“Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.”
- August 26, 1910 – September 5, 1997
- Albanian
- Catholic nun and saint
- Founded the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta, India, and won the Nobel Peace Prize for her work in supporting the poor, sick, and orphans
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Quote
“Our life of poverty is as necessary as the work itself. Only in heaven will we see how much we owe to the poor for helping us to love God better because of them.”
Explanation
In this quote, Mother Teresa reflects on the profound spiritual lessons that come from living a life of poverty and serving the poor. She explains that the poverty she chose to live was not merely a way of life, but an essential part of her mission. For her, living in simplicity and sharing in the suffering of the poor was a means of deepening her connection with God. She believed that the poor were a channel through which God taught her to love Him more fully. By giving of herself and serving those in need, she found that she was growing in faith, love, and humility—all of which brought her closer to God.
Mother Teresa recognized that the poor were often the ones who helped her grow spiritually. In serving them, she learned selflessness, compassion, and the true meaning of service. She believed that their suffering was a mirror that helped her purify her own soul and led her to love God in a deeper, more authentic way. This view was deeply tied to her belief that serving others—especially those most in need—is an act of worship, and that through the poor, she was serving Christ Himself.
In modern society, this quote invites us to reconsider how we approach both poverty and service. It challenges us to see the poor not as objects of charity, but as teachers who can help us grow in love, humility, and gratitude. When we serve others with genuine compassion, we often find that we, too, are transformed in the process. For example, volunteering at a shelter or supporting those in need can not only provide tangible help to those who are struggling but can also offer profound spiritual growth, as we learn to see the face of God in every person we serve.
