About “Mother Teresa”

Pope Francis proclaimed Mother Teresa a saint on September 4th, the anniversary eve of her death 19 years ago. The world needs to know that God is the only one who converts a sinner to a saint. Of all the references to saints in the New Testament, they were all alive both physically and spiritually. They were made spiritually alive in Christ and were all members of the household of God (Eph. 2:5- 19). It is God alone who chooses and calls His saints out of the world to be sanctified or set apart as new creatures in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2; 2 Cor. 5:17). Mother Teresa cannot be a saint in death because she was not a saint in life.

Mother Teresa did not believe or proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the only way of salvation. She encouraged Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists to be better Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists. She never pointed people to Christ as the only savior, mediator, and redeemer. Instead, she taught a bizarre 'pseudo-pantheism' in which she believed Jesus was present in everyone. In her book "Life in the Spirit: Reflections, Meditations and Prayers," she wrote, "We never try to convert [anyone] to Christianity, but in our work we bear witness to the love of God's presence, and if Catholics, Protestants, Buddhists, or agnostics become better men, we will be satisfied."

The widespread perception that Mother Teresa sought to relieve the suffering of the poor was the furthest thing from the truth. She believed suffering would help the poor make satisfaction for their sins. She said, "There is something beautiful in seeing the poor accept their lot, to suffer it like Christ's Passion. The world gains much from their suffering." This theology is consistent with Roman Catholicism which declares the sinner must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins by doing penance (Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1459).

At the end of her life, Mother Teresa doubted the existence of God and heaven. In her private letters she wrote: "Lord, my God, you have thrown [me] away as unwanted and unloved. I call, I cling, I want, and there is no one to answer, no, no one. Where is my faith? There is nothing, I have no faith." Yet, in spite of her lack of faith and her rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, this unbelieving agnostic has been declared a saint.

Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel e-mail, 1 October 2016