The face of greatness.

Image by philosofia via Flickr

If Love had a face, a name, it would be hers.

Agnese Gonxhe Bojaxhiu was born in Skopje, Albania, in August, 26 1910. More than anyone in the last century, she changed the world, changed mentalities, made us turn our eyes to the things that everybody refused to see. She raised awareness to poverty, to physical and psychological misery, but most of all, to the deep and outraging abyss that exists between rich and poor. She built a bridge, gave hope and redemption to those who never had anything to look up to, gave dreams to those who couldn't even believe. She managed to do the impossible and received the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1979. Personally, I couldn't think of anyone who could deserve it more.

At twelve years old, she received a call, a strong appeal that took her to the religious life. The first steps were taken in Ireland, in the Loreto Abbey.

In 1929, she went to India, and it was in India that all her greatness was revealed. She wasn't satisfied with the protected and somehow priviledged life in Darjeeling and she chose to live among the poor, to better be aware of their difficulties and help.To know, to understand what she went through, is hard. She stood there, firm in her faith and in her compassion, with people who suffered some of the most scary and contagious diseases that the world has known - I'm talking about Hansen, for example. She endured hunger and pain and I'm sure her heart was broken a million times; each time she saw one of her elderly, one of her children go...

Once, she went to a rich man's house and knocked on the door. The man opened and, when he saw who she was, asked:

"What do you want?"

"Could you give me something for my little children, please..." she replied.

The man, as an answer, spat in her face.

She gently cleaned the mucus with her hand, and took it to her heart.

"Thank you. This is for me. Now, can you give me something for the children?"

Seeing her sweet and humble attitude, the man's heart was moved and he went inside to get some groceries.

This is a story I heard many times and which can illustrate perfectly how humble and generous she was. This little Lady with a huge courage and an enormous heart is an example to us all in what concerns making the world a better place. She never thought of the ones in need in terms of tone of skin, social backgroung, nationality, political orientation or even religion. She only though that the human being ahead of her needed help and she could give what she had... And what she had not. She expected nothing in return. That's greatness!