Mother Teresa

Today is the anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, now known as Blessed (and certainly someday "Saint") Teresa of Calcutta.

I believe she is a powerful intercessor for all families, and maybe in particular for homeschooling and homesteading moms and dads (or those who want to be). What could a "little, old nun" know about the challenges of raising children in today's world? Evidently quite a lot! (The following quotes, attributed to Mother Teresa, were collected from the Mother's Wisdom website... all added emphasis is my own.)

"To parents: It is very important that children learn from their fathers and mothers how to love one another--not in the school, not from the teacher, but from you. It is very important that you share with your children the joy of that smile. There will be misunderstandings; every family has its cross, its suffering. Always be the first to forgive with a smile. Be cheerful, be happy."

"Today we see more and more that all the suffering in the world has started from the home. Today we have no time even to look at each other, to talk to each other, to enjoy each other, and still less to be what our children expect from us, what the husband expects from the wife, what the wife expects from the husband. And so more and more we are out of our homes and less and less in touch with each other."

"Maybe in our own family we have somebody who is feeling lonely, who is feeling sick, who is feeling worried. Are we there? Let us know the poor in our own families first. We have old people: they are put in institutions [isn't it the case that most American children are also put in institutions?] and they are never visited; with less and less time even to smile at each other, with less and less time to be together. Love begins at home, if we can only make our own homes temples of love."

Dearest Mother Teresa, pray for us all, that our homes may become sanctuaries of grace, that our lives may shine as lights in the darkness, and that we may all love and serve the poor as you did. Amen!