Devotion to Mother Teresa: prayer of 22 June 2019

Like the branches ...
In each country, collaborators have a president, but the name I would like to use is much simpler. I wish that pailasse rather "connection", in the sense of branch, relationship, joint. I wish we could carry out chapter 15 of John's Gospel in our lives. Jesus says: "I am the vine and you are the branches" Let us be like the branches. The congregation of the Missionaries of Charity is the branch and all the collaborators are small branches united to this branch and all together united to Jesus. I think it is a beautiful image to describe what we should be in the world. All the connections in the different countries are united to this branch, the congregation of the Missionaries of Charity, and the Missionaries of Charity are united to the only group, Jesus. And all the fruits are in all the branches, in the different countries. It is a very beautiful, very lively image of what we, Missionaries of Charity and collaborators, should be, closely connected and united. And let's not forget that the fruit is on the branch and not somewhere else. You must all be united, you must all know each other personally and be united in the way I have just described. I feel that we will be deeply present in the world.

We depend on divine Providence. I don't want people to think that we are running after their money, that we want their money and that we are a group of men, women and children, all busy getting something out of them. This is the last thing I could think of. And I want it to be the last thing for you to think too. And we don't even give the impression of working on the basis of what we can collect, spend, have in the bank. Collaborators too must depend on divine Providence. If people give you money or things, thank the Lord, but please do not undertake any regular initiatives that will induce you to spend time and energy to accumulate money and make money. I would prefer that you spend your time in a concrete service to people and not to make propaganda, to write letters to ask for offers, to pack things to sell.

We bring a spirit of sacrifice into the lives of our people. I think this wants Jesus from us and, if necessary, I will not tire of repeating it. We offer all our work for the glory of God and also because we can become instruments of peace, love, compassion.