Mother Teresa and Darkness

I have finally finished the book of Mother Teresa's letters. It is a wonderful book, but very hard going. She was a very complex person yet also very single minded in her what she felt was her mission. Hence, the pain in what she feared was the rejection of Christ was very real and very strong.

As I have noted earlier, some in the press have stated that these letters show that Mother Teresa was some sort of hypocrite or a secret atheist. Otters have argued that she was feeling "the dark night of the soul."

From reading her letters, however, I think it was in fact something else, something deeper. Was she simply reacting as any loving human being would to the poverty and rejection of the Indian slums? Or was she feeling spiritually the pain of loss and rejection felt by Christ on Calvary? Was it from God, or was it a reaction to her surroundings?

I cannot say. But what is clear from her letters is that she eventually welcomed the darkness as a gift from God. And despite this darkness, she never waived in her mission.

More on Mother Teresa's Dark Night

I am still reading Mother Teresa's letters. In the days she was forming her missionaries, she frankly was a pain. I feel for her bishop -- he was bombarded by constant letters begging him to grant permission for the Missionaries of Charity. He would tell her to be patient (he needed to get approval from others). Yet she refused to stop. She constantly felt our Lord's presence imploring her to do his will.

If was after she commenced her mission that her dark night began.

Mother Teresa before the "Dark Night"

I have started reading the collection of Mother Teresa's letters. As I noted here and here, the press has been reporting that Mother Teresa was some sort of atheist, without realizing that her cry was that of an anguished believer.

The interesting thing so far is that she felt her call so strongly. In letters written to her spiritual advisor and to her Archbishop asking for permission to start the Missionaries of Charity, she described it so vividly. Christ asked her to minister to the poorest of the poor and she felt that she could do nothing but answer that call. Her superiors of course were not quite so convinced. Her spiritual advisor suggested that she take some time to reflect, her Archbishop suggested that they delay any decision, while her superiors transferred her to a remote school.

Yet she continued with pursuing her call. She wrote constantly to her Archbishop, requesting a decision (one that he tried to delay or pass to otters). In these letters, you can almost hear the pleading voice of the humble nun. Considering how vivid and strong the call was, you can understand why her later struggles were so devastating to her.

Perhaps that is the lesson of Teresa, that when we hear and answer the call, it is then up to us to make it happen. God points in the direction he wants us to go, but then it is up to us to get there.

More on Mother Teresa

It seems that Mother Teresa's spiritual doubts have struck a cord in the blogsphere. The Anchoress has a wonderful essay on the subject, along with a round up of others. Despite the silly statements in the press that the letters show Mother Teresa was an atheist, the letters instead show the opposite. “My God my God, why have you abandoned me” is not the cry of an atheist, but the cry of a pained believer. But what is forgotten, is that the psalmist went on to state that “For God has not spurned or disdained the misery of this poor wretch, Did not turn away from me, but heard me when I cried out.” The psalm ends with the psalmist stating that he will teach the next generation of God, so they can proclaim Him to the generations to come.

The book of Mother Teresa's letters must be selling very well. Amazon tells me that the book will not be shipped until sometime in October. And why not? I want to read about a saint's "long dark night" to give me courage when my much weaker faith falters.

Mother Teresa and the Struggles of Faith

A book of Mother Teresa's letters was published recently. I ordered the book today. It shows a woman struggling with faith, to reconcile her faith with the poverty she saw around her. She felt abandoned by God and a hypocrite.

Of course, some of the press is saying that this proves Mother Teresa was an atheist.

Yet, I find the fact that she struggled with faith reassuring and proof of her saintly virtue. The saints are held up as examples to us. If they were purely angelic creatures without faults or doubts, what kind of examples would they be to us? They are human, and as such they have vices, frailties and failings. Yet, they overcome those failings.

All Christians struggle with faith. Did not most of the Apostles run from Jesus? Did not Peter actively deny Him? Was not Paul originally an oppressor of Christians? Did not Dorthy Day have an abortion? Was not Saint Augustine a libertine?

I have at times questioned my faith. At times I even actively denied it. I still struggle. If Mother Teresa could struggle yet overcome those doubts, I realize I might also.