Mother Teresa book brings light in dark

Ispoke a lot in British schools in my youth, leading school assemblies and religious education classes. Unlike many Western secular countries, religious education occurs in British schools, where church and state are one under King Charles III.

You may have spotted a lot of religion at the coronation. I often ask who the students thought was the most extraordinary Christian.

One humorous person would shout “Jesus” and bring the house down with giggles.

The second name would always be Mother Teresa, and a discussion would start about a faithful Christian.

It may surprise you that Mother Teresa battled with her Christian faith.

We can beat ourselves up when doubts and misgivings cascade and we wonder where God is.

Perhaps the times you feel depressed or anxious, you go even lower because you believe that as a person of faith, you should not have these feelings, and down you go again, the rollercoaster of faith.

The book about Mother Teresa, “Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta,” sheds light on the profound inner turmoil experienced by Mother Teresa, the iconic figure known for her selfless devotion to the poor.

The book unveils the agonizing journey of a woman hailed as a living saint who grappled with a period of darkness that endured for over four decades.

The book relays the correspondence between Mother Teresa and Monsignor Périer, the archbishop of Calcutta, despite her expressed desire to destroy the letters.

In these letters, Mother Teresa sought guidance during her prolonged dark night.

This battle began when she was in her late thirties, and interestingly coincided with the establishment of the Missionaries of Charity. It seems embarking on doing great work for God brings about a profound battle.

From then on, she candidly depicted her ongoing spiritual agony, leaving behind a record of her journey through the darkness that persisted until her passing in 1997 at 87.

The letters reveal her profound loss, a feeling that God did not want her, and a crisis of faith:

“of God not being God – of God not existing.”

Despite her swirling doubts, which seemed to move around her like clouds surrounding a mountain, Mother Teresa maintained a firm hold on her faith, dedicating herself to the service of the poorest of the poor.

She found comfort in her work and experienced the strong presence of God beside her during her service, embracing her dark night as an opportunity to connect with Jesus in his Passion and to understand the mystery of Christ’s cross.

Despite this, those who met Mother Teresa witnessed her serenity, happiness, hope, and enthusiasm.

She continued to radiate light even amidst her personal darkness and was an Apostle of Joy.