THE DARK LETTERS
The writings address numerous topics, but the ones most likely
to create a stir are what Doubleday called the "dark letters."
"Please pray specially for me that I may not spoil His work and
that Our Lord may show Himself -- for there is such terrible
darkness within me, as if everything was dead," she wrote in 1953.
"It has been like this more or less from the time I started 'the
work.'"
Then in 1956: "Such deep longing for God -- and ... repulsed --
empty -- no faith -- no love -- no zeal. (Saving) souls holds no
attraction -- Heaven means nothing -- pray for me please that I
keep smiling at Him in spite of everything."
And then in 1959: "If there be no God -- there can be no soul --
if there is no Soul then Jesus -- You also are not true."
At times she also found it hard to pray.
"I utter words of community prayers -- and try my utmost to get
out of every word the sweetness it has to give -- but my prayer of
union is not there any longer -- I no longer pray."
However,
Faith and doubt are both sides of a religious experience.
Thiese letters remind us that any faith that is certain is no
faith at all, just as any love never doubted is very shallow
love.
But in theend , that Mother Terese still continued to long for
God as she laboured in the soul-alienating slums of Calcutta
signifies the genuiness of her faith.
N her actions as well as her words, she exhibited more faith
than any doubter - or non doubter
The recent revelations of Mother Teresa's spiritual struggle
should remind all believing Christians that our faith is in Christ
, not in our feelings.
