Dearest Goddaughter (LTR-68) - Anyway by Mother Teresa

Dearest Goddaughter,

Today's first reading, from the Book of Wisdom, reminds me of this poem by Mother Saint Teresa of Calcutta (see below). When we strive for holiness and righteousness in our lives, there will be those around us who are threatened by us - "To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways." However, let us not be deterred by them and continue to strive for holiness and righteousness in our lives because, in the end, we are judged by God, not by man, and God's judgment of us counts.

Moreover, in today's Gospel, we hear how the people try to "domesticate" Jesus (as Bishop Robert Barron would often say". While Jesus is a brother to us and we can certainly have a personal relationship with him, we must never forget that he is God and give him right homage and praise. Christ teaches us: "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." We must always remember Jesus' true identity. He is Word of God become Flesh and dwelt among us.

. . .

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;

Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;

It was never between you and them anyway.

- Mother Teresa

Love,

Bỏ Phúc

P.S. These are the readings for the day: Wis 2:1a, 12-22 and Jn 7:1-2, 10, 25-30 (below).

. . .

Jesus moved about within Galilee;

he did not wish to travel in Judea,

because the Jews were trying to kill him.

But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near.

But when his brothers had gone up to the feast,

he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.

Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said,

"Is he not the one they are trying to kill?

And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.

Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ?

But we know where he is from.

When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."

So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said,

"You know me and also know where I am from.

Yet I did not come on my own,

but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true.

I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me."

So they tried to arrest him,

but no one laid a hand upon him,

because his hour had not yet come.