A Saint giving a Bishop a finger....

Let me begin with an excuse. While Ruth and I were leading the Rotary Group

Study Exchange in India I became wishing-for-death sick. When a bit better I had a slot of time where I could have gone and met Mother Teresa.  I had the sick excuse not to do so, but in all honesty in my soul I knew what she would ask me  something like what are you sacrificing for our Lord?  I was ashamed to face that it was so little.

    All of that to pass along the following bit about Mother Teresa that I read this morning. The Pope, John Paul, had authorized land in the Vatican City for the building of a dormitory for her order which would butt up against the papal audience hall.  A small group of dignitaries had gathered for the small ceremony of blessing for this event.

  A Bishop had been invited to give this blessing and in his homily thanked the Pope several times when Sister Teresa interrupted with the words: “We must thank the Lord first”. Up to that point the Bishop had not mentioned God or Jesus Christ but had spoken only of the Pope. In the wake of Mother Teresa’s intervention the bishop looked, understandably, a bit bewildered. But he smiled and the Bishop continued with his prepared homily. At this point Mother Teresa raised her hand with her finger pointing straight up to heaven for the rest of his talk. 

Something in me responded to this living saint, giving the finger of correction to a Bishop, even if it is the index finger.    

I Loved Jesus in the Night, Teresa of Calcutta, A Secret Revealed, Paul Murray, Paraclete Press, 2008, Brewster, MA, page 102 .