10 Powerful Mother Teresa Quotes for a Beautiful World

Mother Teresa Quotes: In this article, you will find a collection of quotes from Mother Teresa. I find these quotes magical because they touch a fundamental part of being human. The central theme of all these quotes are around – love, compassion and kindness. This kindness is without judgement with the heart to support and love each other. Contrary to many beleifs, Mother Teresa proved that being kind requires strength, sacrifice and love for each other. This love is perhaps one of the toughest emotions that’s available in the world. Unfortunately, we see many articles talk about how people take advantage of love. But love is just about giving – treating each other with respect and showing who you are. If you are this icon of love, you have nothing else to prove. I hope you enjoy this collection of quotes from Mother Teresa, it filled me with warmth and joy as I compiled this article. Hope it leaves you with similar feelings.

Mother Teresa Quotes

This is a PDF of quotes from Mother Teresa. These quotes talk about kindness, and finding love and compassion for everyone we meet. I think the beauty of these quotes is that they go beyond discrimination and treat everyone as human. Ultimately, everyone we meet is facing some challenge or the other. The best way we can be human is by recognising this humanity with kindness, love and care for each other. And what better quotes than from Mother Teresa who lives in our hearts as a personality that exemplifies these characteristics.

Maybe love and kindness are the two central words in the meaning of Mother Teresa’s quotes. They all have a similar theme about caring for humanity and spreading love. But the main thing I’d like to point out is that love is hard. It requires us to see this world beyond ourselves and be there for other people in life. With such a beautiful value, I think we can take some inspiration from these Mother Teresa quotes for our outlook of life.

If you judge people you have no time to love them – Mother Teresa

I will start with my favourite quote – love is pure, without judgement and with a tender sense of joy. The moment we judge people, we assume that we’re better than them. This judgement destroys the blossoming of love. And Mother Teresa expresses this beautifully – if we judge people, we. won’t have time to love them. This is not about the physical time available, but the emotional space. Judgement takes over the mental space leaving very little for love. We can’t express love for someone when we think we’re better. Love needs us to be in equal footing with each other.

Spread love everywhere you go, let no one ever come to you without leaving happier - Mother Teresa
Spread love wherever you go

So, yes – if you judge people you don’t have time to love them. And who are we to judge right? It is not our life – we can’t understand their challenges or empathise with the difficulties of their life. However, we can respect the challenges and be inspired by how they have overcome them.

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing

Love is a beautiful act of giving. Our smiles are these gateways for love to flourish and create an environment for mutual camaraderie. A smile doesn’t have to mean that we know someone. It is an acknowledgement of each other’s presence. A smile sometimes extends the hand of friendship, and allows them to connect to us.

Why smile at people?

  • It is a wonderful way to initiate conversation
  • Break Ice
  • Pacify a situation
  • Offer a hand of friendship

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples

It is unrealistic to expect one person to change the world. This goal is too big and complicated. However, we can start a ripple of actions and a chain reaction. In other words, we can make this change consumable and realistic. A simple act of kindness can do that. We don’t need to inspire the whole world but just one person. In turn, they can start the chain reaction and keep moving us forward. I alone cannot change the world – these are powerful words from someone who actually changed the world. Maybe we can see the world in this way and help it navigate through other changes that can improve us as a society.

I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples - Mother Teresa
I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples – Mother Teresa

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless

We underestimate the impact of kindness in the world. If only, we were more kind, we could eliminate unnecessary quarrels and dissent. It helps us become empathetic and have more time for people. A small act of kindness can start from anyone. It creates a ripple effect. People are generally nice and kind – they will respond to kindness with it. And if we are nasty to people, we will get the same too – as you sow, so shall you reap!

Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless - Mother Teresa
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless – Mother Teresa

Yesterday is gone, Tomorrow has not yet come, We have only today. Let us begin

Yesterday is the past. It is gone and we only have lessons from it. Tomorrow is the future – we can’t waste our lives worrying or fantasizing about it. The only reality we have in front of us now is our present. We must make sure that we make the best use of our time here. This will be the only thing that we can feel at any point in time. Everything else is an assumption or a narrative.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin - Mother Teresa
Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin – Mother Teresa
  • The Past: The past is usually a great story. It shows you the pattern of your growth and explains paths you have chosen. It only is an indicator of what has already happened.
  • The Future: The future is a rationalisation. It is a grand plan with a lot of ‘Ifs’ and ‘Buts’. Don’t let this definition of future stop you from taking the right actions today. The future holds both hope and fear.
  • Your Present: This is one thing you have at your disposal right now. Yesterday is a recollection, tomorrow is a lie. What you do today is the only thing that counts.

Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more

The message is as simple as it reads – just live in the moment, be happy and don’t worry about the future or past. But our minds are eternally busy. It is one of the hardest skills to master and be able to live in the moment. The thoughts on mindfulness and positive thinking talk about the ability to live in the moment and focus our energies. This is an impressive quote by Mother Teresa that talks about the power of being present and helpful at the moment. What we will do in the future can be an excuse to do something good today. Instead, live in the moment – help where it is needed. Don’t hide behind justifications or labels – these will not help people in need. Do what you need to – the same help tomorrow will be useless. Do it now, and make it worth it.

Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more - Mother Teresa
Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more – Mother Teresa

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway

Kindness doesn’t always give us great results. Sometimes people might even attack you for being kind. However, it is up to us to decide what kindness means to us. If it is our value and definition of character, we have no choice but to be kind. Just because some people are unkind, it can’t change who we are right? Our life is for the good people – we can’t compromise ourselves and make it difficult for good people just because there are a few bad ones in the world.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives Be kind anyway - Mother Teresa
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives: Be kind anyway. If you are successful you will win some false friends and true enemies: Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank people will try to cheat you: Be honest anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight: Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous of you: Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten by tomorrow: Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough: Give your best anyway.

Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people

When people come to you the best thing you can do is to make them feel good. There is no better messenger than the purity of love. If you look at the one thing that’s abundant in Life, it is LOVE. If there is one thing adequately missing, it is LOVE. You can either do your part and be the provider or choose to be a cynic.

Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people - Mother Teresa
Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new light in the hearts of people – Mother Teresa

To keep a lamp burning we have to keep putting oil in it

Keep your dreams alive by doing what you want to do with the belief of seeing it happen one day. Love, Care, Affection does not come free of cost. It needs to be constantly nurtured, fostered and matured. The beauty is – Only you can do this! If you want to keep the lamp of LOVE burning, you will need to feed it constantly. The source is self-love. You can’t go out there sharing the LOVE you don’t have. You can’t go out there sharing the affection you don’t have.

To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it - Mother Teresa
To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it – Mother Teresa

Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons

You are never with loss. You always have something to learn from every person you meet in life. I am sure you have had both of these – the good and bad in life. You have met awful people who you’d never want to see again. You have met amazing ones whom you can’t get enough of. In a strange way, there is a balance between the two. The blessings and lessons make us who we are. These quotes from Mother Teresa help us think laterally. It offers you an opportunity to redefine some of your experiences. You have a share of good and bad just like everyone else. You cannot let that be a reason for bitterness.

Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons - Mother Teresa
Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons – Mother Teresa

19 thoughts on “10 Powerful Mother Teresa Quotes for a Beautiful World”

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  6. Though most (actually all) of the quotes are familiar, when I get to read them I cannot ignore the change it sparks within even if it is for a fraction of a second. Thanks for putting it all together, Vinay. One day, fractions will become whole, isn’t it?

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  8. This is a beautiful one Manish. The paradox. It seems to stem from a deep philosophical thought on Love. It almost reminds me of a parallel about Math. ‘Deep down chemistry, physics or any other scientific research lends itself to the base of Math’. Perhaps a similar parallel, deep down, everything leads to the beauty of love.

  9. My favourite quote of her is “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

  10. Thank you Matheikal :). I think she was one among the very few who were rich in actions and less on words. Well, I guess that is why we say actions speak louder than any words ever can :)

  11. Mother’s simplicity and authenticity were admirable. She seldom spoke great things. But pearls of wisdom dropped because of the profound love that lay in her heart.

  12. Great compilation Vidya. All hail to her (Mother Teresa) spirits. She has definitely touched many hearts and lives. A selfless lady. The world is yet to see another Mother Teresa. But hopefully each one of us can be her reflection in some ways.

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