The Bulletin of the Catholic Community at The Family Foundation School
Pauca Verba (a few words)
Number 14 – February 28, 2010
What’s your life philosophy or code for living? Here’s Mother Teresa’s.
Life is an opportunity, avail it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is costly, care for it.
Life is a wealth, keep it.
Life is love, enjoy it.
Life is mystery, know it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, brace for it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is life, save it?
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
These words are inscribed on a poster hanging in a home for AIDS sufferers which Mother Teresa and her Sisters opened at Christmas 1985, in the very heart of New York City. She called the home “Gift of Love.”
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Mother Teresa told the story of the little boy she had picked up from the streets and taken to her home for unwanted children. The Sisters bathed him, gave him clean clothes, fed him and looked after his every need but he ran away. Next day he was brought to the home by someone else but again he ran away. When the boy was brought back again, Mother Teresa directed one of her Sisters to follow where he went.
A third time the child ran away and there under a tree was the boy’s mother. She had put two stones under a small earthenware vessel. She was cooking something that she had picked out of the garbage. The Sister asked the child: “Why did you run away from home?” And the child said: “But this is home because this is where my mother is.” Mother was there. That was home. That the food had been taken from the garbage was all right because it was mother who cooked it. It was mother who hugged the child, mother who wanted the child. The child had its mother.
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Do you genuflect when you come into chapel and pass the tabernacle, where the Body of Christ is kept? The red lamp reminds us of Christ’s unique presence in the Eucharist there. The lamp burns all day and all night – even while we are in class, while we sleep, while we play. If you wake up at night and can’t fall back to sleep – believe it – the Heart of Jesus loves us from the tabernacle. Think of this and rest peacefully.
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At the beginning and ending of each Mass, the priest kisses the altar. There are relics of martyr saints in the top of the altar. Martyr means witness. A martyr dies for what she or he knows is true. In his heart the priest is saying: “We implore You, Lord, by the merits of Your saints, whose relics are here, and of all the saints, that you would deign to forgive me all my sins.” We kiss a trophy or a gold medal, we kiss the pictures of loved ones, perhaps even pets – why not a kiss for the relics of saints? Symbolically it says, if I am to have access to God – something old in me has to die.
Saint Paul writes: “What you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, which were rotted through and through with lust’s illusions, and, with yourselves mentally and spiritually re-made, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life which was made by God’s design for righteousness and the holiness which is no illusion.”
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We increasingly must learn what things we should pray for and what things we shouldn’t pray for because they are expressions of our selfishness. I cannot pray for things that will harm others. I cannot pray for things that add to my selfishness or pride. In this way, before God, prayer becomes a process of purifying our thoughts and desires.” Pope Benedict XVI
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From a Kindergarten Report Card 1957
Social Control: The ability to get along with others is of prime importance. Willingness to lead or to take turns, to obey rules, and the ability to find a place in a group indicate good social development.
S = Satisfactory U=Unsatisfactory
Willing to lead or follow: S or U
Respects other’s rights: S or U
Obeys rules: S or U
A Few Words