(no subject)
Today is the tenth anniversary of the death of Mother Teresa, an impoverished woman (in monetary terms, at least) who dedicated her life to helping the poorest people of Calcutta and beyond.
But, as one Times reader wrote, among all the celebrations for Diana's life did I miss the commemorations for that of Mother Teresa?
No, because the occasion has gone past with merely a whimper, just as it did ten years ago.
When Mother Teresa died on Sept. 5, 1997, the Missionaries of Charity, which she founded in 1950 had nearly 4,000 nuns and ran roughly 600 orphanages, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and clinics around the world.
But, as James L. Clark says in his article 'Princess Diana, Mother Theresa & The Jesus Experience':
Diana had as a cause the land-mine problem that still exists in areas throughout the world, and there's no doubt that she did some good with her life, if only as a raiser of both awareness and funds in the effort to do good things
She also brought vividly to the public eye -- not surprising, since her every move was covered by the paparazzi -- a lifestyle marked by infidelity and shame, and died with her lover at that time. Her husband was no better, and the two of them marked the royal house with perfidy.
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212100251.shtml
Let's celebrate the lives of people who truly were (or are) 'good' for a change, instead of the usual ego-centric celebrities who throw out the odd crumb from their otherwise self-centred lives which we lap up and call generosity.
Whatever your religious persuation, here's a little story to illustrate my point:
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting thier gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:1-4)
Mother Teresa gave more (metaphorically) than two small copper coins. She truly was somebody to admire and emulate.
But, as one Times reader wrote, among all the celebrations for Diana's life did I miss the commemorations for that of Mother Teresa?
No, because the occasion has gone past with merely a whimper, just as it did ten years ago.
When Mother Teresa died on Sept. 5, 1997, the Missionaries of Charity, which she founded in 1950 had nearly 4,000 nuns and ran roughly 600 orphanages, soup kitchens, homeless shelters and clinics around the world.
But, as James L. Clark says in his article 'Princess Diana, Mother Theresa & The Jesus Experience':
Diana had as a cause the land-mine problem that still exists in areas throughout the world, and there's no doubt that she did some good with her life, if only as a raiser of both awareness and funds in the effort to do good things
She also brought vividly to the public eye -- not surprising, since her every move was covered by the paparazzi -- a lifestyle marked by infidelity and shame, and died with her lover at that time. Her husband was no better, and the two of them marked the royal house with perfidy.
http://www.postchronicle.com/commentary/article_212100251.shtml
Let's celebrate the lives of people who truly were (or are) 'good' for a change, instead of the usual ego-centric celebrities who throw out the odd crumb from their otherwise self-centred lives which we lap up and call generosity.
Whatever your religious persuation, here's a little story to illustrate my point:
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting thier gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on." (Luke 21:1-4)
Mother Teresa gave more (metaphorically) than two small copper coins. She truly was somebody to admire and emulate.