Lectio et Oratio

How did Mother react when the Vatican asked for the historical origins of the Society and how did react to Sisters leaving the Society?

With humility. When the Missionaries of Charity applied for pontifical status as a worldwide religious order directly under the Pope, Mother Teresa did not put her own call forward in detail. She did not want to be the centre of consideration. She always wanted the Society to be judged by the work they were doing for Christ and His poor.

With deep pain. Mother Teresa loved all the Sisters who were part of this Society. She loved them with a supernatural love. She loved them with a motherly love. As a mother suffers when she sees her children hurting, so Mother felt great sorrow when two sisters left the Missionaries of Charity. We do not know the circumstances. Mother seems to have thought that a mistake was made somewhere. Perhaps they were not treated well. Mother not only felt sorrow, she wanted to learn from this painful event.

.

.

How did Mother Teresa live Lent?

She wanted to give Christ a free hand. She wanted to share in his pains so that she could enter more fully into his love. At the same time, Mother Teresa taught her sisters during Lent. She passed onto to others the fruit of her own prayer and suffering.

How did all this suffering and teaching bear fruit? In 1963, Mother Teresa looked to a new moment in the life of her community. They applied for an even more permanent status in the law of the Church (canon law). They wanted to be of Pontifical rite. This means that they are directly approved by the Pope and under his guidance. They will no longer be simply of diocesan rite, under the guidance of one local bishop. They will be able more easily to spread all over the world!

Did Mother Teresa know both great joy and pain in her friendship with Christ?

Last episode we read about Mother Teresa's unwillingness to speak to great crowds. She believed she had special gifts to talk to her own Missionaries of Charity. Nevertheless, she would go where her bishop asked her to go.

In this episode we hear about a new development in the Missionaries of Charity. In 1963 the Missionary of Charity Brothers were formed. Mother's influence grew. She wanted her spiritual sons and daughters to be the fragrance of Christ’s joy.

As her work grew, the cost was heavy. We will also read about how Mother’s Lent in 1963 was spent. She wanted more and more to share with Christ in his pain.

How did Mother Teresa handle all the publicity her work generated?

Besides these trials, Mother began to face a new trial: publicity. People heard of her work and sought her out. They wanted to have her speak. They wanted interviews. How would she handle it.