Holy Women's History Month: Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, commonly known as Mother Teresa, is a household name around the world. You don’t have to be Catholic to know about her actions to serve the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, and if you’re over 30, there’s a good likelihood you remember seeing images of her on television or in print media while she was alive.  

I can’t remember a time in my life when I wasn’t aware of Mother Teresa. She was everywhere from childhood through early adulthood. Her importance and influence snuck up on me. I guess you could say I took her example for granted throughout much of my life. It was only after she passed away and her cause for Sainthood was opened that I really allowed her example to influence my life.    

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“Do Ordinary Things with Extraordinary Love” 

When my children were young, we prayed through a Lenten devotional, Bringing Lent Home with Mother Teresa by Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle.  The small book of prayers, reflections, and activities for families helped us get to know Mother Teresa.  Through the suggestions for Almsgiving and Fasting each day, I came to understand St. Teresa of Calcutta’s ordinary way of holiness.  

We were encouraged to smile at a person, fast from complaining, hold the door open for someone, compliment someone we encountered, and many more items in this vein.  Each one was so simple and doable.  After all, how simple and ordinary is a smile?  And yet, what a difference receiving a smile can make to a person and to the person offering that kindness.  It is the start of something powerful.   

An Ordinary Saint 

I’m going to say something controversial — Mother Teresa was a saint because of the way she did the most ordinary things in an extraordinary way.  Some people get frustrated with me because I refer to Saint Teresa of Calcutta as an “ordinary” saint.  I’m not at all diminishing the greatness of this beloved saint.    

When I say Saint Teresa of Calcutta is an example of an ordinary saint, you might think I’ve lost my mind. She is a saint who lived a radical life dedicated to God. Yes, she did, but if you break down what she did in her daily life that made her holy, you’ll see she exemplified being extraordinary in the ordinary. 

Saint Teresa of Calcutta saw the face of Jesus in each person she met and treated them as if they were Jesus himself by seeing them, loving them, and always treating them with kindness. Her example challenges us to be kind and loving to everyone we encounter.   

I look back now and see how her example impacted my personal spirituality. I strive to live my faith and love of God each day by doing ordinary things with extraordinary love.   

Ordinary Is Not Easy 

Please do not confuse my use of the words ordinary or simple with the word easy.  Mother Teresa showed me that we can do simple and ordinary tasks, whether they be easy or hard, with love for Christ.  Many ordinary things are quite difficult to do with love because we are busy, in a hurry, or just doing the action on autopilot without giving it much thought.   

To this day, I have a quote attributed to her framed in my kitchen to remind me to love my family as I love Jesus.  And I refer to it often when I’m grumbling about this or that.   

I’ve often seen, “Wash the plate not because it is dirty, but because you love the person who will use it next.” I’m not sure it’s a direct quote from Mother Teresa, but I believe it reflects her actions and how she lived her call to holiness. Do simple actions with love.  Love the people around you.   

I often think about that quote and her example when I grumble through my daily tasks.  Through her example and reminder, I know I serve Jesus when I serve my family.   

Saint Teresa of Calcutta made me realize that my everyday actions, my small, ordinary tasks, can be instrumental and important. Simple things, such as a smile or an act of kindness, are often overlooked but are a great opportunity for us to love another person.   

Most importantly, I need to see the face of Jesus in every person I encounter each day and treat them with the love I would give to Our Lord if he were present right in front of me.   

Her words were simple yet elegant, and her actions were simple yet profound. Her example of treating even the poorest of the poor as if they were Christ was extraordinary.   

How do you do ordinary things with extraordinary love in the example of Saint Teresa of Calcutta?  

During Women's History Month, Catholic Mom writers are celebrating the women who have inspired their faith journeys — whether canonized saints, saints in progress, or beloved women from Scripture. Through personal reflections and heartfelt stories, they share how these holy women have touched their lives, offering wisdom, strength, and a deeper connection to God. Join us as we honor the spiritual legacy of these remarkable women and the lasting impact they continue to have on our hearts and souls. 

Copyright 2025 Lisa Henley Jones
Images: Holy Cross Family Ministries