Although I disagree with some of her policy ideas (and I mean specifically the one about birth control being evil), Mother Teresa was quite the humanitarian of our time. It's a shame that a woman so devout and devoted to catholicism was paradoxically somehow not good enough to serve as its spiritual leader on earth. Yes, she didn't have the same biological parts as Saint Peter, and that seems to matter somehow. I think if Jesus didn't have a problem with the lepers, God certainly doesn't have a problem with a woman's ability to lead. But then again we're talking about the Catholic Church, and not God--two vastly different things.
I found a quote from Mother Teresa while doing some surfing today that, despite my reservations about certain aspects of her interpretation of what is humane (as mentioned above), managed to hit me as particularly meaningful, no matter what you call God, or if you call her at all.
People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people may accuse you of selfish motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you may win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and transparency make you vulnerable. Be honest and transparent anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People who really want help may attack you if you help them. Help them anyway. Give the world the best you have and you may get hurt. Give the world your best anyway.
Just as an aside, you'll notice I said "her" up there. I have to admit, I usually think "him" but that may be from conditioning. I saw an episode of "Kids in the Hall" a long time ago and they referred to God as looking a lot like Oprah. She'd probably say something like that quote as well.
Funny though, can't picture JP 2 saying it, can you?
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