HAPPY BIRTHDAY to St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta! Born Today in 1910 a Champion of the Poor - with Novena Prayer

Mother Teresa, was born with the name Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu. She was born in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. The Bojaxhiu family was of Albanian descent. When she turned 18 she entered the Sisters of Loreto of Ireland. She took the name Teresa after St. Therese of Lisieux. She taught in a missionary school in India until 1948. While traveling through India she felt God calling her to serve the poorest of the poor. She received permission to leave her order and began to help the poor with volunteers.

In 1950, she was given permission from the Vatican to start the order "The Missionaries of Charity".

In 1979, Mother Teresa received the Nobel peace prize for her tireless work for the poor.

Her order rapidly spread around the world to care for the poor, sick and marginalized in over 120 countries. She spoke of this ministry in her own words, "I once picked up a woman from a garbage dump and she was burning with fever; she was in her last days and her only lament was: ‘My son did this to me.’ I begged her: You must forgive your son. In a moment of madness, when he was not himself, he did a thing he regrets. Be a mother to him, forgive him. It took me a long time to make her say: ‘I forgive my son.’ Just before she died in my arms, she was able to say that with a real forgiveness. She was not concerned that she was dying. The breaking of the heart was that her son did not want her. This is something you and I can understand."

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother died in 1997 when her order had 610 institutions in 123 countries world wide. Mother Teresa was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2003. Her 100th birthday was celebrated around the world by many with special tributes. India has created a stamp with her image. Mother Teresa was Canonized as a Saint by Pope Francis on September 5, 2016 at the Vatican. (Edit)

Shared from the Missionaries of Charity
Official Novena Prayer to Saint Teresa of Calcutta

Prayer for each day of the Novena
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, you allowed the thirsting love of Jesus on the Cross to become a living flame within you, and so became the light of His love to all. Obtain from the Heart of Jesus (here make your request).
Teach me to allow Jesus to penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life, too, may radiate His light and love to others. Amen. Immaculate Heart of Mary, Cause of Our Joy, pray for me.
Saint Teresa of Calcutta, pray for me. “Jesus is my All in All”
First Day – Know the Living Jesus
Thought for the day:“Don’t search for Jesus in far lands; He is not there. He is close to you; He is in you.” Ask for the grace of an intimate knowledge of Jesus. 
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Second Day –Jesus Loves You
Thought for the day: “Do not be afraid - you are precious to Jesus. He loves you.” Ask for the grace to be convinced of Jesus’ unconditional and personal love for you.

Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Third Day – Hear Him Say to You: “I Thirst”
Thought for the day: “Just think! God is thirsting for you and me to come forward to satiate His thirst.”
Ask for the grace to understand Jesus’ cry of thirst.
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Fourth Day – Our Lady Will Help You
Thought for the day: “How close we must keep to Our Lady who understood what depth of Divine Love was being revealed as she stood at the foot of the Cross and heard Jesus cry out: ‘I thirst.’ ”

Ask for the grace to learn from Our Lady to quench Jesus’ thirst as she did.
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Fifth Day – Trust Jesus Blindly
Thought for the day: “Confidence in God can do all things. It is our emptiness and lowliness that God needs and not our plenitude.”
Ask for the grace to have an unshakeable trust in the God’s power and love for you and for all.

Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Sixth Day - True Love is Surrender
Thought for the day: “Allow God to use you without consulting you.”
Ask for the grace to surrender your whole life to God.
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Seventh Day – God Loves a Cheerful Giver
Thought for the day:“Joy is the sign of union with God, of God’s presence. Joy is love, the normal result of a heart burning with love.”

Ask for the grace to find joy in loving and to share this joy with all you meet.
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Eighth Day – Jesus Made Himself the Bread of Life and the Hungry One
Thought for the day: “Believe that He, Jesus, is in the appearance of Bread and that He, Jesus, is in the hungry, naked, sick, lonely, unloved, homeless, helpless and hopeless.”
Ask for the grace of a deep faith to see Jesus in the Bread of Life and to serve Him in the distressing disguise of the poor.

Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa
Ninth Day – Holiness is Jesus Living and Acting in Me
Thought for the day: “Charity for each other is the surest way to great holiness.” Ask for the grace to become a saint.
Recite the prayer to Saint Teresa