--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to…" description: "\"“Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to embrace people—complete with all sorts of weaknesses, failures, foibles, strengths, and faiths—and work with..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/eric-greitens-3611_failure_mother-teresa-s-missionaries-were-able-t_1316099.png" --- # Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to embrace… ![“Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to embrace people—complete with all sorts of weaknesses, failures, foibles, strengths, and faiths—and work with them wholeheartedly. The sisters lived their entire lives in faith, but to me, it seemed that they needed to whisper barely a word about their…” quote by Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/eric-greitens-3611_failure_mother-teresa-s-missionaries-were-able-t_1316099.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/eric-greitens-3611_failure_mother-teresa-s-missionaries-were-able-t_1316099.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0ad/eric-greitens-3611_failure_mother-teresa-s-missionaries-were-able-t_1316099.png) > ““Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to embrace people—complete with all sorts of weaknesses, failures, foibles, strengths, and faiths—and work with them wholeheartedly. The sisters lived their entire lives in faith, but to me, it seemed that they needed to whisper barely a word about their theology because the integrity of their work said everything. After spending time in a place of such care and love, I came to understand that when we see self-righteousness it is often an expression of self-doubt and self-hatred. In a place where people are able to accept themselves, love themselves, and know that they are loved, there is no need to criticize or compare, cajole or convince. The sisters concentrated, instead, on loving their neighbors.”” [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True compassion embraces all aspects of a person, allowing love to replace judgment and self‑criticism. **In simple terms:** Love accepts flaws without judgment. Key Takeaway Practice unconditional acceptance. Themes compassion acceptance humility service Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - counseling - volunteer work - team leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts theology psychology self‑esteem Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when you notice self‑judgment in yourself? - What practices help you see others without criticism? A Different Perspective Self‑righteousness can mask insecurity, limiting genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Mother teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-teresa/) [Mother Teresa's](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother-teresas-221293/) [Self righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-righteousness/) [Spending time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-time/) [Strengths Faiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strengths-faiths-4369963/) [Teresa Missionaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teresa-missionaries-2360423/) [Wholeheartedly Sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholeheartedly-sisters-4369962/) ## Related quotes > [“Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity run a home for the destitute and dying. Their mission is simple: help the poorest of the poor die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/mother-teresa-s-missionaries-of-charity-run-a-home-for-the-destitute/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Where was Mother Teresa's Jesus? He was in the Bible, in the church, in her prayer, in the Eucharist, in her sisters, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/where-was-mother-teresa-s-jesus-he-was-in-the-bible-in-the-church-in/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Monica Besra, a Bengali woman from a remote Indian village, was reportedly suffering from a malignant ovarian tumor when she went, in 1998, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/monica-besra-a-bengali-woman-from-a-remote-indian-village-was/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [I believe God loves the world through us - through you and through me. We use Mother Teresa's name; it is only a name,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/i-believe-god-loves-the-world-through-us-through-you-and-through-me/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [Mother Teresa's detractors have accused her of overemphasizing Calcuttans' destitution and of coercing conversion from the defenseless. In the context of lost causes, Mother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bharati-mukherjee/mother-teresa-s-detractors-have-accused-her-of-overemphasizing/) [Bharati Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bharati-mukherjee/) > [Mother Teresa's numerical results were not her greatest contribution. Instead, she made the world-and especially India-conscious of compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-drucker/mother-teresa-s-numerical-results-were-not-her-greatest-contribution/) [Peter Drucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-drucker/) > [One need not be a Mother Teresa, but being kind and well-behaved with those around us can win people's hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aishwarya-lekshmi/one-need-not-be-a-mother-teresa-but-being-kind-and-well-behaved-with/) [Aishwarya Lekshmi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aishwarya-lekshmi/) > [I'm not Mother Teresa, but I'm not Charles Manson, either.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-not-mother-teresa-but-i-m-not-charles-manson-either/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [The picture of Mother Teresa that I remember from my childhood is of a short, sari-wearing woman scurrying down a red gravel path between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bharati-mukherjee/the-picture-of-mother-teresa-that-i-remember-from-my-childhood-is-of/) [Bharati Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bharati-mukherjee/) > [For every Mother Teresa, there's a Jeffrey Dahmer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-mantegna/for-every-mother-teresa-there-s-a-jeffrey-dahmer/) [Joe Mantegna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-mantegna/) > [ Everything everyone thinks they know about \[Mother Teresa\] is false. It must be the single most successful emotional con job of the twentieth century. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/everything-everyone-thinks-they-know-about-mother-teresa-is-false-it/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Mother Teresa used the analogy of electricity: “The wire is you and me; the current is God,” she said. “We have the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/mother-teresa-used-the-analogy-of-electricity-the-wire-is-you-and-me/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Mother Teresa I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/mother-teresa-i-am-not-sure-exactly-what-heaven-will-be-like-but-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nudge is a great kid, but that motormouth of hers could have turned Mother Teresa into an ax murderer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nudge-is-a-great-kid-but-that-motormouth-of-hers-could-have-turned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Eric Greitens > [If you want to start or grow a business in the state of Missouri and hire more people with good jobs, I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-you-want-to-start-or-grow-a-business-in-the-state-of-missouri-and/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [To be very clear, I have completely ruled out state funding for stadiums.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/to-be-very-clear-i-have-completely-ruled-out-state-funding-for/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [So Hell Week is considered to be the hardest week of the hardest military training in the world. It is a week of continuous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/so-hell-week-is-considered-to-be-the-hardest-week-of-the-hardest/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [People know if you care about them. How do you show people that you care? By caring for them. By putting their needs first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/people-know-if-you-care-about-them-how-do-you-show-people-that-you/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Success means eliminating Al Qaeda's ability to launch terrorist attacks against the United States and our allies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/success-means-eliminating-al-qaeda-s-ability-to-launch-terrorist/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [God has a way of helping you to move through suffering and actually become stronger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/god-has-a-way-of-helping-you-to-move-through-suffering-and-actually/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Yet the basic fact remains: we live in a world marked by violence, and if we want to protect others, we sometimes have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/yet-the-basic-fact-remains-we-live-in-a-world-marked-by-violence-and/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [When we make these decisions that we're going to commit ourselves to making a difference in the life of one person every single day,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/when-we-make-these-decisions-that-we-re-going-to-commit-ourselves-to/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [“If you respected someone, then you had to ask something of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-you-respected-someone-then-you-had-to-ask-something-of-them/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [What happens for a lot of veterans when they come home, especially when they get back to their community is that they can go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/what-happens-for-a-lot-of-veterans-when-they-come-home-especially/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Part of the attraction of the SEAL teams was the incredible tests that it offered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/part-of-the-attraction-of-the-seal-teams-was-the-incredible-tests/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [Teach your children early not to pass the blame or make excuses, but to take responsibility for their actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/teach-your-children-early-not-to-pass-the-blame-or-make-excuses-but/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [The mistake that I made was that I was engaged in a consensual relationship with a woman who was not my wife. That is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/the-mistake-that-i-made-was-that-i-was-engaged-in-a-consensual/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [I don't think that we need to raise tuition on our students. I don't think that our students should be made to pay for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/i-don-t-think-that-we-need-to-raise-tuition-on-our-students-i-don-t/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) > [If people can live through genocide and retain compassion, if they can take strength in pain, if they are able, still, to laugh, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-greitens/if-people-can-live-through-genocide-and-retain-compassion-if-they-can/) [Eric Greitens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) [Explore all 126 Eric Greitens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-greitens/) ## More Failure quotes > [When you do things they're absolutely right at that time for you and it can always teach you something about yourself. You can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kym-marsh/when-you-do-things-they-re-absolutely-right-at-that-time-for-you-and/) [Kym Marsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kym-marsh/) > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/) [Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Rhiannon's Law #28: If you're going to fuck up, be sure to fuck up good and proper. Nothing makes failure acceptable, so you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rhiannon-s-law-28-if-you-re-going-to-fuck-up-be-sure-to-fuck-up-good/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Failure is a part of life and you have to learn to deal with it. Failure is something that is part of life's cycle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/failure-is-a-part-of-life-and-you-have-to-learn-to-deal-with-it/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [First action was a mistake. What about the second? third? fourth and fifth?...Mehn you are bad...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/first-action-was-a-mistake-what-about-the-second-third-fourth-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God's love never fail :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-love-never-fail/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don’t you just hate nights like that, when you think over every mistake you’ve made, every hurt you’ve received, every bit of meanness you’ve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlaine-harris/don-t-you-just-hate-nights-like-that-when-you-think-over-every/) [Charlaine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlaine-harris/) > [“Our failure to understand another being's inner reality doesn't make that reality any less real, or any less valuable to that being. (p.255)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/our-failure-to-understand-another-being-s-inner-reality-doesn-t-make/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I hope that the Palestinians don't make the mistake of unleashing a new intifada. They've tried it twice before, and the consequences were bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-segev/i-hope-that-the-palestinians-don-t-make-the-mistake-of-unleashing-a/) [Tom Segev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-segev/) > [Don't take too much comfort in the fact that you're successful today because tomorrow could bring failure. There's no surety in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-savage/don-t-take-too-much-comfort-in-the-fact-that-you-re-successful-today/) [Michael Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-savage/) > [“It took me years to learn to sit at my desk for more than two minutes at a time, to put up with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erica-jong/it-took-me-years-to-learn-to-sit-at-my-desk-for-more-than-two-minutes/) [Erica Jong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erica-jong/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 27,498 Failure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Mother Teresa's missionaries were able to embrace people—complete with all sorts of weaknesses, failures, foibles, strengths, and faiths—and work with them wholeheartedly. The sisters lived their entire lives in faith, but to me, it seemed that they needed to whisper barely a word about their theology because the integrity of their work said everything. After spending time in a place of such care and love, I came to understand that when we see self-righteousness it is often an expression of self-doubt and self-hatred. In a place where people are able to accept themselves, love themselves, and know that they are loved, there is no need to criticize or compare, cajole or convince. 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