Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light summary

Mother Teresa's Early Years

In Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light by Mother Teresa and Brian Kolodiejchuk, we are given a glimpse into the early years of Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu, who would later be known as Mother Teresa. Born in Skopje, Macedonia, she was raised in a devout Catholic family and was deeply influenced by her mother's charitable work. Agnes joined the Loreto Sisters of Dublin at the age of 18, and took the name Sister Mary Teresa after St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

After a short period of training in Dublin, Sister Teresa was sent to India. It was here that she first encountered extreme poverty, which had a profound impact on her. She taught at a school for girls in Calcutta for nearly two decades, but it was a train ride in 1946 that would change the course of her life. It was during this journey that she received what she described as a 'call within a call,' a message from God to serve the poorest of the poor.

The Founding of the Missionaries of Charity

Following this divine call, Mother Teresa left the convent and began her new ministry. She started by providing basic medical care and other essential services to the destitute in the slums of Calcutta. In 1950, she founded the Missionaries of Charity, an organization that would grow to operate hundreds of centers worldwide, dedicated to helping those in need.

Despite the success and expansion of her work, Mother Teresa's private letters, published in Come Be My Light, reveal that she was plagued by a profound spiritual darkness. She felt abandoned by God, suffering from a deep sense of emptiness and isolation. This inner turmoil, which lasted for decades, remained largely hidden from the public eye and even her closest associates.

The Struggle with Faith

As the book progresses, we witness Mother Teresa's struggle with faith. She continued to serve the poor with unwavering commitment, but her personal letters reveal the depth of her spiritual crisis. Despite her unwavering belief in God's existence, she felt a profound absence of His presence in her life. This spiritual suffering led her to question her own faith and calling, yet she remained steadfast in her service to the poor.

Throughout Come Be My Light, we see Mother Teresa's unwavering dedication to her work and her commitment to serving God. Despite her inner turmoil, she continued to inspire others with her selfless acts of love and compassion. She received numerous awards for her humanitarian work, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, yet she remained humble and focused on the needs of the poor.

Legacy and Canonization

As we near the end of the book, we see that Mother Teresa's spiritual crisis was a central part of her life. Despite her intense feelings of abandonment by God, she continued her work, never wavering in her commitment to serve the poor and destitute. Mother Teresa passed away in 1997, but her legacy lives on in the Missionaries of Charity and the countless lives she touched.

Despite her inner struggles, Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003 and canonized by Pope Francis in 2016. Her life serves as a powerful example of faith, resilience, and selfless service to others. Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light provides a unique and revealing look into the spiritual journey of a woman who became a symbol of love and compassion for the entire world.