SAQ from The Noble Lecture
1. In which year Mother Teresa received Nobel prize and for what ?or, “As we have gathered here”-Who had gathered there and why?
Ans. Mother Teresa was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee in the year 1979, for her untiring efforts for the marginalized section of society to combat the threats of hunger and poverty.
2.Which prayer did Mother Teresa wish to offer at the beginning of her Nobel Lecture?
Ans. Mother Teresa, after thanking God for the Nobel prize, began her lecture by asking everyone present there to utter the prayer composed by St. Francis of Assisi.
3. Why does the prayer always surprise Mother Teresa?
Ans. The prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, composed 400-500 years ago, talked about the same hardships and problems that the people in modern times face. This surprises Mother Teresa as the prayer seems to surpass time and becomes a timeless truth.
4. Who was St. Francis?
Ans. St. Francis was a 13th century Italian Catholic friar and preacher who was born at Assisi and dedicated himself to the service of humanity and nature.
5. What is Holy Communion?
Ans. Holy Communion is a Christian ritual where through prayer and meditation, the disciples commemorate the Last Supper of Jesus Christ where he gave his disciples bread and wine.
Mother Teresa, every day after Holy Communion , would pray the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.
6.Why did Mother Teresa ask everyone to thank God in her lecture?
Ans. Mother Teresa asked everyone to thank God as being given an opportunity to enjoy the gift of peace which reminds them that we , the human beings are created to live in that peace.
7.Who is referred to as the son of God in ‘Nobel Lecture’? Why did God give His son to the world?
Ans. Jesus Christ is refererred to as the son of God in 'Noble Lecture'.
God sacrificed His son because He loved the world so dearly and for our salvation He gave him to us.
8.“As soon as he came in her life”-Who came in whose life?
Ans. Jesus Christ is refererred to here as ' he'.
He came in the life of Mother Mary as her son.
9.What did Mother Mary do in haste and why ?
Ans. Mother Mary rushed to her cousin Elizabeth to give her the good news that she was conceived with a child.
10.What happened when Virgin Mary came to her cousin Elizabeth and why did it happen?
Ans. When Virgin Mary came to her cousin Elizabeth to share the good news of her child, the unborn child in Elizabeth's womb too leapt with joy as the unborn child was the first messenger of peace who recognized Christ, the Prince of peace who was about come to the world to bring that good news to everyone.
11.Who was the first messenger of peace? Who was the Prince of Peace?
Ans. The unborn child in Elizabeth's womb was the first messenger of peace, who recognized Christ, the Prince of peace and leapt with joy.
12.What was the good news and by whom was it brought to the world? Or, Why was Jesus sent to the earth?
Ans. The good news was the message of love and peace to the distress, brought by Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, and for this Christ was sent to earth.
13.What except Jesus became a man in all things? Or, In which respect was Jesus different from us?
Ans. Jesus, the son of God became a man in all things except sin and this made his difference from us.
14. “…this is the hunger of our poor people.”-Which hunger is referred to here and felt by whom?
Ans. The hunger for love is referred to here, felt by the poor people across the world.
15. How did Jesus show his greater love to man? What did he insist on us to do ?
Ans. Jesus Christ showed his greater love to mankind by sacrificing his own life on the cross for human salvation.
He insisted that every human being should love one another in the same way he loved each one of them.
16. According to Mother Teresa for whom did Jesus Christ die on the cross?
Ans. According to Mother Teresa, Jesus Christ died on the cross for all the marginalized people ------ the leper, the man dying of hunger, as well as the naked person dying in the street, not only of Calcutta, but also of Africa, New York, London and Oslo.
17. What does St. John say? Whom should we love to love God as advised by St. John?
Ans. St. John says you are a liar if you say you love God but you don’t love your neighbour.
St. John advised that to love God we should first love our neighbours as it is not possible to love God whom we do not see , if we do not love our neighbours whom we can see, touch and live with.
18. Whom does St.John call a liar ?
Ans. St. John regarded the person liar who says that he loves God but does not love his neighbour.
19. What is a Gospel ? What has been said in it ?
Ans. The first four books of the New Testament that tell the story of Jesus Christ's life, death, and resurrection along with his teachings.
In Gospel, Jesus Christ asked everyone to love one another in the same way as they were loved by Jesus who, in turn, was loved by God.
20. What did Jesus do to make sure that we remember his great love ?
Ans. To make sure that we remember his great love, Jesus made himself the bread of life to satisfy our hunger for love.
21.Among whom can we find Christ ?
Ans. Christ can be found among the starved, the naked, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned, the lonely and the unwanted people.
22. " I never forget an opportunity" ...who said this? What opportunity has been spoken of ?
Ans. Mother Teresa said this in her Nobel lecture.
The opportunity she spoke was of visiting an old age home.
23. Why was everybody in the old age home looking towards the door?
Ans. Everybody in the old age home was looking towards the door with an eye of expectation that if their son or daughter would come to visit him or her or take them back.
24. What struck Mother Teresa most in the old age home? Why are the old parents at the old age home without smile?
Ans. Despite being provided with all the necessary amenities the people of Old age home were devoid of smiles and that struck Mother Teresa the most.
The old parents at the old age home without smile because they were forgotten.
25. “…are we there to receive them…?”-In what context does Mother Teresa put this question before us?
Ans. Mother Teresa puts question in the context of whether we are ready to receive someone in our families who is lonely, sick or worried with love and warmth as the hunger of love is within our home itself.
26.What is Mother Teresa’s point of view about drug addiction among young people? Or, ‘I was surprised in the West to see.’ – Why was Mother Teresa surprised to see in the west?
Ans. Mother Teresa felt that most of the boys and girls in the West got addicted to drugs as they had none in their home to take care of them or to receive them because their parents are busy in their life and profession. This loneliness leads the adolescent boys and girls to such malpractice and addiction
27. Whom did Mother Teresa blame for the misfortune of the children in the West ? And why ?
Ans. Mother Teresa blamed the parents for the misfortune of the children in West.
Mother Teresa blamed that as the parents are busy in their work and life they could hardly provide sufficient time to their children. As a result the children grew up lonely without proper care and attention. Thus, they are compelled to turn to streets and are addicted to drugs.
28.What, according to Mother Teresa, is the greatest destroyer of peace?
Ans. For Mother Teresa, in modern times, the greatest destroyer of peace is abortion which she considers as a direct war against God.
29. " ....it is a direct war, a direct killing..." Who said this and where ? What is refererred to here as " direct killing" or " direct war"? Or, How did Mother Teresa describe abortion in The Nobel Lecture?
Ans. Mother Teresa in her The Nobel Lecture discusses the pros and cons of a peaceful society. In this regard she mentions "abortion" as the greatest destroyer of peace and a direct killing which, for her, is equivalent to proclaim a war against God.
30. How did Mother Teresa fight abortion? Or, what message did Mother Teresa send to all the clinics, hospitals and police stations?
Ans. Mother Teresa sought a very humanitarian solution of abortion by adoption. She sent messages to all the clinics, hospitals and police stations, to look into the matters carefully so that no child left unborn as her Missionaries of Charity was ready to take their responsibility and could provide the joys of parenthood to childless couples.
31. “…that is the blessing of God for us.”-What is the blessing?
Ans. For Mother Teresa the ability to conceive, give birth and nurturing a child is a boon of the Almighty. She also considers that by saving the unwanted child from abortion she and her institution could bless childless couples with the joye of parenthood.
32. Who were taught natural family planning and by whom ? What way of natural family planning were they taught?
Ans. Mother Teresa and her Sisters taught natural planning to the poor people especially the beggars, the leprosy patients, the slum dwellers and the people live on the street.
They were taught the natural way of abstaining and self control for natural family planning.
33. What was the result of the natural family planning?
Ans. The result of natural family planning was visible in the statistics as 61,273 less babies were born alone in Calcutta in six years. The people who were taught natural family planning told Mother Teresa that their families were healthy and united and they could have a baby whenever they wanted.
34. Who, according to Mother Teresa, are great people?
Ans. According to Mother Teresa poor people are very great people because despite the economic hurdles and underprivileged social status they can teach us valuable lessons from their experiences and understanding of life. This makes Mother Teresa so reverent towards the people who live in poverty.
35. "...she gave me her grateful love". Who is refered to here ?
Ans. Here "she" is refererred to a lady whom Mother Teresa took from the streets in a terrible condition. But that lady held Mother's hand gratefully, thanking her with a beautiful smile.
36. What made Mother Teresa examine her conscience before the lady ?
Ans. That lady's gratefulness invoked Mother Teresa's conscience as she was surprised to see how a person on her deathbed did not even try to draw attention to express any grievances. Instead, she died with a smile on her face.
37. What did the man who was picked up from the drain say to Mother Teresa?
Ans. The man who was picked up from the drain, half eaten with worms said to Mother gratefully that he had lived like an animal in the street but was dying like an angel, loved and cared for. Mother Teresa was overwhelmed as this man died without blaming or cursing or expecting anything from anyone but with gratitude.
38. " I was hungry---- I was naked----- I was homeless -----I was unwanted" who said this ?
Ans. These were the words by Jesus Christ to his disciples. Mother Teresa brought this reference to talk about the wretched man's condition who lived like an animal but was content at the time of his death as he was loved and cared for.
39. Why did the Hindu boy come to meet Mother Teresa in her home ?
Ans. Once when there was a scarcity of sugar in Calcutta, a four years old Hindu boy saved his portion of sugar by not eating it for three days and came to the house of Mother Teresa to donate it to her children. He could not utter Mother Teresa's name properly but he could feel the love of sharing.
40. What did the lady of the Hindu family do after getting the rice ?
Or, " They are starving too"... Who said this and to whom? Who were 'they'?
Ans. Mother Teresa, on hearing from a gentleman that a Hindu family with eight children were starving for a few days rushed to give them rice. But to her surprise the Hindu mother shared the rice to the Muslim family who too were starving.
41. " I didn't bring more rice in that evening". Why did not the speaker bring more rice ?
Ans. Mother Teresa did not bring more rice that evening because she wanted both the Hindu and the Muslim families to enjoy the joys of sharing. This is how love begins at home.
42. What did Mother Teresa intend to do with the Nobel prize money ?
Ans. Mother Teresa with her Nobel prize money wanted to make home for the homeless to give them shelter as she believed that love begins at home.
43. How , according to Mother Teresa, poverty can be removed in financially weak countries ?
Ans. Mother Teresa believed that the poverty can be removed by removing the hunger with a plate of rice or a piece of bread.
44. Why, according to Mother Teresa, it was difficult to remove poverty in the West ?
Ans. Mother Teresa felt that it was difficult to remove poverty in the West because there people felt unwanted and unloved. They felt terrified and often were thrown out of society. Thus, they were hungry of love and care.
45. What, according to Mother Teresa, is the importance of smile? Or, what , according to Mother Teresa, is the beginning of love ?
Ans. Smile, according to Mother Teresa, is the beginning of love and a natural way to feel empathy for a fellow human being.
46. " It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him".... Whose sacrifice had been referred to? What did he sacrifice?
Ans. The sacrifice of a crippled man had been referred to as for twenty years smoking had been his only companion. But he quitted it and saved fifteen dollars and donated that amount for the well being of the distressed.
47. " Let us make that one point" what does the speaker mean to say ?
Ans. The " one point" that Mother Teresa talks about was that no children would be unwanted and we all should receive one another with a smile even when it is difficult to smile.
48. Who came to visit the " home for the dying"?
Ans. Fourteen Professors from different universities of the United States of America came to Calcutta to visit the " home for the dying".
49. What, according to Mother Teresa, a person should always remember ?
Ans. According to Mother Teresa, a person should always remember that God loves him/ her unconditionally, therefore, they have got the opportunity to love others.
50. How can a Nobel peace prize be considered a gift for the Norwegian people ? How did Mother Teresa end her speech?
Ans. Mother Teresa said that if the people of Norway can become a burning light in the world of peace then the Nobel peace prize be considered a gift for the Norwegian people.
Mother Teresa concluded her speech by praying for the well being of everyone.
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