Meditations from a Simple Path - Hardcover

Born in 1910 in Albania, Mother Teresa went to Loreto Abbey, Rathfarnham, Dublin, in 1928 and from there to India where she began her novitiate. She taught geography in St. Mary's High School in Calcutta from 1929 to 1948 then, in 1950, started her own order, the Missionaries of Charity, to minister exclusively to the poorest of the poor. She has won many awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, and has founded hundreds of homes throughout the world.

INTRODUCTION
 
 
I have had the great fortune to meet Mother Teresa on several occasions. Each time, I was struck by her deep love for God and overwhelming sense of peace. The desire to experience this peace is, in fact, what draws so many of us to her. Mother Teresa herself would respond, if asked, that it is not she who is the source of this peace, but God. With this book, all of us are welcome to seek the path to peace which she has followed in the hope that we may find the same.
 
In an age of misplaced priorities, we may need to be reminded of the importance of faith in God and the joy to be received from experiencing this faith. It is a simple message, yet one many of us do not readily see. Too often, faith suffers under the burdens of the modern world. Yet, it is faith that gives each of us the strength to overcome our difficulties because God’s love is enduring. We learn through faith that we are not facing our struggles alone.
 
For almost fifty years, Mother Teresa has dedicated her life to serving the poorest of the poor. She has witnessed, in the slums of Calcutta, how God’s love transforms lives. Where many others might see only suffering, Mother Teresa sees dignity. Indeed, it is the poorest, who are not consumed with worldly matters, who are most free to seek God’s peace.
 
Each of us has the opportunity to share in this peace. For many accustomed to a fast-paced world filled with anxiety, this may seem difficult at first, but this book offers us a guide. The path to faith begins with silent contemplation and prayer. Prayer frees us from worldly concerns and reminds us of God’s constant presence in our lives. Once we are able to accept God’s love through prayer, we will be able to share this love with others through service.
 
Not all of us are called to serve in the particular way that Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of Charity serve, but we are called to serve others in everyday life. It is not how much we do that is important; rather, it is the love with which our actions are performed that is most important. The smallest action, done with love, will lead us toward peace.
 
The beauty of the messages in this simple volume is that they speak not only to Catholics but to people of all faiths. They are simple truths that transcend all boundaries of race, culture, and religion. They offer all of us a guide on the path to peace. As you read these words, I encourage you to open your hearts to God in prayer and to welcome His peace.
 
Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua
Archbishop of Philadelphia
 
February 8, 1996
 
THE SIMPLE PATH
 
 
 
The fruit of silence is
PRAYER.
 
The fruit of prayer is
FAITH.
 
The fruit of faith is
LOVE.
 
The fruit of love is
SERVICE.
 
The fruit of service is
PEACE.
 
 
THE FRUIT OF SILENCE IS PRAYER
 
 
I always begin my prayer in silence, for it is in the silence of the heart that God speaks. God is the friend of silence—we need to listen to God because it’s not what we say but what He says to us and through us that matters. Prayer feeds the soul—as blood is to the body, prayer is to the soul—and it brings you closer to God. It also gives you a clean and pure heart. A clean heart can see God, can speak to God, and can see the love of God in others.
 
If you are searching for God and do not know where to begin, learn to pray and take the trouble to pray every day. You can pray anytime, anywhere. You can pray at work—work doesn’t have to stop prayer and prayer doesn’t have to stop work. Tell Him everything, talk to Him. He is our father, He is father to us all whatever religion we are. We are all created by God, we are his children. We have to put our trust in Him and love Him, believe in Him, work for Him. And if we pray, we will get all the answers we need.
 
Without prayer I could not work for even half an hour. I get my strength from God through prayer.
 
Start and end the day with prayer. Come to God as a child. If you find it hard to pray you can say, "Come Holy Spirit, guide me, protect me, clear out my mind so that I can pray." When you pray, give thanks to God for all His gifts because everything is His and a gift from Him. Your soul is a gift of God. If you are Christian, you can say the Lord’s Prayer; if Catholic, the Our Father, the Hail Mary, the Rosary, the Creed—all common prayers. If you or your family have your own devotions, then pray according to them.
 
Every night before you go to bed you must make an examination of conscience (because you don’t know if you will be alive in the morning!). Whatever is troubling you, or whatever wrong you may have done, you need to repair it. Remember that God is merciful, He is the merciful father to us all. We are His children and He will forgive and forget if we remember to do so.