Mother Teresa, who is renowned for her deep empathy and selfless commitment to mankind, left behind a multitude of motivational sayings that still move people to action. Here are some of her most well-known inspirational quotes:

  1. On Love and Kindness:
  • “Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”
  • “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”
  • “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
  1. On Service and Helping Others:
  • “I can do things you cannot, you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”
  • “At the end of life, we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by ‘I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.'”
  • “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”
  1. On Peace and Happiness:
  • “Peace begins with a smile.”
  • “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
  • “Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”
  1. On Faith and God:
  • “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”
  • “Prayer is not asking. Prayer is putting oneself in the hands of God, at His disposition, and listening to His voice in the depth of our hearts.”
  • “God doesn’t require us to succeed; He only requires that you try.”
  1. On Humility and Simplicity:
  • “Humility is the mother of all virtues; purity, charity, and obedience. It is in being humble that our love becomes real, devoted, and ardent.”
  • “Live simply so others may simply live.”
  • “The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give. But the less you have, the more free you are.”
  1. On Suffering and Compassion:
  • “Suffering is nothing by itself. But suffering shared with the passion of Christ is a wonderful gift, the most beautiful gift, a token of love.”
  • “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”
  • “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked, and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for is the greatest poverty.”
  1. On Life and Purpose:
  • “Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is costly, care for it. Life is wealth, keep it. Life is love, enjoy it. Life is mystery, know it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.”
  • “The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.”
  • “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
  1. On Giving:
  • “It’s not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”
  • “Give, but give until it hurts.”
  • “Intense love does not measure, it just gives.”

Mother Teresa’s remarks reveal her persistent dedication to helping the poorest of the poor, her profound faith, and her unending compassion for mankind. People all throughout the world are still motivated to live with compassion, humility, and purpose by her remarks.

Last modified: February 4, 2025