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Christianity Remembering Mother Teresa

namjiwankaur

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Mother Teresa was remembered today on the 15th anniversary of her death. Doesn't seem its been that long. I'm trying to remember if I heard that she may become a saint. Does anyone else know if that is happening or not? I think it takes 2 miracles to get it started, but I'm not sure.

kaurhug
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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Re: Remembering Mother Teresa

What about Bhagat POORAN SINGH of Pingalwarra..anybody remember when he died..?? He is the ONLY SECOND SIKH after Bhai Ghaniyah Ji in this Field... Bhai Ghaniyah Ji founder of RED CROSS Principles in WAR long before the RED CROSS came along....and Bhagat Pooran Singh performing service of mankind among the less privileged, mentally challenged, orphans, abandoned humanity etc etc.. on his own meagre resources but with enormous FAITH in HIM...
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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Re: Remembering Mother Teresa

? Not sure what you mean.

He means SIKH/GURMATT teaches that what we DO while ALIVE..is our own effort and the only one that really COUNTS...a "dead" saint or sinner makes no difference...He is GONE for GOOD...GURBANI and SGGS is for the PRESENT MOMENT.
 
Jan 6, 2005
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Soul_jyot:

With due respect to the Catholic Church::


ਏਕੁਪਤਾ ਏਕਸ ਕੇਹਮ ਬਾਰਕ ਤੂਮੇਰਾ ਗੁਰ ਹਾਈ ॥
The One God is our father; we are the children of the
One God. You are our Guru. GGS Page 611

ਨਾ ਕੋਬੈਰੀ ਨਹੀ ਬਗਾਨਾ ਸਗਲ ਸੰਿਗ ਹਮ ਕਉ ਬਿਨ ਆਈ ॥੧॥
No one is my enemy, and no one is a stranger.
I get along with everyone. GGS Page 1299


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How does someone become a saint?

mother-teresa-1.jpg


Nuns of the global Missionaries of Charity Order,
founded by Nobel Peace Prize winner Mother Teresa,
take part in a thanksgiving mass at Mother House in
Calcutta, India, on Oct. 19, 2003.
DESHAKALYAN CHOWDHURY/AFP/Getty Images


How does someone become a saint?


Many of the world's religions bestow special status on people who demonstrate a life of almost perfect virtue. Religions differ on the title assigned to these people. The Catholic church calls them saints.

The process by which someone becomes a saint is called canonization. The Catholic church has canonized around 3,000 people -- the exact number is unknown because not all saints were officially canonized. According to the church, the pope does not make someone a saint -- the designation of sainthood only recognizes what God has already done. For centuries, saints were chosen through public opinion. In the 10th century, Pope John XV developed an official canonization process.

Canonization has been revised in the past 1,000 years, most recently by Pope John Paul II in 1983. Pope John Paul II, who canonized some 300 people, made several procedural changes to the canonization process, including the elimination of the "devil's advocate" from the review process. The devil's advocate was the person designated to attack the evidence offered in favor of canonization.

The process of becoming a Catholic saint is lengthy, often taking decades or centuries to complete. The canonization process has been in the news off and on over the past few years, primarily because of the movement to make Mother Teresa a saint.

Soon after her death in 1997, Mother Teresa's followers began pressing the Vatican to waive the rule that prevents the process of canonization from beginning until five years after a candidate's death. This rule has traditionally been used to allow for a more objective look at a person's life and achievements. In 1999, the pope did waive the five-year rule, allowing the canonization process to begin.

The Steps of Canonization

Here are the steps that must be followed in the process of canonization:

A local bishop investigates the candidate's life and writings for evidence of heroic virtue. The information uncovered by the bishop is sent to the Vatican.

A panel of theologians and the cardinals of the Congregation for Cause of Saints evaluate the candidate's life.

If the panel approves, the pope proclaims that the candidate is venerable, which means that the person is a role model of Catholic virtues.

The next step toward sainthood is beatification, which allows a person to be honored by a particular group or region. In order to beatify a candidate, it must be shown that the person is responsible for a posthumous miracle. Martyrs -- those who died for their religious cause -- can be beatified without evidence of a miracle. On Oct. 20, 2003, Mother Teresa was beatified. She is now known as Blessed Mother Teresa of Kolkata.

In order for the candidate to be considered a saint, there must be proof of a second posthumous miracle. If there is, the person is canonized.

These alleged miracles must be submitted to the Vatican for verification. Sister Teresia Benedicta of the Cross was canonized in 1997 after the Vatican verified that a young girl who ate seven times the lethal dose of Tylenol was suddenly cured. The girl's family was said to have prayed to the spirit of Sister Teresia for help.

In Mother Teresa's case, her supporters are arguing that she has performed at least two posthumous miracles. In one case, a French woman in the United States broke several ribs in a car accident -- reportedly, her wounds were healed because she was wearing a Mother Teresa medallion. Another possible miracle occurred when Mother Teresa appeared in the dreams of a Palestinian girl, telling the girl that her cancer was cured.

Once a person is a saint, he or she is recommended to the entire Catholic church for veneration. Some saints are selected as patron saints, special protectors or guardians over particular occupations, illnesses, churches, countries or causes.

source:http://www.howstuffworks.com/question619.htm
 
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namjiwankaur

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Sat Nam

Thank you, Soul_Jyot ji, for sharing the info on this.

I am ignorant on a lot of things related to Sikhi. I know about the belief in re-incarnation, but I also think certain spirits may not enter a new form on earth...either for a period of time or sometimes they are merged into the One. In this sense both the Judgment Day (reflection on Karma in Islam and Christianity) & reincarnation (the merging and re-merging (sp?) of the Divine Spark into an earthly form) are both possible.

I think Catholics feel as much veneration for those like Mother Teresa as Sikhs feel for the Gurus and this is because they have lived such a righteous life and overcome the ego-barriers most of us struggle with in our lives. I'm not Catholic or even Christian, but certain saints have an almost tangible aura of Love. One of them is Saint Francis.

This is also an opportunity for me to ask what Sikhs believe happened to the souls of the gurus after they died.
mundahug
 

namjiwankaur

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Re: Remembering Mother Teresa

Gurfateh _/|\_
Gyani Jarnail Singh ji

Please see my other comment regarding my contemplation on the afterlife.

To say "that's it" when we die seems to deny the power of karma and the possibilities of reincarnation in the next life.

Many religions that believe in re-incarnation also believe certain souls choose to remain for a period of time as spiritual helpers (ie - boddhisattvas such as Buddha & Quan Yin). I do not think it conflicts with the concept of re-incarnation. When our karma is judged at the end of our lives, most of us will enter other forms, but will there be a pause in the cycle for some or all? I think Catholicism calls it purgatory (but I'm not very knowledgeable at all on Catholicism).

I'm not sure if there if Sikhs have any beliefs about boddhisattvas who remain in the spirit world to help others be enlightened. I'm not sure what is believed to have happened to the gurus after their earthly bodies expired.

I assume there is because I've read of how some have had visions of the gurus since their deaths, but I hope someone knowledgeable on it will share with me what Sikhs believe about the afterlife of gurus, saints, prophets, etc..

peacesign

He means SIKH/GURMATT teaches that what we DO while ALIVE..is our own effort and the only one that really COUNTS...a "dead" saint or sinner makes no difference...He is GONE for GOOD...GURBANI and Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is for the PRESENT MOMENT.
 

namjiwankaur

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From earth You formed me.
To earth I return.
Though earth is not me

I am here in this body
and later the ground,
as the seeds will use me
to grow, I will grow the fruit
that once fed me.

Imagine the life of my soul
if this is the journey
from body to earth to food
to body again.
I prostrate to my Mother,
I prostrate to my Self,
as SHe moves me from bone and flesh
to seed and pod, to fruit to body.

O Love, O Love...who am I now?

not all sikhs believe in reincarnation, some of us believe death is death....
 

namjiwankaur

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Sat Nam _/|\_

Kanwaljit ji

The truth about life beyond death is beyond us. In near death experiences, people report an indescribable Light (I call it Divine Light so I capitalize it) and they say it is an equally indescribable Infinite Love. Many report witnessing the experiences of their lives and feeling all they felt then along with all those felt who they interacted with.

I believe in an afterlife and I'm not claiming any view nor rejecting any view. How can we know what comes after this?

But I contemplate on the Naam as Vibration and Energy. Is that Vibration and Energy what causes hearts to beat innately and ears to hear innately and eyes to see innately and lungs to inhale & exhale? We can't turn them off (though medical technology is helping us via a "jumper cable" when hearts stop, etc.).

Whether that Energy goes somewhere or not is what Gurbani calls part of the mystery. Fools may try to describe it as if they know, but they don't really know. They speculate and then idolize their opinions.

I contemplated also on what the earth does in terms of re-incarnating. We are constantly reincarnating. IE- A bird eats seeds, flies through the air and excretes the seeds when it evacuates (in the feces). Often the seed grows in that place. Say it grows into a red flower with nectar, then hummingbirds might sip from the nectar. That nectar doesn't remain nectar, it reprocesses itself and may end up as the body of the bird. When that bird dies, its body decomposes and it becomes earth. If its lucky some form of life will catch hold of it and it will begin another life. How all this constant creation & destruction plays with our consciousness, only God knows.

I am 99% certain that it is Divine when we breathe, see, feel, heal, etc.. Science only explains part of that. But if a colony of ants can gather sand to make ant hills, that is miraculous for such a tiny ant brain! How can so complex a thing not be the soul performing via the Shekhinah/Spirit that exists within everything.

As for molecules. If we think of ourselves as auras and molecules and chi, we see all the maya for what it is. We just think in our self-importance, we are more than we are. From the moon, our miniscule lives aren't visible. So perhaps universes really do exist within each atom.

Time for icecream. icecreamkaur

Namjiwan ji if you think reincarnation = recycling of our molecules, we might some common ground :D
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

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Namjiwan Ji..

With GURBANI...when you come across the GURUS..addressing various "beleifs"..like reincarnation pilgrimages etc etc..you have to LOOK FOR the RAHAO lines...THOSE are what the GURU/GURMATT part is....the rest is "discussion"...of beliefs prevalent..spread all over..widely practiced...etc etc..and GURU JI discusses them..and then provides HIS VIEW..which is OFTEN MISSED by people who get entangled in the first few lines..and IGNORE the rahao or never reach the rahao at all...or pass it by at supersonic speed...

Where the GURU is the ONLY One TALKING..its so very very clear...like in JO PAIYAH SO EKA VAAR says GURU NANAK JI...and there is no doubt at all ...what could be clearer than that.."WHAT YOU GET is ONCE ONLY"....so there goes all that reincarnations and rebirths and all that stuff..OUT THE WINDOW....GOBIND MILLANN KEE EH (u) TERI BAREAH....THIS is YOUR ONLY CHANCE to MEET the CREATOR...what you get is ONLY ONCE add it up...2+2=4. no more no less..
 

Luckysingh

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Dec 3, 2011
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Sat Nam _/|\_

Kanwaljit ji

The truth about life beyond death is beyond us. In near death experiences, people report an indescribable Light (I call it Divine Light so I capitalize it) and they say it is an equally indescribable Infinite Love. Many report witnessing the experiences of their lives and feeling all they felt then along with all those felt who they interacted with.

I believe in an afterlife and I'm not claiming any view nor rejecting any view. How can we know what comes after this?

But I contemplate on the Naam as Vibration and Energy. Is that Vibration and Energy what causes hearts to beat innately and ears to hear innately and eyes to see innately and lungs to inhale & exhale? We can't turn them off (though medical technology is helping us via a "jumper cable" when hearts stop, etc.).

Whether that Energy goes somewhere or not is what Gurbani calls part of the mystery. Fools may try to describe it as if they know, but they don't really know. They speculate and then idolize their opinions.

I contemplated also on what the earth does in terms of re-incarnating. We are constantly reincarnating. IE- A bird eats seeds, flies through the air and excretes the seeds when it evacuates (in the feces). Often the seed grows in that place. Say it grows into a red flower with nectar, then hummingbirds might sip from the nectar. That nectar doesn't remain nectar, it reprocesses itself and may end up as the body of the bird. When that bird dies, its body decomposes and it becomes earth. If its lucky some form of life will catch hold of it and it will begin another life. How all this constant creation & destruction plays with our consciousness, only God knows.

I am 99% certain that it is Divine when we breathe, see, feel, heal, etc.. Science only explains part of that. But if a colony of ants can gather sand to make ant hills, that is miraculous for such a tiny ant brain! How can so complex a thing not be the soul performing via the Shekhinah/Spirit that exists within everything.

As for molecules. If we think of ourselves as auras and molecules and chi, we see all the maya for what it is. We just think in our self-importance, we are more than we are. From the moon, our miniscule lives aren't visible. So perhaps universes really do exist within each atom.

Time for icecream. icecreamkaur

Some very good observations and a very nice post.
I seem to understand what you are saying.

firstly, from my Physics days, we have conservation laws of mass and energy.
Einstein famously connected mass with energy.

In simple terms, - Mass or energy cannot be created or destroyed, it is simply transferred from one form to the other.

We can apply this to all universal actions. We can apply it to the life and food cycles you mentioned above.
Cycles occur within the whole universe, from day and night to our day to day living with our awake,sleep, eat and metabolise..etc...cycles.

Reincarnation depends very much on how it is defined.
Most definitions that are very much in line with karma and caste are typical hindu philosophies. As sikhs don't have any regards for caste, then this concept gets thrown straight out the window!!

That does NOT mean that reincarnation doesn't exist in sikhism. It's more about how you understand it. There are many posts and threads about this on SPN.
 

namjiwankaur

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Nov 14, 2010
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433
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Satnam

Coincidentally, a link about near death experiences came via someone I follow on Twitter. The link below is about a young boy's near death experience. It amazes me whenever I hear these accounts of things that people remember when they come back from NDEs.

http://heavenisforreal.net/

peacesign
 

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