Iconic photo
The Hawaii Catholic Herald front page cover of Aug.26 is truly an iconic photo of Mother Teresa. The wrinkles on her face have come out from not drinking water. This photo, taken at the Damien beatification in Belgium, is the result of dehydration in her choosing to experience in a prayerful way the “ I Thirst” of Jesus on the cross. No one knows she is making a personal sacrifice out of love as a reparative prayer.
The joined hands, instead of shaking hands, is the Asian Christian and non-Christian “namaste” greeting, the God in me respecting the God in you to whomever she is meeting.
The smile on her face is the suffering Mother Teresa. It is only between God and herself. It is the photo of a holy Mother Teresa who is radiating love and joy. On occasions travelling with Mother Teresa, I witnessed the smooth face transformed into the wrinkled “I Thirst” appearance. Such pictures convey Mother Teresa’s spiritual beauty.
—Father William F. Petrie, ss.cc.
Pastor, St. Damien of Molokai Parish