One might be tempted to think that it must have been easy for Mother Teresa to be united to the Lord. There were even occasions when “the Voice” (Come Be My Light, 85) spoke to her interiorly. Jesus communicated Himself in a very intimate way with her. If that was the case for us, we might argue, how easy things would be!
In our Christian journey we will have moments of consolation, yes, maybe even long seasons of this. Yet, we cannot have a life of union with Christ without being purified. The Lord does this by permitting trials, allowing for failures, occasions of humiliation, and dryness in prayer, among other things. For Mother Teresa, there was no exception.
Only after her death did the world come to know of the immense darkness that plagued this famous icon of faith. For years, Mother Teresa felt distanced from the Lord. She was no longer consoled with sensible feelings of His presence and tangible guidance, but had to depend on “blind faith” (Come Be My Light, 270). Interiorly, she was now sharing in the sufferings of our Lord in a deeper way, one that meant loving through suffering, through feelings of abandonment.
She wrote on one occasion to her director, “Please pray for me, that it may please God to lift this darkness from my soul for only a few days. For sometimes the agony of desolation is so great and at the same time the longing for the Absent One so deep, that the only prayer which I can still say is — Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in Thee — I will satiate Thy thirst for souls.” (Come Be My Light, 273)
Sister, at times, these seasons of desolation, of “longing for the Absent One”, can be so intense that we allow ourselves to lose sight of the truth. Mother Teresa held onto this truth firmly: the Lord remains worthy of our trust and love. As the Lord purifies us, let us not become bitter. Instead, let us remain with Him, as did the little Saint of Calcutta, lovingly and full of trust.
One might be tempted to think that it must have been easy for Mother Teresa to be united to the Lord. There were even occasions when “the Voice” (Come Be My Light, 85) spoke to her interiorly. Jesus communicated Himself in a very intimate way with her. If that was the case for us, we might argue, how easy things would be!
In our Christian journey we will have moments of consolation, yes, maybe even long seasons of this. Yet, we cannot have a life of union with Christ without being purified. The Lord does this by permitting trials, allowing for failures, occasions of humiliation, and dryness in prayer, among other things. For Mother Teresa, there was no exception.
Only after her death did the world come to know of the immense darkness that plagued this famous icon of faith. For years, Mother Teresa felt distanced from the Lord. She was no longer consoled with sensible feelings of His presence and tangible guidance, but had to depend on “blind faith” (Come Be My Light, 270). Interiorly, she was now sharing in the sufferings of our Lord in a deeper way, one that meant loving through suffering, through feelings of abandonment.
She wrote on one occasion to her director, “Please pray for me, that it may please God to lift this darkness from my soul for only a few days. For sometimes the agony of desolation is so great and at the same time the longing for the Absent One so deep, that the only prayer which I can still say is — Sacred Heart of Jesus I trust in Thee — I will satiate Thy thirst for souls.” (Come Be My Light, 273)
Sister, at times, these seasons of desolation, of “longing for the Absent One”, can be so intense that we allow ourselves to lose sight of the truth. Mother Teresa held onto this truth firmly: the Lord remains worthy of our trust and love. As the Lord purifies us, let us not become bitter. Instead, let us remain with Him, as did the little Saint of Calcutta, lovingly and full of trust.
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Closing Prayer //
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I trust in You. Teach me to love You and to put my full confidence in You. Even in seasons of purification, when life is hard, may I turn to You and put the needs of Your Heart before my own. May I still seek to serve You and bring You many souls. Amen.
Reflections Questions //
Sister, are you in a season now of consolation or of desolation?
When you are in moments of desolation, can you see these occasions as a means of purification, of a deepening of your union with the Lord, for the good of your soul and the salvation of others?
Rocio Hermes is a Dominican-born, US-raised, part-time nanny who is excited about building community, writing poetry, and sharing the message of the Theology of the Body. She holds a Master’s degree in Theology and lives in Berlin with her husband, where they are secretly the best cake-baking team in town. She is a contributing author to Blessed Conversations: Dwell. You can read more from her here and think about life with her here.
Rocío Hermes es una niñera a tiempo parcial, nacida en la República Dominicana y criada en los Estados Unidos, a quien le entusiasma construir comunidad, escribir poesía y compartir el mensaje de la Teología del Cuerpo. Tiene un máster en Teología y vive en Berlín con su marido, donde juntos forman el mejor equipo de pasteleros de la ciudad. Es autora colaboradora de Blessed Conversations: Dwell.
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