|
The poor are great people
The poor are great people
The poor do not need our sympathy and our pity.
The poor need our love and compassion.
They give us much more than we give them.
During a terrible time
when millions of refugees fled to India,
we asked for help
and many volunteers came and spent some months with us,
just loving,
serving,
giving tender love and care
to our people.
On their departure,
they said they had received
much more than they had given.
In Calcutta,
some time ago,
we went out at night
and picked up four or five people
from the street and took them
to our Home for the Dying.
One of them was in a very bad condition
and I wanted to take care of her myself.
I did for her all that my love could do.
When I put her into bed,
she took hold of my hand
and there was such a wonderful smile on her face.
She said one word: "Thank you"
and she died.
She gave me much more than I had given her.
She gave me her grateful heart
and I thought:
what would I have done in her place?
My answer was:
I would have tried to draw
some attention to myself,
I would have said:
I am hungry
or I am cold
or I am dying.
But she,
she was so great,
she was so beautiful in her giving.
The poor are great people.
__________________________
"We can do no great things; only small things with great love."
"Love does not measure; it just gives."
______________________________
Story and quotes-Mother Teresa
|
