Saturday in the Twenty-Third Week of Ordinary Time

An interviewer asked Mother Theresa what was the biggest problem she faced in her congregation. She replied, “Professionalism.” He had expected her to say something like finding a suitable successor, or raising sufficient funds. She went on to explain: “I have five sisters getting master degrees, and far more getting their R.N degrees. When they come back from their education, they are concerned about titles and offices and privileges. So I take all of that away from them and I send them to the Hospice for the Dying. There they hold people’s hands and pray with them and feed them and clean them. After about six months, they get things straight again and remember that their vocation is to be a loving presence first, and a professional presence second.” Only a tree that is planted in soil that is rich in humus, in humility, can bear good fruit