A true testament to its greatness is that my family never complained once about taking reading a few pages from it each night!
To illustrate its beauty, I want to share a letter that it contained that Mother Teresa shared with her sisters regarding the thirst Christ has for each one of us:
“Jesus wants me to tell you again... how much
love He has for each one of you - beyond all you can imagine. I worry
some of you still have not really met Jesus - one to one - you and Jesus alone.
We may spend time in chapel - but have you seen with the eyes of
your soul how He looks at you with love? Do you really know the living
Jesus - not from books but from being with Him in your heart? Have you
heard the loving words He speaks to you? Ask for the grace, He is longing
to give it. Until you can hear Jesus in the silence of your own heart,
you will not be able to hear Him saying "I thirst" in the hearts of
the poor. Never give up this daily intimate contact with Jesus as the
real living person - not just the idea. How can we last even one day without
hearing Jesus say "I love you" - impossible. Our soul needs
that as much as the body needs to breathe the air. If not, prayer is dead
- meditation only thinking. Jesus wants you each to bear Him - speaking
in the silence of your heart.
 |
| Detail of the Crucifixion Anthony Van Dyke 1622 |
Be careful of all that can block that personal
contact with the living Jesus. The Devil may try to use the hurts of
life, and sometimes our own mistakes - to make you feel it is impossible that
Jesus really loves you, is really cleaving to you. This is a danger for
all of us. And so sad, because it is completely opposite of what Jesus is
really wanting, waiting to tell you. Not only that He loves you, but even
more - He longs for you. He misses you when you don't come close.
He thirsts for you. He loves you always, even when you don't feel
worthy. When not accepted by others, even by yourself sometimes - He is
the one who always accepts you. My children, you don't have to be
different for Jesus to love you. Only believe - you are precious to Him.
Bring all you are suffering to His feet - only open your heart to be
loved by Him as you are. He will do the rest.
You all know in your mind that Jesus loves you -
but in this letter Mother wants to touch your heart instead. That is why
I ask you to read this letter before the Blessed Sacrament, the same place it
was written, so Jesus Himself can speak to you each one.
His words on the wall of every MC chapel ["I
Thirst"], they are not from the past only, but alive here and now, spoken
to you. Do you believe it? If so, you will hear, you will feel His
presence. Let it become as intimate for each of you, just as for Mother -
this is the greatest joy you could give me. Mother will try to help you
understand - but Jesus Himself must be the one to say to you "I Thirst".
Hear your own name. Not just once. Every day. If you
listen with your heart, you will hear, you will understand.
Why does Jesus say "I Thirst"?
What does it mean? Something so hard to explain in words - if you
remember anything from Mother's letter, remember this - "I thirst" is
something much deeper than Jesus just saying "I love you".
Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you - you can't begin
to know who He wants to be for you. Or who He wants you to be for Him.
Our Lady was the first person to hear Jesus' cry
"I Thirst" with St. John, and I am sure Mary Magdalen.
Because Our Lady was there on Calvary, she knows how real, how deep is
His longing for you and for the poor. Do we know? Do we feel as
she? Ask her to teach. Her role is to bring you face to face, as
John and Magdalen, with the love in the Heart of Jesus crucified. Before
it was Our Lady pleading with Mother, now it is Mother in her name pleading
with you - "listen to Jesus' thirst". Let it be for each a Word
of Life.
How do you approach the thirst of Jesus?
Only one secret - the closer you come to Jesus, the better you will know
His thirst. "Repent and believe", Jesus tells us. What
are we to repent? Our indifference, our hardness of heart. What are
we to believe? Jesus thirsts even now, in your heart and in the
poor. He knows your weakness, He wants only your love, wants only the
chance to love you. He is not bound by time. Whenever we come close
to Him - we become partners of Our Lady, St. John, Magdalen. Hear Him.
Hear your own name. Make my joy and yours complete.”
Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa
Jesus, help all who read this experience your love.
© Janet Moore 2015
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