Speaking Truth in Love

Sept. 1, 2022

Mother Teresa’s consistent witness to human dignity and compassion for the vulnerable gave her a profound credibility

By Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly

Sept. 1, 2022

Supreme Knight Patrick E. Kelly (Photo by Michael Collopy)

On Dec. 10, 1979, a little Albanian woman wearing a white and blue sari stood before some of most powerful leaders on earth and received one of the world’s highest honors — the Nobel Peace Prize. That day, the diminutive giant, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, was honored for, as the award stated, “bringing help to suffering humanity” and “attention to the plight of children and refugees.”

Mother Teresa immediately gave away the Nobel’s monetary award to build shelters for the poorest of the poor. She gave all glory to God. But she also gave a great gift to the world — a reorientation of our understanding of true poverty and of the foundations of peace.

In her speech to the dignitaries gathered to praise her, Mother Teresa boldly stated, “The greatest destroyer of peace today is the cry of the innocent unborn child. For if a mother can murder her own child in her own womb, what is left for you and for me to kill each other?”

Her listeners were dumbstruck.

This dramatic moment is one of numerous evocative scenes in the new, feature-length documentary Mother Teresa: No Greater Love, which will be in select U.S. theaters Oct. 3-4.

It would not be the last time Mother Teresa would be so bold — not by a long shot. Her 1985 address to the United Nations and her witness at the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., come to mind. She was the very face of kindness, but her clarity and conviction frequently left world leaders uncomfortable.

Mother Teresa reminded us that if we truly want to live up to the ideals of justice and equality for all, we must start by respecting the dignity and the worth of every human life, made in the image and likeness of God.’

Mother Teresa reminded us that if we truly want to live up to the ideals of justice and equality for all, we must start by respecting the dignity and the worth of every human life, made in the image and likeness of God. And for this, there was no better messenger, because Mother Teresa lived this reality every day. No one could rival her total gift of self in her love for the poor and the vulnerable.

Mother Teresa was the world’s most credible witness for a culture of life precisely because she saw the face of Christ in those she served. When she was feeding the hungry or holding the hand of someone who was dying, she was doing so to the most important person in her life, Jesus Christ himself. This was the source of her authenticity and consistency.

Her words matched her actions, and her actions matched her words. She had the courage to speak the truth because she had a heart that burned with love, and that love was matched by a life of sacrifice for others. In a general audience address last year, Pope Francis emphasized this link between truth and love: “Let us not be afraid to be truthful, to speak the truth, to hear the truth, to conform ourselves to the truth, so we can love.”

This is the witness the world needs now. And I believe Knights and their families are the ones to offer it.

While none of us can be St. Teresa of Calcutta, each of us can demonstrate, through our care for our families, the poor and all those around us, the dignity and worth of every person.

This mission fits perfectly with that of Blessed Michael McGivney and the work of the Knights. It’s why we’ve launched our new ASAP (Aid and Support After Pregnancy) program — and why, for decades, councils and Knights have been there for women in need, through our Ultrasound Initiative and other works.

The world needs to hear that we stand for life, because every life is of inestimable value and goodness. Our society needs us to proclaim that message boldly, and then to back up our words by laying down our lives for mothers and children, in love. Indeed, there is “no greater love” (Jn 15:13).

Vivat Jesus!

Speaking Truth in Love

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