled her daughter. She acquired the gift of compassion at an early age.
At age eighteen, she decided to enter the convent. She began her teaching career which culminated in becoming a high school principal.
On September 10th, 1946 she was on a train to Calcutta when she heard the voice of Christ saying "I want Indian Nuns, Missionaries of Charity, who would be my fire of love amongst the poor, the sick, the dying and the little children," she heard Christ say to her on the train that day. "You are I know the most incapable person-weak and sinful but just because you are that-I want to use You for My glory. Wilt thou refuse?"
Of course, she did not refuse and she and her order ministered tirelessly to the disenfranchised in India.
Moral of the Story: Mother Theresa did not amass great personal fortune. Apparently, she secured more than adequate funds for the Missionaries of Charity, but did not become financially wealthy herself. Her measure of success was measured by the compassion she brought to the poor and indigent in India. Is success always measured in terms of money? Is it always perceived as recognition? Or can it be recognized as a compassion based contribution to society? She based her life on the gift of compassion.
Quotes on Compassion:
Bob Marley"One love, one heart, one destiny." How can we be anything less than compassionate when we consider how intricately we are all woven together? Truly, we are all one. To whom do we extend that compassion? Do we seek shelter for the thousands of children coming in from South America to the detriment of our own poor and disenfranchised? I, for one, could not turn down a destitute child. If we work hard enough we can come up with solutions for all. I don't know where the answers lie, but I'm sure they can be found,.
John Green, Looking for Alaska. The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive."
Corrie Ten Boom found it in her heart to forgive those who murdered her family in German concentration camps. Joyce Meyer has forgiven her abusive father. And I have forgiven mine. Truly, the only way to escape suffering is to relinquish old hurts, fears, and transgressions.
Arthur Schopenhauer Compassion is the basis of morality." All moral actions are taken with the perspective of working for the good of all. When we think in terms of compassion, we want the best for everyone. When we act compassionately, we extend healing to others and to self. And when we make compassion the compass of our beliefs, we live and act for the betterment of the world.
Action Plan: Set aside anger and live in compassion. Set aside hurts and act out of love. Set aside pain and live from concern.
Practical Application to Your Life: Do you see yourself as compassionate? Do you see yourself as caring? Do you see yourself as unselfish? Set the intention to exist out of concern for yourself and others. Become politically involved. Become a mentor for someone who needs a hand up. Set the intention to help, to serve, and to encourage.
Weekly Take Away: We have 86,400 minutes in every day. Don't let any of them go to waste. Set aside time to think, act, and live out of compassion.
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