# The kiss of Jesus: reflections on Mother Teresa and the works of mercy
*2018-04-23*

> Bill Young discusses the importance of selfless service and explores the life of St. Mother Teresa as part of the 33 Days to Morning Glory retreat.

## The Value of Selfless Service

I recently invited a coworker to participate in some charitable events, including work with the Tuan Russell Foundation for after-school tutoring and a meal-packing event. To my surprise, he declined, stating that he only does events for which he gets paid. It made me reflect on the danger of a life where every action is transactional. I wondered if, at the heavenly gates, the Lord might ask such a person, 'You were paid for everything you did in your life; what did you do for the least of my brothers?'

Some family members ask me why I volunteer when there is no pay. Personally, I do it because I love helping people. When you truly love doing something, the payment becomes irrelevant. In the context of the Marian consecration, we give everything to Mary, trusting her to lead us to Jesus. I would rather be on the side of doing too much volunteering than to have lived a life where I only acted for a paycheck.

## A Prayer for Merciful Hearts

It is important to pray not only for those who need help but for those who need the grace to give help. I often feel that I do not do enough and wish my entire life could be dedicated to service. 

In our prayer for the grace to do works of mercy, we ask the Holy Trinity to transform us into reflections of Divine Mercy. We pray for merciful eyes that do not judge by appearances, merciful ears that are not indifferent to the pain of others, and a merciful tongue that speaks comfort rather than negativity. We ask for merciful hands to take on the most difficult tasks and merciful feet that hurry to assist others despite our own fatigue. True rest is found in the service of our neighbor.

## Mother Teresa: A Call Within a Call

As we enter the third week of the 33 Days to Morning Glory retreat, we focus on St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta. While authors like St. Louis de Montfort provide the theological details of Marian consecration, Mother Teresa shows us how it looks in practice—as an intimate relationship with Christ. 

Her life was defined by two words: 'I thirst.' These words, spoken by Jesus on the Cross, became the driving force of her mission. From her childhood in Macedonia, where her parish was dedicated to the Sacred Heart, she felt a burning thirst for souls. After years of serving as a teacher at St. Mary's in Calcutta, she experienced a 'call within a call' on a train in 1946. Jesus asked her if she would refuse Him, and she responded by founding the Missionaries of Charity to alleviate the suffering of the poorest of the poor.

## Finding Love in the Darkness

For many years, Mother Teresa experienced a profound spiritual darkness, a feeling that everything was dead. Eventually, she realized that this painful longing was actually a way of sharing in the thirst of Jesus. This darkness became a mysterious link that tethered her to the Heart of Christ.

Mother Teresa taught that suffering, pain, and loneliness are 'the kiss of Jesus.' She explained that when we feel miserable, we should look at the Cross and see that Jesus bends His head to kiss us and opens His arms to embrace us. Suffering is a gift from God and a private bond between the soul and Jesus. Even when it is difficult, we are called to accept it without a 'long face,' knowing it brings us closer to the Lord.

*The hidden rewards of selfless service and the embrace of suffering are far greater than any monetary value we can receive on earth.*