Jesus at the door and on the altar

 St Teresa of Calcutta served the dying, the abandoned, and the poorest of the poor. She famously insisted that the Eucharist and service of the poor were inseparable. She often taught that the Christ received in Holy Communion is the same Christ encountered in the distressing disguise of the poor.

In July 1981, I attended a Mass in Dublin at which Mother Teresa, as she was known at the time, spoke to a packed church of some 1,500 people. She spoke about holiness, love of the poor, family life as well as abortion. On the subject of family life, she called for prayer and love. When family life breaks down, bitterness and wrongdoing can take root, she said. Holiness was not just for a few but for everyone. 'We must all imitate Jesus, meek and humble of heart', she urged.

Three years later, during a visit to Liverpool, I was brought to a house in a very deprived area of the inner city where the Missionaries of Charity lived and served the local community. I cannot forget the bare floor on which the sisters prayed as Mass was celebrated. I had the honour of being given a chair, notwithstanding my youth! Nor can I forget the constant ringing of the doorbell as people continued to come seeking help.

Jesus was adored in the Blessed Sacrament in the living room and served in the poor in the hallway.