Mother Teresa on Mother Mary
The following passages are quotations of Mother Teresa from the book "Jesus, The Word to be spoken," compiled by Father Angelo D. Scolozzi.
1. It is very, very important for us to have a deep love for our Lady. For she was the one who taught Jesus how to walk, how to pray, how to wash, how to do all the little things that make our human life so beautiful. She had to do them. And the same thing now—--she will always be willing to help us and teach us how to be all for Jesus alone, how to love only Jesus, how to touch him and see him, to serve him in the distressing disguise. (May 1)
2. Mary was a true missionary because she was not afraid to be the handmaid of the Lord. She went in haste to put her beautiful humility into a living action of love, to do the handmaid’s work for Elizabeth. We know what this humility obtained for the unborn child: he “leapt with joy” in the womb of his mother—--the first human being to recognize the coming of Christ; and then the mother of the Lord sang with joy, with gratitude, and praise. (May 2)
3. The greatness of our Lady was in her humility. No wonder Jesus, who lived so close to her, seemed to be so anxious that we learn from him and from her but one lesson: to be meek and humble of heart. (May 3)
4. No one has learned so well the lesson of humility as Mary did. She, being the handmaid of the Lord, was completely empty of self, and God filled her with grace. “Full of grace” means full of God. A handmaid is at someone’s disposal, to be used according to someone’s wish with full trust and joy, to belong to someone without reserve. This is one main reason for the spirit of the Society.
Total surrender: to be at God’s disposal, to be used as it pleases him, to be his handmaid, to belong to him. (May 4)
5. She will teach us her humility: though full of grace—--yet only the handmaid of the Lord; though the mother of God—--yet serving like a handmaid in the house of Elizabeth; though conceived Immaculate—--she meets Jesus humiliated, carrying his cross, and near the cross she stands as one of us, as if she were a sinner needing redemption.
Like her, the greater are the graces we have received, let us with greater and more delicate love touch the lepers, the dying, the lonely, the unwanted.
Like her, let us always accept the cross in whatever way it may come.
Humility of the heart of Mary, fill my heart. Teach me as you taught Jesus to be meek and humble of heart and so glorify our Father. (May 5)
6. Let us beg from our Lady to make our hearts “meek and humble” like her Son’s was. It was from her and in her that the heart of Jesus was formed. (May 6)
7. How much we can learn from our Lady! She was so humble because she was all for God. She was full of grace. She made use of the almighty power that was in her: the grace of God. (May 7)
8. See how our Lady obeyed the angel: “Be it done to me according to thy word.” Whose word? The angel’s—--because he took the place of God. He was sent by God to her. She, the queen of heaven, obeys the angel. See how she obeyed St. Joseph, with what love and submission, without an excuse. To her, St. Joseph was “He” whose place he took. (May 8)
9. Our Lady was full of God because she lived for God alone, yet she thought of herself only as the handmaid of the Lord. Let us do the same. (May 9)
10. We read in the Gospel that God loved the world so much that he gave his Son. He gave him to an ordinary, simple, young woman. She was the most pure, the most holy human being. And she on receiving him—--knowing who he was—--just said, “Humble me. Be done to me according to thy Word.” What was the Word? “Be the mother of Jesus.” And that’s why I always say, no one in the world could have been a better priest than Mary the most pure. Yet she remained only the handmaid of the Lord. Jesus did not consecrate her a priest. (May 10)
11. During this time of grace let us, in a special way, ask our Lady to teach us her silence, her kindness, her humility.
Silence of Mary speak to me, teach me how with you and like you I can learn to keep all things in my heart as you did, not to answer back when accused or corrected, to pray always in the silence of my heart as you did. (May 11)
12. Let us ask our Lady to be with us. Let us ask her to give us her heart so beautiful, so pure, so immaculate—--her heart so full of love and humility that we may be able to receive Jesus as the bread of life, that we may love him as she loved him and serve him in the distressing disguise of the poor. (May 12)
13. We have all tried in some way or another to be a real joy to our Lady. So often during the day, we call her the “cause of our joy” because the joy of her Son is our strength. Let us promise that we will make our community, our family, another Bethlehem, another Nazareth. Let us love each other as we love Jesus. In Nazareth there was love, unity, prayer, sacrifice, and hard work; and there was especially a deep understanding and appreciation of each other and thoughtfulness for each other. (May 13)
14. We need a very deep life of prayer to be able to love as he loves each one of us. We must ask our Lady, “Dear mother, teach me to love, prepare me.” It’s not enough just to join a priesthood or a brotherhood or sisterhood. That’s not enough. We need to be more and more humble like Mary and holy like Jesus. If only we are humble like Mary, we can be holy like Jesus. That’s all: holy like the Lord. (May 14)
15. Because God loves the world he sent his Son. Now he sends you to be his Word, and that Word has to take flesh in the hearts of the people. That’s why you need our Lady; when the Word of God came to her, became flesh in her, then she gave it to others. It is the same for you. The Word of God has come to you and has become flesh in you and then you must be able to give that love. (May 15)
16. Mary in the mystery of her annunciation and visitation is the very model of the way you should live, because first she received Jesus in her life, then she went in haste to give to her cousin Elizabeth; what she had received, she had to give. You must be like her, giving in haste the word you have received in meditation. In every Holy Communion, Jesus the Word becomes flesh in our life, a special, delicate, beautiful gift of God; it’s a privilege—--why you, the members of the third order, and not someone else, I don’t know. But you must protect it with tender care because he is giving himself, the Word, to you to be made flesh, to each one of you, and to those who will come after. (May 16)
17. Let us beg from our Lady to make our hearts “meek and humble” as her Son’s was. It was from her and in her that the heart of Jesus was formed. Let us all try during this month to practice humility and meekness. We learn humility through accepting humiliations cheerfully. Do not let a chance pass you by. It is so very easy to be proud, harsh, moody, and selfish---so easy. But we have been created for greater things; why stoop down to things that will spoil the beauty of our hearts? How much we can learn from our Lady! She was so humble because she was all for God. She was full of grace. She made use of the almighty power that was in her, the grace of God. (Dec 8)
18. Cheerfulness and joy was our Lady’s strength. This made her a willing handmaid of God, her Son, for as soon as he came to her she “went in haste.” Only joy could have given her the strength to go in haste over the hills of Judea to do the work of handmaid to her cousin. So with us too; we like her must be true handmaids of the Lord and daily after Holy Communion go in haste, over the hills of difficulties we meet in giving wholehearted service to the poor. Give Jesus to the poor as the handmaid of the Lord. (Dec 27)
The following passages are quotations of Mother Teresa from the book "Love: A Fruit always in Season" edited by Dorothy S. Hunt.
1. To be a handmaiden (23)
May our Mother be a mother to each one of us and so the cause of our joy. And may each one of us be Jesus to her and so become the cause of her joy. No one learned the lesson of humility as well as Mary did. She Was the handmaiden. To be a handmaiden is to be at someone’s disposal—--to be used according to someone’s wish—--with full trust and joy. Cheerfulness and joy were Our Lady’s strength. Only joy could have given her the strength to go in haste over the hills of Judea to do the work of handmaiden to her cousin. So let us go in haste over the hills of difficulties (The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 89).
2. Learn from Our Lady (24)
How much we can learn from Our Lady. She was so humble because she was all for God. She was full of grace and she made use of the almighty power that was in her—--the grace of God.
The most beautiful part of Our Lady was that, when Jesus came into her life, immediately she went in haste to Elizabeth to give Jesus to her and her son. And we read in the Gospel that the child “leapt with joy” at this first contact with Christ. Our Lady was the most wonderful wire. She allowed God to fill her to the brim, so by her surrender, “be it unto me according to thy word”, she became full of grace which she went to pass on to John. So let us ask God to use us now to go round the world, especially in our own communities, and continue connecting the wires of the hearts of men to the current, Jesus (Life in the Spirit, 22).
3. Mary, the Mother of God (41)
Mary is the Mother of God, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mother of the Church.
She is the Mother of the whole world because when the angel gave her the news, the Good News, that she would become the Mother of Christ, it was at that time, by accepting to become the handmaid of the Lord, that she accepted to be our Mother also, for the whole of mankind. Mother Mary is the hope of mankind.
She has given us Jesus . . . (A Gift for God, 47—48).
4. Sharing what she received (153)
Our Lady, . . . the most beautiful of all women, the greatest the humblest, the most pure, the most holy, the moment she felt she was full of grace, full of Jesus, went in haste—--and here she is a model for all women—--by sharing immediately what she had received. This is, so to say, like the breaking of the Eucharist; and we know what happened to Saint John the Baptist; he leaped with joy at the presence of Christ (Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Biography, 196).
5. Mary, the first altar (153)
“God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16) and I think that was the first Eucharist, the giving of the Son whom God gave to Our Lady, and Our Lady was the first altar, and she was the one who can in all sincerity say, “This is my body.” For she gave her body, her strength, her whole being in making the body of Christ. In her the power of the Holy Spirit dwelled and the Word was made flesh, and she in turn in surrendering herself in total surrender to the living God, when this coming of Christ was announced to her through the angel, asked only one question.
She had offered her virginity, her chastity, her purity to God; and had to keep her promise; but when the angel explained how it would be, she answered with the beautiful words: “I am the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to your word” (Luke 1:3-8) (Mother Teresa of Calcutta: A Biography, 195—196).
6. Silence, kindness, humility (154)
Mary can teach us silence—--how to keep all things in our hearts as she did, to pray in the silence of our hearts.
Mary can teach us kindness—--she went in haste to serve Elizabeth. “They have no wine”, she told Jesus at Cana. Let us, like her, be aware of the needs of the poor, be they spiritual or material and let us, like her, give generously of the love and grace we are granted.
Mary will teach us humility—--though full of grace yet only the handmaid of the Lord, she stands as one of us at the foot of the Cross, a sinner needing redemption. Let us, like her, touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work (Life in the Spirit, 22—23).
7. Nothingness (155)
Take your eyes away from yourself and rejoice that you have nothing, are nothing, can do nothing. Give Jesus a big smile each time your nothingness frightens you. Cling to Our Lady, for she too, before she could become full of grace, full of Jesus, had to go through that darkness (Unpub.).
8. Make our hearts meek and humble (155)
Let us ask Our Lady to make our hearts “meek and humble” as her Son’s was. It is so very easy to be proud and harsh and selfish—--so easy; but we have been created for greater things. How much we can learn from Our Lady! She was so humble because she was all for God. She was full of grace (A Gift for God, 49).
9. Continual trusting (156)
Our Lady had to declare that she was the handmaid of the Lord before God could fill her. Even seeing Jesus die, Our Lady trusted God. . . . Our Lady became the Mother of Sorrows because she said yes continually with full trust and joy, trusting in Him without reserve (Unpub.).
10. Ask Our Lady for help (164)
. . .So let us ask Our Lady to help us to keep our hearts pure so that we can love Christ, her Son, with tenderness and love. . .
Let us ask Our Lady, in a very special way: Mary, mother of Jesus, be a Mother to each of us, that we, like you, may be pure in heart, that we, like you, love Jesus; that we, like you, serve the poorest, for we are all poor . . . (The Co-Worker Newsletter, 26).
11. Mary nourishes life of Christ in us (187)
Mary, under her Divine Son, has sovereign dominion in the administration of supernatural graces and benefits of God’s Kingdom. She is our Mother because in her love she cooperated in our spiritual rebirth. She continues to be our Mother by nourishing the life of Christ in us (The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 100).
12. A spotless mirror of God’s love (187)
Today will be one of the most beautiful feasts of Our Lady. She fulfills her role as cause of our joy. Do we really know why we love Our Lady so much? Because she was the spotless mirror of God’s love . . . (The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 79).
13. What a long Holy Communion! (188)
I wish you the joy of Our Lady, who because she was humble of heart could hold Jesus for nine months in her bosom. What a long Holy Communion! (The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 94)
14. Love for Our Lady (188)
During this month ask from the Sacred Heart one very special grace—--love for Our Lady. Ask Him to help you love her as He loved her . . . and be a cause of joy to her as He was. Share everything with Mary, even the cross—--as Jesus did (Unpub.).
15. Full of zeal to give Jesus to others (188)
Like Mary, let us be full of zeal to go in haste to give Jesus to others. Like her, we too become full of grace every time we receive Jesus in Holy Communion (Unpub.).
16. “Be a Mother to me now” (189)
Keep Mary very close to you, very close. .
Two poor people came to our house and they said: “We are married sixteen years, and we have no children. We are longing to have a baby. Will you pray for us, do something?” So I gave them a miraculous medal. They were both Hindu, but I gave miraculous medal, and I told them: “Say often during the day: ‘Mary, the Mother of Jesus, give us a baby.’”
And they prayed. And they prayed. They must have prayed God knows how many times during the day. And after two, three months, I think, the man came to me and said: “Mother, my wife is expecting a baby.”
See? You must have the deep confidence in her. She’s Mother of Jesus. She’s our Mother; and she will never, never allow anything to happen to a family because she loves you, and her Son loves you tenderly. Ask her again and again to be a Mother to you.
I find this little prayer a great help, and when I need something—--what do you say?—--in advance, tell Our Lady: “Mary, Mother of Jesus, be Mother to me now!” (Talk 3).
17. “Make our hearts ‘meek and humble’” (190)
Let us beg Our Lady to make our hearts “meek and humble” like her Son’s was. It was from her and in her that the heart of Jesus was formed. We learn humility through accepting humiliation cheerfully. We have been created for greater things; why stoop down to things that will spoil the beauty of our hearts? How much can we learn from Our Lady! She made use of the almighty power that was in her. Tell Our Lady to tell Jesus, “They have no wine”, the wine of humility and meekness, of kindness, of sweetness . . . (The Love of Christ: Spiritual Counsels, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, 75—76).
The following passages are quotations of Mother Teresa from the book "Thirsting for God," compiled by Father Angelo D. Scolozzi.
1. JANUARY 11
Eleven days have already gone this year. The days will go very fast. Let us not forget how Mary set out in haste in the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin Elizabeth. God chose Mary because she was full of grace and yet so full of humility. The coming of Jesus into her life generated within her great zeal and charity—--zeal to bring Jesus to others through works of charity.
When the fullness of grace became one with the Word of God in her, the fruit of that union was Mary’s service of love to her neighbor. She didn’t dwell on the Son of God within her or on the joy and sorrow that were to be hers as the Mother of God and men.
2. JANUARY 30
Covenant of Consecration to Mary—--to Satiate the Thirst of Jesus
Mary, Mother of Jesus and my mother, moved by a burning desire to live in the closest union with you possible in this life, so as to more surely and fully come to union with your Son, and with you to discover the mystery of his thirst, I resolve to keep this covenant of consecration with you as faithfully and as generously as I am able to with your help.
Since Jesus from the cross gave you to me, I take you as my own. And since Jesus gave me to you, take me as your own. I entrust myself and all I do entirely to you, that you may share your life and heart with me. I give you complete power over me and all that belongs to me, both material and spiritual, that as a mother you may nourish Jesus’ thirst within me.
Mary, I depend on you totally as a child on its mother, that in return you may possess me, protect me, and transform me into Jesus. May the light of your faith dispel the darkness of my mind; may your profound humility take the place of my pride; may your contemplation replace the distractions of my wandering imagination; and may your virtues take the place of my sins. Lead me deeper into the mystery of the cross that you may share your experience of Jesus’ thirst with me.
0 most pure heart of Mary, allow me to enter your heart, to share your interior life. You see and know my needs, help me to do “whatever Jesus tells me” ... that my human needs may be changed into thirst for God alone. I desire to discover, satiate, and proclaim Jesus’ thirst, but I know all too well my weakness, nothingness, and sin. Mother, may this covenant of consecration with you be the hidden strength in my life that you may use me to satiate your Son to the full. Let this be my only joy ... and you will be the cause of that joy.
Sweet Lord, thy thirst for souls I satiate with my burning love, all for thee. My chalice will be filled with love, sacrifices made all for thee. Evermore, I will quench thy thirst, Lord. Evermore, I will quench thy thirst, Lord, for souls; in union with Mary, our Queen, I will quench thy thirst.
3. FEBRUARY 11
A gentleman of the Protestant faith, the son-in-law of Malcolm Muggeridge, told me: “I love you, your work, everything I see, but there is one thing I do not understand: Our Lady. You are full of Mary.” I replied to him: “No Mary, no Jesus’ mother, no son.”
A few months later he sent me a card with these words printed in big letters: “I believe, no Mary, no Jesus! This has changed my life.”
4. FEBRUARY 22
Resist anything that leads to moodiness. Our prayer each day should be, “Let the joy of the Lord be my strength.” Cheerfulness and joy were Our Lady’s strength. This made her a willing handmaid of God. Only joy could have given her the strength to go in haste over the hills of Judea to her cousin Elizabeth, there to do the work of a handmaid. If we are to be true handmaids of the Lord, then we too, each day, must go cheerfully in haste over the hills of difficulties.
5. February 24
We have dedicated ourselves to give wholehearted free service to the poor. Do they rejoice in our service? When they see us, do their hearts leap for joy as St. John’s did in his mother’s womb when Mary brought Jesus into his house? Do we really go to the poor filled with Jesus, as Mary was, always ready to give only Jesus to the poor? Is our service to the poor devoted and tender? Do we serve them as Mary served Elizabeth?
6. MARCH 9
St. Paul said, “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” You must come to the conviction that with Jesus, you can do all things. Even the weakness that troubles you, you can get rid of with him.
Sometimes, in the church, there is a struggle when we see one another’s weakness. Unless we have trust, it is impossible to live a pure and holy life. We must have respect for each other. We must realize that if God chose me, he chose you, too. If he trusts me, he trusts you, too. We should find out what is nice in the other person and bow to Jesus in the heart of that person. Deepen your love for one another.
Learn from Our Lady to have the same trust that she placed in St. Joseph. Learn from Our Lady, who, when she saw Jesus humiliated and scourged, was not afraid to claim him as her son. Let us pray to her to fill our hearts with that trust so that nothing and nobody will separate us from the love of Christ.
7. MARCH 24
The most wonderful part of redemption began in such a humble way. God did not send Gabriel to the palace of the great and rich but to the young girl Mary in the one-room cottage at Nazareth. She asked but one question of the angel who announced she would be the mother of the Savior: How could this be? And when he explained, she, being full of grace, offered herself as the handmaid of the Lord.
This was why she was chosen, because although she was full of grace, she was also full of humility. She didn’t think of the grace of the Son of God within her. She didn’t dwell on the joy and sorrow that were hers as the Mother of God and of mankind. She only thought of how to serve, of how to fulfill her vocation as the handmaid of the Lord.
8. MARCH 25
The Annunciation was Our Lady’s first community day. Mary entrusted the angel with a deep loving trust because he brought the Good News, he was God’s messenger. This is our spirit too.
Just think of almighty God in the womb of Mary, locked in. He had to cling helplessly to his mother. This was the total surrender of Christ. Again, nailed to the cross, he could not move. Again today, he is bound in the tabernacle. This is total surrender.
9. MARCH 26
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.” When Mary heard this greeting of the angel, she was troubled and wondered what it might mean. Even Mary, sinless and perfect, was troubled and wondered. She was not a statue without human feelings but was like you and me in many ways.
And then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, for nothing is impossible with God. You shall bear a son and name him Jesus.” And Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done unto me according to your word.”
10. MARCH 29
Mary had a call and a mission, and she went through a process of discernment to accept them. She responded to the angel in obedience and rejoiced, saying “yes.” All mankind rejoices with her in her “yes.” She had been chosen as the Queen of Heaven and Earth, yet she did not go in search of glory or even to tell Joseph. The first thing she did as the Mother of God was to go in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth.
11. MARCH 30
See how Our Lady obeyed the angel, responding, “Be it done unto me according to your word.” Whose word? The angel’s, who took the place of God, being sent by God to her. She, the Queen of Heaven, obeyed an angel. See how she obeyed St. Joseph, with love and submission, without any excuse.
12. APRIL 12
Let us beg Our Lady to make our hearts as meek and humble as her Son’s. From her and within her the heart of Jesus was formed. We can learn much from Our Lady, who was so humble because she was all for God.
13. APRIL 14
Our lives are founded on Jesus and Mary and so we ask ourselves: What was their total surrender? Scripture tells us that Jesus, though he was God, “did not count equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men.” This was complete surrender, but it can be difficult to understand Jesus because he is God. Mary, however, is completely one of us. She loved, she surrendered, she emptied herself.
14. MAY 1
People all over the world offer Mary, our mother, beautiful gifts and cover her altar with flowers. We have no material gifts to offer her but let us give her flowers of kindness, the flower of a welcoming smile. On this beautiful feast day, let us crown her with the fragrant flowers of love, gentleness, meekness, and humility toward one another.
15. MAY 2
Mary thought only of how to serve, of how to fulfill her vocation as handmaid of the Lord.
The life of Mary is so much like ours. When God first called us, he had prepared us through our parents and friends, just as he had prepared Mary He sent his messenger to the poor—--to Mary—--to tell of his choice just as he tells us of his choice of us. Our first question was also like Mary’s: How can this be? How can we become Missionaries of Charity? Then we, with Our Lady, declared before heaven and earth: Behold, the handmaid of the Lord, behold, I come to do God’s will.
16. MAY 4
Mary showed complete trust in God by agreeing to be used as an instrument in his plan of salvation. She trusted him in spite of her nothingness because she knew he who is mighty could do great things in her and through her. Once she said “yes” to him, she never doubted. She was just a young woman, but she belonged to God and nothing nor anyone could separate her from him.
17. MAY 6
Holiness is not a luxury reserved for a few but a simple duty for each of us. Holiness is a great thing, but it becomes very simple when we belong fully to Our Lady. If we turn constantly to Our Lady, she will teach us how to grow in holiness through obedience. Our sanctification is her main duty. When we really belong to Mary, we will find obedience to be the greatest means for growing in holiness and living in the constant presence of God.
18. MAY 10
Scripture tells us that Mary pondered Jesus’ words in her heart. When we have received the Living Bread and are communicating with Christ in our heart, we should remember what Our Lady must have felt when the Holy Spirit overpowered her and she was full of grace—--filled with the body of Christ, her child, within her. The Spirit within her was so strong that immediately she rose and went in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth.
Each Holy Communion, each breaking of the Bread of Life, should produce a similar response in us. The same Jesus who came to Mary and was made flesh comes to us and becomes our life. Like her, we should be in haste to give this life of Jesus to others.
19. MAY 11
Let us beg Our Lady to make our hearts as meek and humble as her Son’s was. It is from her and in her that the heart of Jesus was formed.
How much we can learn from Mary! She was humble because she was all for God. She was full of grace and so the Almighty could use her. We need to say to Our Lady: “Tell Jesus that we have no wine”—--the wine of meekness, humility, of kindness and sweetness. She is sure to say to us, “Do whatever he tells you.”
20. May 14
It will console our Lord and make our mother Mary very happy if we try to understand the importance of obedience. Obedience to the will of God begets in our soul unfailing peace, inward joy, and close union with him. Let us renew our commitment to this obedience at the cross of Jesus, thinking especially of the wound in his right foot. Have you noticed that usually, when we walk, we put our right foot first? So let us renew our commitment there, at the wound in his foot, acknowledging that we will not take even one step except in obedience.
21. MAY 15
Let us ask the Lord to grant us one very special grace—--to love Our Lady, especially through all the work we do for Jesus, with Jesus, and to Jesus. We must ask him to deepen our love for Mary, making it more personal and intimate. We want to:
Love her as he loved her.
Be a cause of joy to her as he was.
Keep close to her as he did.
Share everything with her, even the cross, as he did when she stood near the cross on Calvary.
We must love her unconditionally, trust her fully, abandon ourselves to her totally and without reserve. Nothing is impossible for those who call Mary their mother. During the day, let us often raise our hearts to her and ask her how we can love God as she loved him, that we, too, can love him with her heart.
22. MAY 16
Our Lady knows us by heart and she will lead us to the surest and quickest path to holiness. Remember that scene in the Gospel at the marriage feast at Cana? Only Mary noticed that the wine was running short. She felt bad for the young couple and wanted to spare them the humiliation of not having enough for their guests. What did she do? Without making any fuss, she quietly approached Jesus and simply said, “They have no wine.”
See the charity of Mary! See how she noticed the needs of others and was so delicate in speaking to Jesus.
23. MAY 17
What if the servant at the wedding feast had not obeyed Jesus’ simple request to fill the pots with water and serve the guests? If he had not obeyed, we would not have the joy of knowing Jesus’ love for his Mother and the Mother’s faith in the power of her Son. She still tells us, “Do whatever he tells you.” Obey and you will experience the joy of loving and being loved.
24.May 26
Let us give Mary full liberty to use us for the glory of her Son, for if we really belong to her then our holiness is secure. We can only learn love for Mary on our knees and through the rosary. Let us improve our praying of the rosary, and let us ask Mary to teach us how to pray as she taught Jesus in all the years he was with her in Nazareth. Our Lady is the mother of the church and our mother, a woman of purity, poverty, obedience, and charity. Bring Our Lady fully into your life at home and in the homes of the poor.
25. JUNE 14
Do not let the past disturb you—--just bury everything in the Sacred Heart and begin again with joy. Make a real effort to grow in true love, reparation, and forgiveness. Try to make your home a place where Our Lord can come and rest for awhile with you.
Jesus has promised to write in his heart all those who spread devotion to his Sacred Heart. Jesus cannot deceive us—--our names are written in his heart. Let us ask one very special grace from the Sacred Heart: Love for Our Lady through all the work we do for Jesus, with Jesus, and to Jesus. Ask him to deepen our love so that it is more personal and intimate.
26. July 30
It was her humility that drew God to Mary. She was so free because she was so poor. She was so pure, so full of grace that God could use her very life to give life to his Son, Jesus. God used her flesh and blood to form the body and blood of Jesus. This body and blood he poured out from the cross as a redeeming means of forgiveness and greater love. And something very wonderful happened as the last drop of blood mingled with the water from his wounded heart: His last thought was for his mother, that she would have someone to love her. Jesus gave her to John, his beloved, to take his place. John, in his love for Jesus, took her to be his own mother.
Could Jesus, during the sacrifice of the Mass, say the same to us: “Behold, your mother”? Is our love so tender, our heart so pure, that we could take her to ourselves as John did? At every Mass, we, too, have the chance to take her as our own. We need only believe. When we receive Jesus in Holy Communion, let us ask her to come to us and teach us how to take care of him as she did at Nazareth. We have a beautiful opportunity to take care of him in the poor and to be real contemplatives at the heart of the world.
27. AUGUST 1
The feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, is drawing near. Our preparation for the great day should be that of deep, humble gratitude to God. Let us ask two special graces from Our Lady: The grace of perseverance in our beautiful vocation, and delicate love for God’s poor. The greatness of Our Lady was in her humility. No wonder Jesus wanted to live so close to her. We learn from him and from her one lesson: To be meek and humble of heart.
28. AUGUST 14
Eve of the Feast of the Assumption
0 heart of Mary, heart of the tenderest of mothers, cause of our joy, we consecrate ourselves unreservedly to you, our hearts, our bodies, our souls. We desire to belong to you in life and in death. You know, 0 Immaculate Mother, that your divine Son has chosen us in his infinite mercy, in spite of our misery and sinfulness, not only as his children and his spouses but also as his victims to console his divine heart in the sacrament of his love, to atone for sacrileges and to obtain pardon for poor sinners.
We come today to offer him, through your most pure heart, the entire sacrifice of ourselves. Of our own free choice, we renounce all the desires and inclinations of our corrupt nature and we accept willingly and lovingly whatever sufferings he may be pleased to send us. But conscious of our weakness we implore you, 0 Holy Mother, to shield us with your maternal protection and to obtain from your divine son all the graces we need to persevere.
Bless this house and each soul confided to our care, our relations, friends, and benefactors, that all may persevere in grace or recover it if lost. When the hour of death comes, may our hearts, modeled on your Immaculate Heart, breathe forth their last sign into the heart of your divine Son. Amen.
29. AUGUST 22
Feast of the Missionaries of Charity
May Mary be a mother to each of us, the cause of our joy. May we be Jesus to her, the cause of her joy. No one has learned humility as Mary did. The handmaid of the Lord was completely empty of self and God filled her with grace, with himself. To be a handmaid means to be at someone’s disposal, to be used according to someone’s wishes. It means to belong to someone without reserve, with full trust and joy. Our Lady was a willing handmaid of the Lord. Cheerfulness and joy were her strength.
30. SEPTEMBER I
During this month of September, as we celebrate four feasts of our Lady [8th-Birthday, 12th-Name of Mary, 15th-Sorrow, 24th-Compassion], let us learn from her: humility, purity, sharing, and thoughtfulness. We will then, like Mary, become holy people, being able to look up and see only Jesus; our light and example will be only Jesus; and we will be able to spread his fragrance everywhere we go. We will flood our souls with his Spirit and so in us, through us, and with us glorify the Father.
31. SEPTEMBER 9
Immaculate Heart of Mary, our Queen and Mother, be more and more our way to Jesus, the light of Jesus, and the life of Jesus in each one of us. In return for this gift, let us be more and more a cause of joy to one another, the way of peace to one another, and the living love of Jesus for one another.
32. SEPTEMBER 12
I like these words, “Mary went in haste.” Mary is not only our mother, but our way to Jesus. See what Mary said at the wedding: “Do what he tells you.” Jesus can and will do great things if we do what he tells us. Obedience is not meant to be a torture or that I have to do it, but it is meant to be a joy. Our Lady’s name is mentioned only twelve times in the New Testament and nowhere does it say that God spoke directly to her, even when the greatest possible thing was to happen in the world. God used a creature, an angel, to speak to her.
33. SEPTEMBER 15
Mary has much to teach us about humility. She was full of grace, yet she was only the handmaid of the Lord. She was the Mother of God yet served as a handmaid in the house of Elizabeth. She was immaculately conceived yet she humbly met Jesus, himself humiliated, carrying his cross. Near the cross she stood as one of us, a sinner needing redemption.
Like her, great are the graces we have received. Like her, let us always accept the cross in whatever way it comes. Like her, let us with grace and delicacy touch the lonely and unwanted. Like her, let us not be ashamed or slow to do humble works.
Humility of the heart of Mary, fill my heart. Teach me, as you taught Jesus, to be meek and humble of heart and so to glorify the Father.
34. SEPTEMBER 24
The following quotation is from Mother Teresa’s final letter written on the day of her death:
“Loving trust and total surrender made Our Lady say ‘yes’ to the message of the angel. And cheerfulness made her run in haste to serve her cousin Elizabeth. That is so much our life: saying ‘yes’ to Jesus and running in haste to serve him in the poorest of the poor. Let us keep very close to Our Lady and she will make that same spirit grow in each one of us.”
35. OCTOBER 5
In order to pray, we need a pure heart so that we might be united with God. Mary’s heart was clean, and so she was chosen by God and gave everything to God. We should pray: “Mary Mother of Jesus, help me to make my heart pure. Be a mother to me now.” She will help us to have a pure heart, to pray, and to be one with God.
36. OCTOBER 7
The rosary has been the strength of our Society from the very first days. Let us fervently and faithfully renew our devotion to this great prayer. In a special way, the Society owes its birth to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and its growth to her tender care. In return, let us thank her for what she has done for us and give her even greater love. Times have been joyful and hard for our Society, but together we have worked with Jesus and for Jesus, always aware that Mary, the cause of our joy, is by our side.
37. OCTOBER 28
To become holy, we need humility and prayer and all the spiritual and temporal gifts that God has given. We will grow in holiness through love for one another, by sharing the joy of Jesus, and through sacrifice. Deepening our personal love for Our Lady will also help us become holy. We can do this especially by praying the rosary with ever greater understanding wherever we are, even when travelling. We will also grow in holiness by total surrender, loving trust, and cheerfulness.
38. OCTOBER 30
Wire can be bundled up—--small and big, new and old, cheap and expensive—--but unless the current passes through, there is no light. That wire is just like you and me. Our Lady was the most wonderful wire! She surrendered completely to God, became full of grace, and the current—--the grace of God—--flowed through her. The moment she was filled with this current, she went to Elizabeth’s house to connect that other wire—--John—--to the current—--Jesus. And Elizabeth said, “This child leapt with joy in my womb at your voice.”
Let us ask Mary to help make that current within us so that Jesus can use us around the world to connect the hearts of men with the current, Jesus.
39. NOVEMBER 5
Do not let anything take you away from the work of the dying destitute at Nirmal Hriday and the lepers. Our love for Jesus is poured out in action through these humble works. Like Mary, let us never be ashamed to do humble work. Like her, let us always accept the cross in whatever way it comes.
Humility of the heart of Mary, fill my heart. Teach me, as you taught Jesus, to be meek and humble and so to glorify the Father.
40. NOVEMBER 19
Remember that Jesus said, “When you did it for one of my least brothers, you did it for me.” We are holy because we touch the body of Jesus twenty-four hours a day.
Our Lady will help us to live in Jesus, with him, and for him. Jesus will be our sole guide and we will be invaded by his own holiness, filled with his own spirit of love. Do all for Jesus and be like Mary, filled with Jesus.
41. DECEMBER 1
Heavenly Father, you have given us a model of life in the Holy Family of Nazareth. Help us, 0 loving Father, to make our family another Nazareth where love, peace, and joy reign. May it be deeply contemplative, intensely Eucharistic, and vibrant with joy.
Help us to stay together in joy and sorrow through family prayer.
Teach us to see Jesus in the members of our family, especially in their distressing disguise.
May the Eucharistic heart of Jesus make our hearts meek and humble like his and help us to carry out our family duties in a holy way.
May we love one another as God loves each one of us more and more each day, and forgive each others’ faults as you forgive our sins.
Help us, 0 loving Father, to take whatever you give and to give whatever you take with a big smile.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, cause of our joy, pray for us.
St. Joseph, pray for us.
Holy Guardian Angels, be always with us, guide and protect us. Amen.