It is said that saints come in twos, like Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, St. Peter and St. Paul, St. Francis and St. Claire and the French saints Louis and Celia Martin. In 1986, when Pope John Paul II visited the house of Mother Teresa right in the middle of one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Calcutta, the Blessed it the «happiest day of her life». On the Pope’s arrival there, she got into his white «Pope-mobile» and kissed his fisher’s ring. The Pope then kissed Mother Teresa on her forehead, a gesture they were to use whenever they met. Afterwards, she took John Paul II to a place called Nirmal Hriday (Sacred Heart) which was a hospice for the sick, beggars and the terminally ill, which she had set up in 1950. According to reports by the BBC, Pope Wojtyla was emotionally affected, and helped the Sisters in their care of the patients. He was so visibly surprised and shocked by what he saw that he could hardly find words to reply to Mother Teresa. Afterwards, Mother Teresa called the visit «the happiest day of her life» and of all those present, as though they had been in contact with Christ himself. Both the Pope and Mother Teresa remained close friends and met several times over the years. Using the prayers of intercession of Mother Teresa, let us pour God’s love upon all those who come to us today.
