The gift of blindness

One of my spiritual idols is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. I think now, according to the Catholic Church, she is called Blessed Mother Teresa. She hasn't been canonized as a saint...yet.

She became a major world figure because of her work with the poorest of the poor in India. She made it her mission to give love and hope to the homeless, sick, dying, and forgotten. She was able to see Jesus in anyone's eyes regardless of how they looked on the outside. You could be a leper with a seriously jacked up face, only a few fingers, and whatever other outwardly repulsive appearances. You could also look like Miss Universe, and both would get the same. treatment. She was blind to your outside, only focusing on your inside. She was able to see Jesus through the broken, bruised disguise of the poorest of the poor, and devoutly put into action his words "What you do to the least of my brethren, you do to me."

As humans, our eyes show us everything in our world. They're one of the organs we care most about, and the organs responsible for one of our five precious senses. When I've asked people, between hearing and sight, which sense they'd rather lose, the answer is almost always hearing. Granted, people who are physically blind can still survive in today's world with the help of a walking stick (if that's what they're called), or a seeing eye dog.

As 2012 makes its entrance, we're all questioning ourselves with whether or not we'll resolve to do anything differently; quit a bad habit, start a good one, or change anything. Last year, I resolved to not spend any money on things I wanted, only on things I needed. Though I didn't keep my resolution perfectly, it was on my mind DAILY.

This year, I really want Mother Teresa's level of blindness. I want to love people and see Jesus in everyone...even the people who...test me. I want to love people and see the good in them. I want to try to stop judging anyone for any reason. I want to stop being hypocritical about a number of things. But it's so. hard. to do.

I pray that God will bless me with this gift. Few have it, and when they possess it, they're capable of moving mountains with the same peace and love that Christ had when he forgave those who put him on the cross.

May God be with you this year, even if your resolution is to never make one.