My friend Byron just sent me a note regarding the recent publication of Mother Theresa’s private letters that reveal her ongoing dark night of the soul. Personally, I don’t find her doubts at all off-putting. But rather they fill me with hope and make me love her more.

 Here is what Byron wrote:

"Just read a fascinating article on Mother Theresa, another well known
stain. (Byron loves to flip the t around - SB) The church is up in arms because she admittd to having doubt about
Christ being in her life since she was a young nun and had just started her
hands on outreaching ministry and stopped teaching. And remained feeling
that way until her death. The church was appalled, having pronounced her a
Saint.

The thing that stuck is how St. Ben’s (the church Byron and I attend - SB) allows doubt and confusion to come
into the light of day, and faces it head on, while it is not de rigeur with
most churches…

In some of her letters she wrote that she felt forsaken, but did not the
man himself say those same words? Was she unconciously trying to be more Christ like? Is there a parallel here? She worried that she suffered from the sin of pride, was it this feeling of sharing the feeling of being forsaken that she worried about?

Her request in her will was for her letters to be destroyed, but the
church would not allow it. Seems to fly in the face of their dismay at what she wrote.

All in all a thoughtful piece."

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