Of rolling fog and driving faith and Mother Teresa.

In this corner of the world where I live, there is a very interesting micro-climate that happens especially in the summer time when the fog rolls in from the Pacific Ocean and takes over the coastal lands and cities and parks, clamping down on them like a lid.


Outside the fog bank, you can see it clearly outlined against the sky and it is an amazing local sight. Within it is a completely different world, where the vision is extremely limited, even in broad daylight. A couple of days ago, I drove thru one of our summer fog-fest and it got me to feel grateful for the light of faith.



Faith really allows us to see farther. It allows us to see what there is to see and also to grasp what is not visible to the eyes and to keep going the course. Driving through the thickest part of the fog, I kept going because I knew that this road was going to take me home - even tough I could barely see it - and I found a bizarre beauty in the whole experience. It got me to thank God, to praise Him for his creation, which sometimes I see clearly and sometimes I don't, but I praise Him all the same.

Mother Teresa's doubts of faith have been in the news a lot recently. I read about them 4 years ago in a First Things article by Carol Zaleski here. It was insightful and respectful and quite inspiring. To think that she persevered so doggedly in her work of charity although she was driving through the biggest fog of doubts was quite a moving story. I found it very encouraging. It helps me go through my own little patches of spiritual fog. Whether some people in some circles are actually using these most intimate details of her spiritual journey to distance themselves from her - and to distance themselves from God - is a pity.

But that is how we are, us humans, we are pitiful and pathetic most of the times. But I am not worried, Blessed Mother Theresa is in the best place nowadays to actually pray for us and help us all, believers and doubters and scoffers alike, and I have complete trust that she will.

Blessed Mother Teresa, please give me some of your compassion and charity;
some of your courage and perseverance under adversity;
give me some of your force, your inner-drive and energy;
and especially share with me the source of your energy I greatly need it…