“I would not do that for all the gold in the world”

It was related by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, a Capuchin priest, that a person who did not like St. Teresa of Calcutta’s work for the poor once said to her, “I would not do it for all the gold in the world.” To which the saint replied, “Neither would I.” So what was Mother Teresa’s motive for the way she was treating the poor?

Calcutta’s head of social services understood the real motive. According to Fr. Raniero, this friend once said to St. Teresa: “Mother Teresa, you and we are doing the same social work. But there is a great difference between you and us. We do it for something, and you do it for someone.”

For Mother Teresa this Someone is Jesus whom we know is present in the Eucharist and also “present in a different but equally real way”, quotes Fr. Raniero, “in the distressing disguise of the poor.” She wanted her nuns to have such a personal relationship with Jesus as to say with her,

Jesus is the Hungry — to be fed. Jesus is the Thirsty — to be satiated. Jesus is the Naked — to be clothed. Jesus is the Homeless — to be taken in. Jesus is the Sick — to be healed. Jesus is the Lonely — to be loved.

In November 1978 I was one of the three CBCP bishops delegates to the Second Asian Bishops Plenary Assembly held in Calcutta. The Assembly theme was “Prayer, Life of the Church of Asia”. Aside from talks on Eastern and Western spiritualities and demos on diverse forms of Asian prayer, we also heard Mother Teresa spoke on daily prayer before the Christ’s presence in the Eucharist. After privileged tour of her novitiate with her as guide where Manila Cardinal Jaime Sin, Bulacan Bishop Ricardo Vidal (not yet cardinal), me Iligan bishop with Frs. Leonardo Legaspi and Gabriel Reyes (not yet bishops) saw many young women of different nationalities, I asked Mother if she has problems of communication with so many women speaking different languages in their respective customs. Her response?

No, Bishop. So far we have none. We would have a problem, yes, when the nun can no longer stay in silence and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and experience the presence of Jesus. Why? She would not be able to see Jesus in the poor she is helping. Everyone who loves Jesus must know and see Him in the Blessed Sacrament. Then having Him from this encounter He will make us discover Him in the poor and needy and the marginalized. He has assured us this when He said, “In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

We hope and pray that, during this pandemic disaster created by Covid-19, all Christians of different denominations and traditions would be constantly reminded of The Someone mysteriously present in the poor and needy, not just something visibly distressing in their miserable condition.