| Spiritual Non-Fiction posted May 1, 2023 |
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Do it anyway.
What Would Mother Teresa Say?
by John Cranford
Mother Teresa is one of the most honored and well-known humanitarians of the twentieth century. She was a Catholic nun who devoted her adult life to the slums of Calcutta, India. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, an organization dedicated to the caring of Calcutta's poor, homeless, unloved and unwanted...those who had become a burden to society and shunned by everyone. She received many awards during her lifetime, most notably, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She was canonized and declared a saint by Pope Francis in 2016. She died on September 5, 1997.
On August 26, 2010, which would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday, a request was made to the owners of the Empire State Building in New York City to illuminate the top of the landmark skyscraper in blue and white to commemorate her life.
The owners of the Empire State Building refused the request. The building management cited its policy of not honoring religious figures as the reason for its denial. The policy states, "The Empire State Building tower lights recognize key milestones, events, charitable organizations, countries and holidays throughout the world, not political or religion related events."
I struggled with this decision. If ever there were a reason to make an exception to such a policy, surely this would qualify. Then it occurred to me, I'm sure many requests come in asking to bathe the iconic tower in certain colors that do not conform to the stated policy. It's not up to me to decide.
But on the other hand, I wondered if any exceptions were ever made to The Empire State Building policy. It didn't take long to find several. One of the most flagrant contradictions and egregious violations of the policy occurred in 2015. The building's tower lights were not only colored, but the image of Kali, the pagan Hindu goddess of destruction, was emblazoned on the building's facade (as depicted above).
Respect for one of the most charitable and beloved Christian women of our time was denied, while paying homage to a pagan Hindu goddess of death was welcomed. This was the epitome of hypocrisy by the owners of the Empire State Building. I wonder how Mother Teresa would have responded to such treatment. But then it occurred to me, she has, and brilliantly, in her poem below.
DO IT ANYWAY
"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest anyway.
If you spend your years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway."
Mother Teresa
But, On The Other Hand... contest entry
Mother Teresa is one of the most honored and well-known humanitarians of the twentieth century. She was a Catholic nun who devoted her adult life to the slums of Calcutta, India. She founded the Missionaries of Charity, an organization dedicated to the caring of Calcutta's poor, homeless, unloved and unwanted...those who had become a burden to society and shunned by everyone. She received many awards during her lifetime, most notably, the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She was canonized and declared a saint by Pope Francis in 2016. She died on September 5, 1997.
On August 26, 2010, which would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday, a request was made to the owners of the Empire State Building in New York City to illuminate the top of the landmark skyscraper in blue and white to commemorate her life.
The owners of the Empire State Building refused the request. The building management cited its policy of not honoring religious figures as the reason for its denial. The policy states, "The Empire State Building tower lights recognize key milestones, events, charitable organizations, countries and holidays throughout the world, not political or religion related events."
I struggled with this decision. If ever there were a reason to make an exception to such a policy, surely this would qualify. Then it occurred to me, I'm sure many requests come in asking to bathe the iconic tower in certain colors that do not conform to the stated policy. It's not up to me to decide.
But on the other hand, I wondered if any exceptions were ever made to The Empire State Building policy. It didn't take long to find several. One of the most flagrant contradictions and egregious violations of the policy occurred in 2015. The building's tower lights were not only colored, but the image of Kali, the pagan Hindu goddess of destruction, was emblazoned on the building's facade (as depicted above).
Respect for one of the most charitable and beloved Christian women of our time was denied, while paying homage to a pagan Hindu goddess of death was welcomed. This was the epitome of hypocrisy by the owners of the Empire State Building. I wonder how Mother Teresa would have responded to such treatment. But then it occurred to me, she has, and brilliantly, in her poem below.
DO IT ANYWAY
"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest anyway.
If you spend your years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway."
Mother Teresa
On August 26, 2010, which would have been Mother Teresa's 100th birthday, a request was made to the owners of the Empire State Building in New York City to illuminate the top of the landmark skyscraper in blue and white to commemorate her life.
The owners of the Empire State Building refused the request. The building management cited its policy of not honoring religious figures as the reason for its denial. The policy states, "The Empire State Building tower lights recognize key milestones, events, charitable organizations, countries and holidays throughout the world, not political or religion related events."
I struggled with this decision. If ever there were a reason to make an exception to such a policy, surely this would qualify. Then it occurred to me, I'm sure many requests come in asking to bathe the iconic tower in certain colors that do not conform to the stated policy. It's not up to me to decide.
But on the other hand, I wondered if any exceptions were ever made to The Empire State Building policy. It didn't take long to find several. One of the most flagrant contradictions and egregious violations of the policy occurred in 2015. The building's tower lights were not only colored, but the image of Kali, the pagan Hindu goddess of destruction, was emblazoned on the building's facade (as depicted above).
Respect for one of the most charitable and beloved Christian women of our time was denied, while paying homage to a pagan Hindu goddess of death was welcomed. This was the epitome of hypocrisy by the owners of the Empire State Building. I wonder how Mother Teresa would have responded to such treatment. But then it occurred to me, she has, and brilliantly, in her poem below.
DO IT ANYWAY
"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere, people may deceive you.
Be honest anyway.
If you spend your years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today will often be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
For you see in the end, it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway."
Mother Teresa
 Recognized |
"From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from His dwelling place, He watches all who live on earth, He who forms the hearts of all, who observes everything they do." Psalm 33:13-15 (NIV).
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