“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” – Matthew 25:40
Agnes Gonxha Bajaxhiu was born in Skopje, Macedonia. She made an early commitment at the age of 12 to follow her faith and serve the church. At the age of 18, she left home and joined the Sisters of Loreto. While going through her training, she changed her name to Sister Mary Teresa. Following her faith and her heart, she soon left for Calcutta to join the sisters who were working there as missionaries.
While in India, Sister Teresa witnessed hunger and suffering. She had been teaching at a catholic school but decided to leave the school to establish a place, in the slums, where the poor and unloved would find care. It took two years to establish her mission in Calcutta.
Mother Teresa continued to follow her heart and her faith. Her hard work and dedication to the “least of these” began to capture the attention of people all around the world. Soon other missionaries would join her cause. The Missionaries of Charity now have over 4,000 sisters and 300 brothers who lead thousands of volunteers in the poorest areas of 100 countries.
When Mother Teresa left her role as a teacher to care for the least among her, she had no idea where her new journey would lead. She only knew that she wanted to help. She knew that our faith teaches us to help those who need help and to love everyone. She devoted herself to helping others. It was a decision she never regretted.
Mother Teresa’s life is a testimony to the power of faith being lived out through service. Her acts of love and compassion remind us that we too can make a difference for our neighbors. When we remember that we are called to love our neighbors, without exception, God will work with us and through us to be a blessing to the world.
– Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
