This morning’s meditation on my favorite Hallow app was based on a quote by St. Mother Teresa, “Love until it hurts”. The title itself really touched my heart. The actual full quote that I discovered was, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” The reflection was given by Sr. Mary Bernice who was a Missionary of Charity. She told the story about her mother’s sacrificial love. Her father had been in the Korean War. When the war ended, it took another 2 years to find him. When they brought him back, he went into the hospital as he was delirious. Her mother made the choice to bring him home and nursed him back to complete health over the next 40 years, with the help of necessary therapies. Sr. Bernice explained that in our current world, we are told that we should love if it feels good or makes us happy. But if there is any pain involved, it is not for us. Mother Teresa taught that instead, we need to love even when it hurts. To live real love, we must suffer through it. I felt that I completely understood, as caring for my parents – and now my mom – gets harder and more painful. It is painful to see her struggle. It is painful not to have the magic pill or solution to cure her. It is painful to watch her continued decline. To conclude, Sr. Bernice said a beautiful prayer that ended with, “I ask them that whatever pain and sorrow they are going through for the ones that they love, that they will see that You loved them first on the Cross, and that when we love, until it hurts, it is our way to salvation.” By that time I was weeping as silently as I could as I was in my mom’s room. The prayer went straight to my heart. I thanked God again for the ways He reminds me that He is here with us in this most difficult time. A little while later I received a text from a far away friend who said she had just listened to the same meditation and thought of me. I started crying again. She called and we were able to talk, catch up, and yes – cry some more. I was so blessed by her encouragement and prayers. It was a hard day for mom, but I kept remembering the words – Love Until It Hurts.

I Found God today in encouragement to keep on loving, even through the pain.