Beautiful Smile and Love
The poor are very wonderful people. One evening we went out and we picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition, and I told the sisters: You take care of the other three. I take care of this one who looked worse. So I did for her all that my love can do. I put her in bed, and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. She took hold of my hand as she said just the words “thank you” and she died. I could not help but examine my conscience before her and I asked what would I say if I was in her place.
Poor people are amazing people. One night we went out and brought four people back from the street, one of whom had a life-threatening condition. So I told the nuns: "You take care of the other three, and I will take care of this endangered one." And so I did everything for her that my love could do. I laid her down on the bed and saw such a beautiful smile on her face. She held my hand, said just "Thank you" and died. I couldn't help but examine my conscience in front of her.
And my answer was very simple. I would have tried to draw a little attention to myself. I would have said I am hungry, that I am dying, I am cold, I am in pain, or something , but she gave me much more-she gave me her grateful love. And she died with a smile on her face.
I asked myself, what would I say if I were her? The answer is simple, I try to draw attention to myself by saying that I am hungry, shaking with cold, dying, in pain, and so on. But she gave me much more - she gave me her gratitude. She died with a smile on her face.
As did that man whom we picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms, and we brought him to the home. “I have lived like an animal in the street, but I am going to die like an angel, loved and cared for.” And it was so wonderful to see the greatness of that man who could speak like that, who could die like that without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything. Like an angel-this is the greatness of our people. And that is why we believe what Jesus had said: I was hungry, I was naked, I was homeless, I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for, and you did it to me.
The same goes for the man we brought back from the sewer. At that time, almost all of his body was eaten by bugs, so we took him home. "I've been living like an animal on the street, but I'm going to die like an angel, loved and cared for." It's so wonderful that I saw his greatness and that he could say that In that case. He died like that, not blaming anyone, not cursing anyone, having no desires or desires. Like angels - this is the greatness of our people. So we believe what Jesus said - I'm hungry - I'm naked - I'm homeless - I'm not wanted, not loved, not cared about - and yet you are I did it all.
I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives in the heart of the world . For we are touching the body of Christ twenty-four hours... And I think that in our family we don't need bombs and guns, to destroy, to bring peace, just get together, love one another, bring that peace , that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world.
I guess we are not really social workers . In people's eyes, maybe we are doing social work, but in fact, we are really just practitioners at the center of the world. Because, 24 hours a day, we touch the body of Christ. I think that when we are a big family, we don't need guns and cannonballs to destroy peace or bring peace - we just need to unite and love each other to bring peace, joy and vitality to the soul of every family member. All brought back to the world. In this way we can defeat all evil that exists in the world.
And with this prize that I have received as a Prize of Peace, I am going to try to make the home for many people who have no home. Because I believe that love begins at home, and if we can create a home for the poor I think that more and more love will spread. And we will be able through this understanding love to bring peace be the good news to the poor. The poor in our own family first, in our country and in the world.
I am going to use my Nobel Peace Prize money to build homes for homeless people. Because I believe that love comes from family, and if we can build homes for the poor, I think love will spread even wider. And, through this tolerant love, we will bring peace and be a gospel to the poor. First for the poor in our own family, secondly for the poor in our country, and secondly for the poor around the world.
To be able to do this, our Sisters, our lives have to be wove with prayer. They have to be woven with Christ to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because to be woven with Christ is to be able to understand, to be able to share. Because today there is so much suffering... When I pick up a person from the street, hungry, I give him a plate of rice, a piece of bread, I have satisfied. I have removed that hunger.
In order to do this, sisters, our lives must be closely connected with prayer, and we must be united with Christ to understand each other, *** Share, because union with Christ means understanding and sharing. Because there is still so much suffering in the world today... When I bring a hungry person back from the street, I can give him a plate of rice and a piece of bread, and I can satisfy him. Alleviating his hunger.
But a person who is shut out, who feels unwanted, unloved, terrified, the person who has been thrown out from society-that poverty is so full of hurt and so unbearable... And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something.
But if a person lives on the street and feels unworthy Wanted, not loved by others, fearful and abandoned by society - this kind of poverty is heartbreaking and unbearable. Therefore, let us always smile to meet each other, because smile is the beginning of love, and once we start to love each other naturally, we will think of doing something for each other.