TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR A DAUGHTER OF MOTHER TERESA

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR A DAUGHTER OF MOTHER TERESA (CSST)

1. Recapture the warmth of the fire that had taken possession of the life of Mother Foundress to lay down her life at the service of others. She humbled herself before God like any poor and ignorant woman burdened with many sins. But when she assumed the role of God’s mouthpiece she spoke with strength and authority.

2. Doing God’s will to become the central focus for a renewed self. How sweet it is to say the words “Lord Show me the Way”. The first community of sisters though grieved by the sudden death of their Foundress, Mother Teresa in 1902, continued their life of prayer and apostolic work. Sr. Beatrice wrote to Fr. Alphonsus on January 24, 1903 referring to Mother Teresa. "Though she is gone, most cruelly snatched from us, her spirit lives on and will ever live with us. "Thus every CSST daughter must keep doing the will of God as her focus to renew oneself and the Province.

3. Dream big for God and for His People: The CSSTs, imbued with the spirit of our Foundress Mother Teresa of St. Rose of Lima, are called to be women of prayer, living a life of faith and trust in the providence of God, discerning His will and surrendering to it , thereby growing in genuine God experience. We live Eucharist - centered life which makes us simple, joyous and hospitable, reaching out to people in compassionate love and selfless service.

4. Trust in the Providence of God is the hallmark of Mother Teresa's spirituality. Her unwavering faith in a God who cares helped her to venture into the unknown seeking new horizons. She was cradled in faith; her experience in life taught her to trust God implicitly, like a child. "I am enveloped in black clouds, " she wrote, "but above all, I see the silver lining of God's Providence. " (Letter, September 6, 1897) It is this deep trust that opened her to the magic of the unknown, that domain of power and possibilities. She proved to all of us that the paths of those who walk in faith are strewn with miracles, miracles of daily life. Be inspired by the leadership qualities of Mother Teresa whose new dynamism and presence brought about renewal and reform among the CSSTs. Though her life was short she founded and expanded the new branches of the CSST with a far sighted goal.

5. Surrendering to God is the hallmark of CSST identity. For one who lives in surrender, life is a celebration. Mother Teresa's life was one of constant surrender. "We are here only to do the will of God, " (Lr. 4/3/1896) "I submit unconditionally to God's holy will, " (Letter March, 12, 1898) "May God's holy will be done, through prayer and patience we will gain all, " (Letter March 4, 1896) were some of her favourite expressions. She often spoke about Humility, Obedience, Justice and Mercy. She never wished the CSST to replace humility with pride.

6. Embrace the Spirituality of the St. Teresa Mother Teresa put nothing before her love for Christ. As a daughter of Teresa it is your special duty to zealously foster and to spread the infinite goodness hidden within this spirituality. Sr. Teresa received religious formation under the zealous Carmelite missionaries of the reform. Hence she was rooted in the spirit of contemplative union with God and virtues like self sacrifice, zeal for the glory of God and true charity. Hence you must know it and live it, before you start spreading it.

7. Work for the promotion of evangelical simplicity, mutual love and prayerful intimacy The little community had grown in course of time into a large religious family that has spread throughout India and other countries. The sisters strive to live their religious consecration and fulfill their task in the Church for the building of the kingdom with the same religious spirit that animated Mother Teresa and the first community. Ready to answer the summons of the Church, they endeavour to live their religious profession in Evangelical simplicity, mutual love and prayerful intimacy with Christ.

8. Abandon yourself to God cheerfully Every daughter of CSST is invited to abandon herself to God unconditionally. The ability to abandon oneself to God even at difficult moments is a great quality of CSST. How do I face and accept suffering, pain and disappointment in my life?

9. Prayer is the only consolation for a CSST. Mother Teresa is an example of concentration at prayer. Prayer was her only consolation whenever she faced difficulties and painful situations. The Congregation was thus founded at Ernakulam on April 24, 1887. Soon other young ladies beginning with one of her step sisters joined her, and a regular religious community was formed with Mother Teresa of St. Rose of Lima as Superior. This was the beginning not only of a convent but of a religious Congregation, now known as the Institute of Carmelite Sisters of St. Teresa. But at all the times of difficulties, she was helped at the eleventh hour. Prayer was a weapon for her. Her words on prayer are very powerful. We donot know what was the prayer on her lips at the last moments of her life

10. Woman of courage and determination. Sr. Teresa responded in a prophetic way to the demands of the Gospel and the Church in a period of great socio-political and religious ferment in India. She worked steadily to integrate humanity by humanizing those sections of society, marginalized by casteism and economic poverty. She worked relentlessly and perseveringly for the spread of the kingdom. "Pray dear father, " she writes, that I may persevere to the end, that no amount of persecution may turn me away from my heaven inspired purpose" (Letter, September 28, 1900).

Her resilience in life was remarkable. She would easily bounce back to normal life after every crushing experience. In her letter of February 22 , 1898 she writes, "when someone suspects my motives. . . it crushes me, but with God's holy and fatherly care, I am up again and ready for battle. " She had many a nightmare, but she over came these with her daring dreams for the people of God. Impelled by the strength of her prayer life and deep God experience she took risks to build the kingdom through education and social apostolate, keeping alive a deep faith vision.

LESSONS FROM HER LIFE In just fifteen years time she not only founded a community of fervent Carmelite Religious, but fighting against heavy odds, started three schools - English medium, Malayalam medium and an Anglo vernacular school and an industrial school. She also cared for destitute and abandoned children in the orphanage. In the case of her orphans, she took care of them herself especially in time of illness. She sheltered fallen women and initiated a well planned programme to rehabilitate them, thus enabling them to start life anew with respectability. Many aged and invalid - men and women of diverse castes and creeds found a cure for their most miserable malady, viz. the horrible sense of being unwanted, in the shelter of her Home for the Elderly. To secure medical care for those poor destitutes she started a dispensary, securing the services of a qualified doctor. During the 1897 famine in the State, notwithstanding their already crowded daily programme, Mother Teresa with her small community of sisters, wholeheartedly collaborated with the Government in its famine relief programme by undertaking the work of feeding the poor of Ernakulam. Even the criminals in prison were not excluded from her love. She got people of the town involved in her work for the poor. Thus did she fulfil her duty to her fellow humans, actively sharing in the joys and sorrows, fears and anxieties of those in whose midst God's saving love placed her.

SHORT LIFE BUT LONG MEMORIES Within her short span of life she had generously spread the vast sheet of her life and activities to accommodate and empower as many children, women and men as possible. She had to go at the age of 44 when her master beckoned her to return home. By then she had accomplished a great deal. God’s plans are different.

Death of a saint Her end came unexpectedly. On September 12, 1902 when she and her younger sister were travelling, a sudden and violent storm burst. The train was going at a normal speed. About 3 a. m. it arrived at the bridge of Mangapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. This bridge had been washed away by the rushing waters. All of a sudden, all the carriages except the last one fell in to the swirling waters. All the passengers of the wrecked carriages perished. The body of Mother Teresa was found 5 miles away from the bridge and that of her Sr. Josephine under the wagon. They must have struggled with all their might in the water but unable to help themselves they must have just helplessly gone down into the watery grave.

Scene of the accident at Mangapattanam (03: 00 a. m. September 12, 1902)