I love to travel, and the more exciting the place, the better. But my experience in Calcutta, India, pushed my limits even as an experienced traveler. And yet, it was there that I discovered Jesus’ presence through Adoration and its essential role in serving others.
My brother had been volunteering in India for several months, working with the Missionaries of Charity sisters, and I jumped at the chance to join him on this great adventure. When I arrived, the air was thick and full of foreign scents. My brother greeted me at the airport, bearded, thin, and excited to show me this new world.
The taxi sped us through the winding streets of one of the largest cities on earth, and my heart fluttered with anticipation. When we arrived at the hostel, I was greeted by lizards lounging on the courtyard wall and friendly backpackers sipping Indian beer and chatting over their next stop.
We awoke around 5 a.m. and began the twenty-minute walk to mass at the Mother House where the nuns lived. On the way to the convent, I saw the most extreme poverty I could have imagined. All around me, trash was piled high on the streets, and I witnessed many people sitting quietly in the mess. I breathed in the heavy smell of garbage and exhaust, and I felt overwhelmed by all the need.
After the eye-opening and soul-stretching journey, my brother and I arrived for mass, taking off our shoes at the doorway alongside dozens of sandals and sneakers scattered in the hall.
When I entered the chapel, I saw Mother Teresa’s tomb resting like a monument of peace. Mass began, and a breakfast of bananas, bread, and chai tea followed for all the volunteers.
The sisters assigned each volunteer to a particular house to serve, and our day began. I did laundry, played with some sweet kiddos, and sang songs for the sick and the dying. The sisters taught us to see Jesus in each person we served, and I wondered how they lived that truth out so faithfully.
I learned the nuns’ secret while attending their daily evening holy hour, although it took me several days to stay awake during this blessed time.
I remember kneeling on the floor for a couple of minutes and sitting down to fall asleep quickly. I was so exhausted because the extreme heat made sleeping at night difficult. Each evening, right before bed, I would throw a bucket of water on myself to cool down before attempting to sleep through the night. There was really no break from the heat. That is something I will never forget about Calcutta.
But as the days passed, my holy hour became a time of great Grace, and the time I spent with Jesus showed me that He was there in the mess and that I must go to Him in the poor and return to Him in the Eucharist. This is how I would always keep company with Him.
Mother Teresa writes, “I make a Holy hour each day in the presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. All my sisters of the Missionaries of Charity make a daily holy hour, as well, because we find that through our daily holy hour our love for Jesus becomes more intimate, our love for each other more understanding, and our love for the poor more compassionate.”
When I left Calcutta, I learned that to serve others well, we must see Jesus in them, and to see Jesus in them, we must come to Him often. I wish I could tell you that I have practiced this lesson perfectly since Calcutta, but my laziness often gets in the way of spending more time with Him in Adoration. I can only say that when I do, it is much easier to see Jesus in those around me and to serve with joy.
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/usconsulatechennai/6914026630
