As foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, St Teresa of Kolkata devoted all her life to serving the poorest of the poor. What was it that made her different from secular philanthropists and social activists? It was her unwavering belief in the inalienable dignity of every person, regardless of colour or creed. She saw the face of Christ in every person she served. This conviction guided her apostolate to the abandoned, the rejected and the marginalised which is rooted in Christ's words that, when we do it to one of the least of His brethren, we do it to Him.

Whence did her strength and tenacity come from? It was from living a truly Eucharistic life. She was a tireless proponent of Eucharistic adoration. She and her Sisters would always start the day adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, followed by Mass and Holy communion. These were non-negotiables. Her philanthropic spirituality was a rightly-ordered one: time spent in silence and prayer that nurtured faith. The fruit of faith is love leading to service. She incarnated this intrinsic unity between love of God and neighbour that committed her to serving the poor. She did not strive to be successful but only to be faithful. When she felt abandoned by God, she accepted this terrible suffering and offered it up in solidarity with the poor in union with Christ crucified, remaining ever at His disposal. She was the visible carrier of God's love. How much am I willing to give up to follow Christ?