Recognized by the general assembly of the United Nations in 2012, the International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people and organizations around the world to to help others through volunteer works of charities and philanthropic activities. The United Nations website states this: “The date of 5 September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 ‘for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.’”
I think it amazing that not only do we celebrate the feast day of Mother Teresa today in our Catholic faith, but the whole world recognizes her contributions to humanity on this day by establishing an international day of charity in honor of her.
Born in 1910, Mother Teresa went to India in 1929 as a consecrated religious sister with the Sisters of Loretto. However, in 1950, she established the new religious order the Missionaries of Charities, a group that started serving the poorest of the poor in India and later spread throughout the world. Her legacy of love, compassion, and charity calls out to all of us today.
Normally, our first readings at daily Mass come from the Old Testament, but today we hear from St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. St Paul talks about how the wisdom of the world can be so different from the wisdom of God. However, even a secular political organization such as the United Nations can see the goodness and charity in the life of the humble sister Mother Teresa. We must never forget the wisdom that our faith can teach the world. And it is up to us as disciples of Christ to proclaim the wisdom of our faith.
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