Madison Street United Methodist Church

 
A number of years ago Mother Teresa made a visit to Los Angeles.  A physician named Dr. Gerald Jampolski heard her speak and was greatly impressed by her spiritual power.  He said he was tremendously attracted by the power, love, gentility, and the inner peace that emanated from her.  After hearing her speak he wanted to travel with her because as he said, “When I’m near her I feel the presence of God.”
 
So when she left to go to Mexico he asked if he could go with her.  Mother Teresa smiled and said, “Dr. Jampolski, I would have no objection to your joining me, but you said you wanted to experience inner peace.  Well, go find out how much it costs to fly to Mexico and back and give that money to feed and clothe somebody in need, and you will find the inner peace that you seek.”
 
The issue of finding inner peace is one of concern to an awful lot of folks today.  People want to live a better story and part of that better story is finding inner peace.  Book after book has been written with advice, some of it quite good, on finding inner peace.  What is implied, however, in this line of thinking is that what is missing in our lives is information.  If I could just get more information then I can discover how to have the inner peace, joy, and better story that is missing in my life.  But could it be that deep down we have all the information we need on finding inner peace and living a better story, or at least enough to get started?
 
Mother Teresa was right in her advice to Dr. Jampolski, wasn’t she?  She knew it, and he discovered it.  We can too.  It’s not necessarily more information that we need.  We have enough of that.
 
The deal is doing it.  “I did,” said Dr. Jampolski.  “She was right.”
 
And so she is.
 
In Christ,
 
Cliff C. Wright, Jr.