Mother Theresa and More

Last week, when news of Mother Theresa's perpetual dark night of the soul was revealed in anticipation of the new book Mother Theresa: Come Be My Light, I felt such sadness...deep deep sadness.

This might seem odd to some because I am neither Catholic nor have I ever endured 50 years of abandonment or pain. According to the article I read, Mother Theresa wrote that the silence was so great that she looked and did not see, listened and did not hear. Just reading those words again, I feel that same pang that I did when first reading them. After all, this is Mother Theresa we're talking about...the wee woman who gave the lowliest of the low grace, mercy, and love just the way that the Lord did.

Strangely enough, I have been comforted by a humorous column written by Leonard Pitts Jr. of the Miami Herald. You can find his article right *here. My favorite quote from this article follows.

"You know, sometimes, I think atheists have a point. When you see nothing, when you feel nothing, isn't it logical to conclude it's because there is nothing?...I think the only reason I don't go with them is because of all those other times when you do see...something. When you feel so connected to something so vast it defies comprehension. It fills you. It settles you. It gives you peace. And you say to yourself, 'Lord, where did that come from? It couldn't be my imagination, because I couldn't imagine anything so...perfect.'"