Mother Teresa was a humble Albanian Indian Catholic sister who gave of herself to others with indomitable energy and without any expectation of return. I am impressed by her lifelong humanitarian compassion for those in dire poverty and dying of dreaded diseases.
At age 18, Mother Teresa joined the Sisters of Loreto in Ireland in 1928, a Roman Catholic religious congregation of women dedicated to education. Her resolve to serve as a missionary led her to journey to now Kolkata, India, in 1929. She learned to speak both English and Bengali to familiarize herself with Indian life.
A new documentary film on the life of the saint recently premiered at the Vatican Movie Theater in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of her death. May it awaken a sense of goodness in young people today and spark charity within them. The documentary highlights her legacy of service to marginalized humanity through her work in the slums of the world. Over seven decades, Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping multitudes of the very poorest of the poor.
Beginning in then-Calcutta, Mother Teresa established a global network of nuns and lay volunteers to provide relief to victims of Hansen's disease (leprosy), orphans, the physically and mentally handicapped and the lonely dying. They all find refuge and solace in facilities run by her Missionaries of Charity.
Although there has been remarkable economic development in many parts of the world, prosperity is unevenly distributed. Many destitute families still suffer from constant hardships, hopeless misery, multiple losses and grief as a norm.
In the wake of industrialization, many people obsessively cling to their material possessions, as well as social status and authority. The more we have, the more we want. Some people, however, may not have very much but are able to get along in a more balanced way, without chasing money. They have more time to work on their own projects. Wealth is compared frequently to fertilizer. When good fortune is shared with others, it can benefit both the giver and the recipients. However, when acquisition of wealth becomes a fixation, wealth can poison the social and emotional environment with fear and distrust, and serves no one well.
Mother Teresa exemplified compassion, generosity and self-sacrifice. She remains an inspiration to many, not just in Catholic circles, but for many people around the globe.
In contrast with some unethical leaders of Korean mega-churches who teach that happiness derives from the accumulation of wealth, Mother Teresa wasn't greedy. She did not find value in the temporary comfort of material possessions. Mother Teresa was a spiritual giant and an extraordinarily special human being. She personified harmony, philanthropy and compassion in a world driven by conflict, avarice and power. Her rare spirit of mercy for all has had a profound impact on me.
Religious organizations in Korea need to enshrine her life of selfless service as their spiritual ideal, untainted by excessive materialism, unsavory financial manipulations and self-aggrandizement.
Choe Chong-dae (choecd@naver.com) is a guest columnist of The Korea Times. He is president of Dae-kwang International Co., and director of the Korean-Swedish Association.