Whether titled 'Goddess of kindness' or 'Splendid woman of the gutter', "Saint on Earth", "Saint of Gutters","Angel of Mercy", "Living Saint of Calcutta", she was well known in the world as she was among the poor. She had many other names too, including some malicious ones like, "Hell's angel", "Hell's puppet", the "Popes' emissary" etc...But who does not get names good and bad especially when doing good and going against the current?
Even Jesus had a variety of names as 'Glutton", "Samaritan","possessed", "Beelzebul", and "out of mind","impostor","a friend of publicans and sinners" and similar ones. Such was the fury of those who opposed his message and his ways that they could not call him by anything kinder name than what we cited above. Granted that Mother Teresa used in her title, "Missionary" and spoke against abortion and too often spoke about Jesus, it is great wonder that the attack against her was not really very big and she was never subject to violence. She went against the unethical and immoral trends of the present age and still was the darling of the media and of celebrities and rulers all over the world. People rushed to see her as though for absolution for their sins and to re-invent themselves and make a comeback to respectability. Consider the thousands of volunteers who put up with the unbearable conditions of Calcutta to do what they could not do in the West, that is, to serve the poorest of the poor. In the same process, some even set their conscience right and do amends for the past life, as they take part in the recollection and prayer programmes at the Mother House to.
As to her legacy, the media may say what it likes but for the honest on-looker it is impossible to explain how the frail- looking nuns are able to endure the extreme hot situations in Calcutta and sleep without even fans that many of the poor today have.The giant leap of the diminutive Saint of Calcutta is unbelievable in terms of thousands of followers they have, with hundreds of centers in their care and lacks of volunteers visiting them and extending their service to them and to the many thousands of the sick and dying. It is estimated that some 80 thousand sick people who were picked up in a dying condition have been able to die with dignity and in peace in the homes of Mother Teresa. Only those who have some faith in a peaceful and happy death to gain eternal life and its bliss can understand this.
Another phenomenal achievement is the dignified life given to thousands of unwanted babies who have been either given in adoption or settled in life, something that Teresa the "Mother of the Living" from heaven will be now taking delight in. Even if the media has given wide coverage to Mother Teresa at the most important moments of her life, death and after-death glorification, yet we should say that there is a lot that still remains unnoticed. Take,for example the homes for babies, mentally challenged women and HIV patients that are located at Tangra and is known by the name Shantidan (the gift of peace)- these works which along with the HIV centre run by the male counter parts under the direction of of the MC Brothers have grown into a mini township. Now it is quite well known that may of the HIV patients from these centres are able to return to normal life after two or three years in these centres. There has been reported the case of a man who was paralyzed due to HIV and TB and the family too had stopped visiting him after admitting him in the centre of Deepshika run of the MC WBrothers of Tangra. He is now able to walk and looks cheerful.
To their credit, it must be said that the Sisters and Brothers are selfless and do not run any institution for the sake of money - something rare among many private charitable institutions, and they are not discriminatory: They care for all irrespective of caste, religion or colour. So it makes sense to say that Mother Teresa and her works have a universal character, except for that blue stripe sari that is typically Indian and even the foreigners wrap it round joyfully.
Mother Teresa has not only done much terms of charitable works but has taught us a great deal. There is no one whether abroad or in India who would forget to insert a qoute from Mother Teresa in their talk or writing.Let us take, therefore, a qoute from this Saint of the slums,
The poor give us much more than we give them. They're such strong people,living day to day with no food. And they never curse, never complain.We don't have to give them pity and sympathy. We have so much to learn from them.
A birth centenary tribute to Mother Teresa
From the STREAMS
can never be tarnished;
