40 days with Mother Teresa

by JOSEPH LANGFORD, M.C.

“Jesus is God, therefore His love, His thirst, is infinite. The aim of our Missionary of Charity Society is to quench the infinite thirst of a God made Man. The first words of our Constitutions, the aim “I thirst” —are we too busy to think about that? The words, “I thirst”—do they echo in our souls? I do not know whose thirst is greater, His or mine for Him.”—Mother Teresa

The message behind all of Mother Teresa’s missonary activity is simple but staggering: in the poverty and Cross of Jesus, God has revealed His thirst for us and for our love. Yet, this is more than just a verbage message; it is first of all a reality to be encountered and experienced, over and over again, ever more deeply.

St. Teresa of Calcutta was a woman known and loved for her tender work among the poorest of the poor. Behind her drive and desire to serve Christ’s poor was a profound understanding of the thirst of God for man, and man’s thirst for God.

This 141 page scripture-based book is composed of 40 days of thoughts from the heart of Mother Teresa…

Day 8 | Reviving Our Spiritual Life — I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it was already kindled. (Luke 12:49) — “Jesus has a deep and personal longing to have you for Himself. Let Him do it.”—Mother Teresa

In this chapter she warns, “Among the greatest dangers to a serious Christian life is a routine of merely superficial contact with Jesus. No amount of shallow contact with the Lord can really change us, nor equal the effect of even one moment of touching Him in deep faith.” (pg 28)

Day 10 | Elements Of Prayer — If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. (John 14:23) — “It is very important for us to know that Jesus is thirsting for our love, for the love of the whole world…Ask yourself: have I heard Jesus directly say this word to me personally? “I thirst, I want your love?” If your hearts are pure, really surrender to Him, this thing becomes part of your thirst to love Him better.”

In this Chapter she begins on this premise, “If we wish to be true disciples, we must be convinced of the absolute primacy of prayer. But not of just any kind of prayer. It is faith-filled prayer that opens us to the Spirit of Jesus in all his power. Prayer is not so much “something” as it is Someone; not so much a method or mechanism we perform (though these may be valid aids) as the springing up of the living waters of the Holy Spirit given us in Baptism.” (pgs 36-37)

We give I Thirst 40 days with Mother Teresa

This guided meditation on Scripture and the teaching of Mother Teresa will lead those who read it into the heart of the mystery of God’s thirst for souls, and how man can meet the Lord’s thirst. Fr. Joseph Langford, an intimate friend of Mother Teresa’s and co-founder with her of the Missionary of Charity Fathers, leads the reader into Mother Teresa’s love of God, and helps foster the love of God in the heart of the reader.

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