What it means to be an Augustinian, Servant of Jesus & Mary

Augustinian-Spinellinian Augustinian logo with the incorportated 'M'to reflect the specific Spinellinian spirituality

Mother Teresa had asked to join the Augustinian family and took up the Rule and ideal of St. Augustine: the search together for the Truth that is God. Augustine would have liked, like Mary in the Gospel, to spend his life at the Lord’s feet, but his love for Christ compelled him to action, like Mary in the Gospel, to spend his life at the Lord’s feet, but his love for Christ compelled him to action, like Martha. That is what Mother Teresa did; she lived contemplation through action. She wanted her sisters to live in harmonious unity the contemplative and active life.  

The members of the community share not only material goods but also spiritual good, and the unity among them is a visible sign of the communion of saints in Heaven. Mother Teresa writes ‘they shall have everything in common. Only those whom the Lord has called will be able to live this life – those who are determined to serve God within the community life.’ Her last words were‘. This house was built in love; if this were to come to an end, the house would end too!’  

For Mother Teresa Spinelli becoming one with the Suffering Servant Jesus Christ, the sole Mediator between God and Man meant to give herself up completely to serve others. She lived a life of continual service in order that every person should live within the Church. Her love for the crucified Christ reached the point where she offered herself as a victim for the conversion of sinners. In her letter dated 31 May 1844, she writes 'I offer to God from the depths of my heart this my life for the needs of the Church and in expiation for sinners.' She would like to enter the very heart of God and live from there the whole drama of God's infinite love for man; the love of Christ that calls for the service of one's neighbour.

Mother Teresa wished her life to identify with the Crucified Christ in order that His passion may be re-enacted in the Church and for the Church. She prays: ‘I would like from You great mercy for all men.’

The cultural, civil, moral and religious education, especially of women was for Mother Teresa an act of the greatest charity in the society of her times. She believed that education is the surest means to enable a person to reach more fully her Creator. She felt that God’s will for her was to serve her neighbour by the education of children and youths.

 

Mary, the humble servant of the Lord, is the model of the life of contemplation and service to which the Augustinian Sisters, Servants of Jesus and Mary are called. That is why Mother Teresa Spinelli chose her as the ‘Patron and Mother Superior of the Institute’.

How great does your joy need to be to harvest the many fruits, born from  the scattered seed of the Word of God (M.Teresa Spinelli L.118)