MEDITATION:
Written by Mother Teresa (1910-1997), an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary who served the poor of Calcutta. This is an excerpt from her book “My Life for the Poor.”
I’ll never forget during the Bangladesh suffering: we had ten million people in and around Calcutta. I asked the government of India to allow a number of other congregations to come to our aid, to help us, because we were working the whole time. They allowed them to come: about fifteen or sixteen different sisters came to help us, and each one, on leaving Calcutta, said the same thing: “I have received much more than I have given and I can never be the same person again; because I have touched Christ, I have understood what love is. What it is to love and to be loved!” … Giving needs not be confined to money or material gifts, but I would like more people to give their hands to serve and their hearts to love—to recognize the poor in their own homes, towns, and countries, and to reach out to them in love and compassion.
PRAYER:
Written by Janel Breitenstein, a contemporary author.
God, as people head to school and work, I ask that You would help us to love one another through our work. Thank you for the roles each person in our community plays so we can all benefit! I ask Your forgiveness for the ways we work for our own glory, control, and comfort; for others’ approval of us; and out of fear. Creator, reorder our worship so that we’re not making a name for ourselves, but so your Name and renown are our goals. Turn the eyes of our community’s hearts outward, so that we are inspired to use our gifts to serve. Like Ruth, multiply our faith in you and our service performed out of love so it produces far more than we’d ever comprehend. Amen.
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