Each September 5the Church celebrates the memory of Mother Teresa of Calcutta. His life, marked by humility and total dedication to those most in need, continues to be a model of holiness and service.
Bishop Javier Echevarría pointed out how Mother Teresa knew how to look at life from the perspective of Christian love: a love that gives of itself, that reaches out to the most needy and that transforms every act into an opportunity to live with God. The then prelate of Opus Dei, stressed that she "saw the world as a common home" and that her life invited to "learn to live for others".
The Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the SacramentsThe Pontifical Council for the Laity, under the prefecture of Cardinal Arthur Roche, issued a decree on December 24, 2024, officially instituting the liturgical memorial of Mother Teresa on General Roman Calendar.
This decree allows his memory to be celebrated on September 5 in all the dioceses of the world. The intention is that the faithful remember his example of humility and service, and that liturgical celebrations include prayers and readings that reinforce the centrality of love of neighbor in Christian life.
The institution of the liturgical memorial also facilitates the Church's ability to disseminate the liturgical texts Mother Teresa's own, which include readings from Isaiah 58 (Break your bread with the hungry) and Matthew 25 (As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me), reinforcing the spiritual dimension of her testimony.
In an article published in opusdei.orgJavier Echevarría, then prelate, recalled that St. Teresa always bent down to "welcome the abandoned or heal wounds of body and soul. These words reflect well what she was: a woman who knew how to discover Christ in the face of the poorest.
In his reflection on Mother Teresa, he emphasized how she incarnated charity on a day-to-day basis. He did not limit himself to grandiose gestures, but found Christ in every person in need: the sick, the poor, the abandoned. His life demonstrates that holiness is built through concrete acts of love, consistency and dedication.
His life challenges all Christians, because it is not only a matter of admiring his generosity, but of make delivery a way of life in the ordinary. As he taught St. Josemaríaholiness is in the little things, at work, in the family and also in selfless service to those around us.
For this reason, the memory of Mother Teresa becomes an opportunity to review our Christian commitment: do we look at those who suffer with eyes of faith, do we know how to discover in each person the dignity of a child of God, do we put love in the concrete details of life?
In the Church, the memory of a saint is celebrated on the day of his deathThe moment when she enters fully into the glory of heaven. In Mother Teresa's case, this corresponds to the moment when she enters fully into heaven. September 5, 1997He died in Calcutta on that date.
Since that day, many began to remember her example and to pray through her intercession. His canonization in 2016 by Pope Francis reinforced the importance of this date. Thus, the annual celebration not only honors his life, but also invites the faithful to reflect on holiness and concrete service to others.
In various dioceses and parishes, this date has become an occasion for the realization of charitable activities and liturgical celebrationsrecalling that Mother Teresa's life was a testimony of love for the poorest and most marginalized.
Cardinal Arthur Roche, prefect of the Dicastery for Divine Worship, affirmed that Mother Teresa is "a exceptional witness of hope"in times of pain and marginalization. His life is a concrete response to the call of the Gospel to serve the least and forgotten.
From a Christian perspective, its liturgical feast is not only a historical remembrance, but an invitation to to follow his example in the present. Every Christian can incarnate this same spirit in his environment: caring for the sick, accompanying the lonely, the dying, the orphaned... dedicating time to those in need.
Thus, Mother Teresa becomes a guide for living charity with consistency, reminding us that the path to holiness is not measured by words, but by concrete gestures of love.
The liturgical decree includes specific texts for the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours, adaptable by the episcopal conferences in different languages. Among them are prayers, readings and antiphons that emphasize the mercy of God and the importance of active charity.
This ensures that the faithful can participate in a uniform celebration throughout the world, and that the feast of Mother Teresa is not limited to a historical remembrance, but is lived in a spiritual and communal way.
His life and work show how Christian charity can transform concrete realities and leave a legacy that continues to inspire millions of people around the world.
The feast of Mother Teresa invites us to look at the world with her eyes: eyes of compassion, of faith, of limitless dedication. As the prelate of Opus Dei, Javier Echevarría, stressed, it is a matter of learning to living for others.
Two days before his departure to the Father's House, the Pope John Paul IIa personal friend of the nun, dedicated the Sunday Angelus prayer in St. Peter's Square to Mother Teresa of whom he said: "The beloved nun, universally recognized as the Mother of the Poor, leaves us an eloquent example for all, believers and non-believers. She leaves us the testimony of God's love. Her works speak for themselves and demonstrate to the people of our time the high meaning of life.".
How can you make your daily life a service to others? On September 5, but throughout your life, celebrate Mother Teresa's feast day with gestures of service: prayer, acts of charity or a reflection on how to put love and compassion into your daily life. Help us spread her legacy of holiness and dedication.
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