Mother Teresa & The Rosary

“Cling to the Rosary as the creeper clings to the tree…for without Our Lady we cannot stand” (St. Teresa of Kolkata). hand she went “in haste” like Mary, in search of souls.” Three years after her death, the late Pope St. John Paul II said of Mother Teresa: “As the years pass, her memory remains more vivid than ever. We remember her with her smile, her deep gaze, her Rosary” (John Paul II on 5 The Rosary was her favourite and con stant prayer. She prayed the Rosary anytime, anywhere, but was especially fond of praying the Rosary before the Blessed Sacrament. September 2000). St. Teresa of Kolkata, by her example At the time of her beatification he re marked: “Is it not significant that her beatification is taking place on the very day on which the Church celebrates World Mission Sun day? With the witness of her life, Mother Teresa reminds everyone that the evangelizing mission of the Church passes through chari ty, nourished by prayer and listening to God’s word. Emblematic of this mis sionary style is the image that and especially by her silent witness of clinging to Our Lady through the Rosary – and by her words, taught her followers and each one of us to pray and to work in union with Our Lady. The practice of praying the Rosary in the street became part of the Missionaries of Charity way of life, and the hallmark of the Sisters as they made and (still) make their way through the slums, going in haste with Our Lady in search of souls. shows the new Blessed clasp Let us honour Our Lady and ing a child’s hand in one hand “sing her glory wherever we go while moving her Rosary beads by praying the Rosary with love with the other. Contemplation and devotion daily and on the and action, evangelization and streets.” human promotion: Mother “This month of October Teresa proclaimed the Gospel must be very special to each one living her life as a total gift to of us, as it is the month during the poor but, at the same time, which Our Lady invites us all in steeped in prayer” (John Paul II a very special way to contemplate on 19 October 2000). with her the mysteries of Jesus’ life

The experience of God’s that she shared so fully, through thirsting love was at the root of our fervent praying of the Rosary. the exceptional capacity to love that character Yes, we must always be very faithful and never ized Mother Teresa’s life. Jesus’ words “I thirst” give up praying the Rosary.” uttered on Calvary echoed in her heart and she Let us heed her voice and follow Mothunderstood that the echo of the same words er Teresa’s example of praying the Rosary daily is still resonant in the cries of the poor on the with great love and fervour. Calvaries of the world. Like Mary, she stood at the foot of the Cross, and with the Rosary in DL Correspondent Dimapur Links: Sept. - Oct. 2016 /9