Throughout her life, Mother Teresa was a beacon of compassion, understanding, and unwavering commitment to serving the less fortunate. Her words continue to inspire millions across the globe, resonating with themes of love, kindness, service, and humility. In this collection of quotes, we delve into various aspects of life as seen through Mother Teresa's profound and insightful perspective. Each section offers a unique exploration of different life values, helping us understand human psychology and the universal principles that guide us. Whether it's about love, compassion, or service, Mother Teresa's words remind us of the extraordinary impact of living with a humble heart and serving others selflessly.
Quotes on Service
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others."
"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving."
"Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier."
"It's not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing."
"Serve with a heart of love, and the world will mirror back its beauty."
"Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls."
"A life not lived for others is not a life."
"Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in that action."
"Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'"
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."
"Every work of love, done with a full heart, brings people closer to God."
Quotes on Love
"If you want to change the world, go home and love your family."
"We can do no great things, only small things with great love."
"Intense love does not measure, it just gives."
"Love is a fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand."
"Do not think that love, to be genuine, has to be extraordinary."
"Love cannot remain by itself—it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action."
"The hunger for love is much more difficult to remove than the hunger for bread."
"If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive."
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies."
"Love begins by taking care of the closest ones—the ones at home."
"Give your hands to serve and your hearts to love."
"True love is an act of the will—a conscious decision to do what is best for others."
Quotes on Compassion
"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."
"The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved."
"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person."
"Kindness has converted more sinners than zeal, eloquence, or learning."
"Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received."
"Compassion is the joy of removing the pain of others."
"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody – I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."
"I prefer you to make mistakes in kindness than work miracles in unkindness."
"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
"The simple path: silence is prayer, prayer is faith, faith is love, love is service, the fruit of service is peace."
"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered, forgive them anyway."
"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
Quotes on Humility
"Humility is the ability to give up your pride and still retain your dignity."
"True humility is staying teachable, regardless of how much you already know."
"Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others."
"Be humble and never think that you are better than anyone else. For dust you are and to dust you shall return."
"Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself, it means thinking of yourself less."
"A humble person is more concerned about what is right than about being right."
"The greatest friend of truth is Time, her greatest enemy is Prejudice, and her constant companion is Humility."
"Humility is the solid foundation of all virtues."
"The higher we are placed, the more humbly we should walk."
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self."
"True wisdom comes from the acceptance of one’s own ignorance."
"Do not treat people as bad as they are, treat them as good as you are."
Quotes on Kindness
"Every act of kindness is a piece of love we leave behind."
"Kindness is a passport that opens doors and fashions friends. It softens hearts and molds relationships that can last lifetimes."
"You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it’s enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness."
"Rich or poor, we are to be generous with our kindness, for it is the wealth within our hearts."
"Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see."
"Always be a little kinder than necessary."
"Treat everyone with kindness, not because they are kind-hearted, but because you are."
"When words are both true and kind, they can change the world."
"What wisdom can you find greater than kindness?"
"Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness."
"Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change."
"How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it!"
Quotes on Faith
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
"Without faith, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible."
"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got."
"Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible."
"Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it."
"Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe."
"Sometimes, faith is all that separates us from the edge of despair."
"The greatest test of faith is when you don't get what you want, but still you are able to say, 'Thank you, Lord.'"
"Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will."
"Faith is a journey, not a destination."
"The smallest seed of faith is better than the largest fruit of happiness."
"Consider it pure joy when you face trials, because you know testing your faith develops perseverance."
Quotes on Peace
"Peace begins with a smile."
"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to each other."
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
"What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family."
"In a gentle way, you shake the world."
"Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace."
"The real and lasting victories are those of peace and not of war."
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."
"There is more power in unity than division."
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background."
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."
"Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."
Quotes on Perseverance
"The very meaning of life is to learn to overcome all sorts of obstacles."
"Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
"Even if I am a minority of one, the truth is still the truth."
"Stamina and perseverance must become a way of life."
"Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th."
"There is no failure except in no longer trying."
"Our greatest glory is not never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
"Success only comes to those who dare to attempt."
"If you are going through hell, keep going."
"Small daily improvements over time lead to stunning awe-inspiring results."
"It’s not that I’m so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer."
"When the world says, 'Give up,' Hope whispers, 'Try it one more time.'"
Quotes on Gratitude
"Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy."
"The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for."
"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it."
"Gratitude turns what we have into enough."
"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others."
"Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves and spend without fear of bankruptcy."
"The struggle ends when gratitude begins."
"When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."
"There is always something to be grateful for."
"Gratitude helps you see what is there instead of what isn’t."
"The root of joy is gratefulness... It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful."
"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."
Quotes on Forgiveness
"Forgive, not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace."
"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
"Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but because you deserve peace."
"Forgiveness is a funny thing. It warms the heart and cools the sting."
"It is not ‘forgive and forget’ as if nothing wrong had ever happened, but ‘forgive and go forward,’ building on the mistakes of the past and the energy generated by reconciliation to create a new future."
"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you."
"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future."
"The act of forgiveness takes place in our mind. It really has nothing to do with the other person."
"We achieve inner health only through forgiveness."
"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it."
"Forgiveness is the final form of love."
"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway."
Final words
Mother Teresa's enduring legacy is steeped in wisdom that transcends barriers and helps individuals find meaning in their daily lives. Her quotes serve as timeless reminders of the strength found in kindness, the necessity of compassion, the joy in serving others, and the peace within forgiveness. By reflecting upon these profound thoughts, we are encouraged to lead lives rich in love, humility, and outreach to others. The values and truths Mother Teresa so passionately espoused invite us to explore how we can incorporate them into our own lives. Through her example and teachings, she guides us toward creating a world where love and compassion are the ultimate guideposts. In embracing these principles, we not only honor her legacy but also foster a world where peace and goodwill prevail over adversity and division.
