Nobel Lecture long question answer | XI WBCHSE 2nd Semester
Briefly discuss the essence of Nobel Lecture delivered by Mother Teresa.
Ans. The essay ‘Nobel Lecture’ by Mother Teresa casts a searching glance into the nature, scope and extent of love. The Mother has the conviction that Love has the capacity to do away with poverty and confusion as well as darkness and frustration. The Mother believes that abortion is the most serious crime because it kills a child in the mother’s womb. She has been the living image of Jesus, all powerful in the heart of the poor people.
What is Mother Teresa’s concept about poverty with reference to the poverty of the West?
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Bring out Mother Teresa’s observation on drug addiction.
Ans. Mother Teresa has broadened the concept of poverty. She say that a person can be poor even though he or she has enough wealth to sustain life luxuriously. She highlights the difference between bodily needs and psychological needs. Food can enrich body but it does nothing with mind. The condition of a mind without love is like that of a tree without air, water and light. She points out that people in the west have wealth but many of them are seen sad because they remain hungry for love of dear and near ones. The teens of the West are addicted to drugs and other illicit works. The children are left unattended. As a result, they feel neglected and abandoned. The same is in the cases of old people. They are also dumped in some old-age home as they are considered as a burden of family by their own sons and daughters. Mother Teresa says that the poverty in the West is very painful and too difficult to remove.
Justify Mother’s comment the poor people are very great people?
Ans. The comment may sound a big exaggeration. One may say that it is nothing but consolation for the distressed. But this comment is an outcome of her direct interaction with the poor people who live in slums as on streets. She has learnt many beautiful and wonderful things from the poor. They want less but work more. The miserable conditions of the poor has radically changed her perspective towards humanity. Once she picked up some people from the street, one of them was in terrible condition. Mother took personal care of her. Amazingly enough when she died, she was smiling and her painting words were ‘Thank You’. Mother was extremely moved and began to see life with sharpener eyes, she also picked up another person from drain who was half- eaten by worms. The man expressed his gratitude when he was going to die. He said that he lived like an animal but he was dying like an angel. Such experience helped Mother Teresa to define life in the true sense.
What, according to Mother, is the greatest destroyer of peace? What is her view about it?
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What is Mother Teresa’s view about abortions?
Ans. According to Mother, the greatest destroyer of peace of mind is abortion. Mother Teresa vehemently protested against the heinous practice of abortion. She was deeply pained to find that in many parts of the world, abortion is permitted, by law itself. But she considered it to be the greatest destroyer of peace. She means to say that to perform abortion is to deny the unborn child, the weakest of the weak, his or her dignity is denied. She quoted from the Bible. “Even if a mother could forget her child – I will not forget You I have carved you in the palm of my hand!” She commented that the practice of abortion shows our spiritual and moral poverty. She condemned abortion, she urged the unmarried girls to provide their children to her home where they would be fostered with profound love and affection.
Explain why it is foolish to say “I love God but I do not love my neighbours”.
Ans. While receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, Mother Teresa had given a touching speech. The main theme of her speech is the impact of love on sufferings. She believes that God resides in man. So she preached that service to man is service to God. In this respect, she points out the comment of St John, who said that a man is a lier, if he claims to have loved God without loving his neighbours. Mothers say that love begins at home. It means, one should love one’s neighbours who live in one’s locality. First, the seed of love is to be planted in our own surrounding and then, the fruits of love will spread far and wide. So, mother say these, if one does not love man, who is seen, it is foolish to think that he will love God who remains unseen.
6 What is Mother’s view regarding her service to God?
Ans. Blessed by Jesus, Mother Teresa serves humanity, she considers herself to be fortunate enough with the help of other Sisters, she is successful to spread the lesson of love and sacrifice among people. She makes people learn to smile at each other as it is the begining of Love. Her organization is utterly successful to serve suffering humanity across the world. According to her, her service to God is not satisfactory as God demands more at times, she avoids publicity, interest in self publicity, spoils the true spirit of love. She wants to dedicate herself more and more to fulfill the demand of God.
Describe what Mother Teresa experienced when she visited an old age home somewhere in the West?
Ans. When Mother Teresa reached the old age home she found that the inmates had every material comfort but none of them seemed to be happy. None of them had smile on his or her face. She asked the reason to the Sister and she replied that this art is because these people think themselves to be or forgotten by their near and dear ones but still they expect their son or daughter to visit them and that is why they were looking at the door. So, on the whole Mother Teresa had a very sad experience in the old age home.
What is said in the prayer of Francis of Assisi?
OR,
Why did Mother Teresa begin her Lecture with the prayer?
Ans. In the prayer of St Francis of Assisi, which Mother Teresa mentions in her speech, the Saint seeks inspiration from God so that peace and Love prevail and the wrong doings are nullified. Hope, Light, and Joy are invoked to cure shadows and sadness. The prayer talks about making others comfortable rather than seeking comfort. This is possible when one becomes forgiving. Such thoughts lead to resurrection of a truely Christian soul. That is why, in the prayer St Francis wants to understand others more than to be understood. He wants to love more than to be loved.
Mother Teresa began her Lecture with the prayer because she wanted to highlight the problems shared by a true worshipper of God in modern times as well.
Write a short note on the character and personality of Mother Teresa as revealed in her ‘Nobel Lecture’.
Ans. From ‘Nobel Lecture’ we can form a clear idea about the personality and character of Mother Teresa. She is basically a Christian by religion but at heart she is a humanist and feels for the common human being irrespective of their religious belief. She is also a person of action and loves to do everything she can in order to alleviate the misery of humanity. She does not recognize any difference between man and man in respect of their caste or creed. With her noble humanism she illuminates darkness and lightens the lamp of love and sympathy in our mind. On the whole she has a great love for the poor and downtrodden.
How can we feel Jesus in our heart.? Why did Mother Teresa remind all the need of Jesus Love?
Ans. Jesus is the apostle of love and peace. He sacrificed his life for the good of us. He manifests himself in different forms. We can find him among the poor, lonely and homeless. So if we love them we shall Plove Jesus. We should do our duty with a smile on our face and this smile is a reflection of Jesus himself. Our smile will enable us to fight all evils. Jesus lives in us when we love others. Thus we can feel Jesus in own hearts.
Mother Teresa reminded all the need of Jesus love because he wanted to remove hatred and evil from the world and establish peace and love for the well being of people. So, Mother Teresa referred to St. John’s Gospel.
What, according to Mother Teresa, is needed to overcome the evils of the world?
Ans. According to Mother Teresa, the only thing that can overcome the evils of the world is love. This love can begin at home and radiate everywhere. Love brings peace and peace can make possible the presence of God in the family. Each would be tied to the other by the bondage of love. If love is put into action, people would start serving other people and that would be the greatest way to serve God. If mutual feeling of love and compassion can be developed in this way, it would surely reduce hatred and misery. People would feel that they are loved and this would keep smile intact in their face even in their death bed.
“The Smile is the beginning of love”- Explain the line?
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What is Mother observation about smile?
Ans. In Nobel Lecture, Mother Teresa gives a lot of importance on the smile. She says the smile is the beginning of Love. She advises to meet each other always with a smile especially when it is difficult to smile. Smile is the only thing that will set up or beautiful bonding among people. Through smile we can spread love and peace. When fourteen professors from United States wants to know from Mother about some things that they will remember, Mother advised to smile at each other, and to make time for each other in your family. Smile makes a man free from any types of mental problem and gives inner joy to a men. So smile is the remedy of mental disorder.
“It is or gift of God to us” What is a gift of God?
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“It must be have been at terrible sacrifice for him” Describe the sacrifice of the cripple person for the distressed.
Ans. One day, Mother, received 15 dollars from a man who has been on his back for twenty years, and the only part that he could move was his right hand. And he only enjoyed smoking. The crippled person said that he did not smoke for one week and he sent him this 15 dollars. It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him. It was very beautiful how he shared. With that money Mother bought bread for the hungry fellows.
There was joy on both sides, the crippled person was giving and the poor were receiving. It was the gift of God to us to be able to share our love with others. Here the crippledman sacrificed his long-term habit for the sake of the poor people. It was a terrible sacrifice for him. So Mother requested everyone to love one another with undivided love.
Who came to visit the “home for the dying” and from where? Describe the information of the home for dying.
Ans. Fourteen professors from different unitversities of the United States came to visit the home for the dying in Calcutta.
Mother Teresa informed them that they had picked up more than 36,000 people only from the streets of Calculta and out of that big number more than 18,000 had died a beautiful death. They had just gone home to God. Actually they died happily. Then they came to her house and they talked of love, of compassion. One of them asked her to tell them something that they would remember. Mother requested them to smile at each other, make time for each other in there family.
“I had the most extraordinary experience with the Hindu family that had eight children”. – which experience is Mother Teresor, speaking of?
OR,
Which real life incident did Mother Teresa cite when she wanted people to know and love their neighbours?
Ans. In ‘Noble Lecture’ Mother Teresa witnessed the joy of sharing. One day gentleman came to our house and informed that a Hindu family with eight children had not eaten for so long. He requested Mother to do something for the family. Their Mother took some rice and went there immediately. There she saw that the eyes of children were shining with hunger. It was a very extreme situation. But their mother took the rice and divided it and went to their neighbour Muslim family for giving some rice, They were hungry too. Mother did not bring more rice that evening because she wanted them to enjoy the joy of sharing. Thus love began at home. It had been or tremendous experience to her.
Narrate the experience Mother Teresa had when there was great difficulty in getting sugar?
OR,
How did the four year old boy share his love with other children in Calcutta?
Ans. In ‘Nobel Lecture’, Mother gave example of another incident of sharing love through the four year old boy in Calcutta. Once there was a great difficulty in getting sugar, the news got around to the children. A little Hindu boy of four years old went home and told his parents that he would not eat sugar for three days. He wanted to give his sugar to Mother Teresa for her children. After three days his father and mother brought him to Mother’s home. Mother Teresa said that she had never met them before and this little one could not pronounce her name properly. But he knew exactly what he had come to do. Actually, he wanted to share his love with helpless children.
“And she died with a smile on her face”-How did she die with smile on her face?
Ans. In ‘Nobel Lecture’, Mother Teresa discussed the greatness of the poor through this example. One evening Mother Teresa and her sisters went out and picked up four people from the street. And one of them was in a most terrible condition. She took responsiblity for that serious woman and nursed her with love and care. Then she put her in bed and there was such a beautiful smile on her face. The dying women took hold of her hand and said, “Thank You” to Mother Teresa. And then she died. She did not try to draw a little attention of Mother Teresa towards the miserable condition. Through this incident, Mother Teresa proclaimed that the poor people were very great people.
Comment on the use of Biblical and Christian references throughout Mother Teresa’s speech. In doing so do you think does she failed to acknowledge those of other religions and beliefs.
Ans. During her lecture, Mother Teresa made use of some Biblical allusions and Christian references. Mother began her speech with the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi and Holy communion. Then she mentions Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, and Mary of Nazareth, Next the allusion was the Prince of Peace, i.e. Jesus Christ was taking birth in the womb of Elizabeth, St. John was John the Apostle, one of the twelve Apostle of Jesus. Thereafter “Bread of Life” episode was based on the Biblical Allusion which Jesus fed the crowds with loaves and fish. There were many Christian references like sharing, sacrifice endurances, and love. Through the help of Biblical and Christian references, Mother Teresa imparted a message of love and joy of sharing.
In what ways does Mother Teresa appeal to the emotions of her audience? What stories does they share of her encounters with the poor in Kolkata?
Ans. Mother Teresa appeals to the emotions of her audience by giving examples from her own personal experiences. She uses simple and convincing language, relevant topic in Calcutta and inspiring and strong tone to motivate her audience in her lecture. She urged the audience to impart the message of love.
Mother Teresa shares many stories in Calcutta. In the story, she encounters many poor, distressed, homeless people. One evening they picked up a dying women, Mother Teresa nursed her, with care. Then she had died with a smile on her face thanking Mother for her, service, Secondly, Mother Teresa took rice for a starving Hindu family with eight children. Before eating the mother of the family took some of the rice to share with their Muslim neighbours, Thirdly, she mentions an old man who had been bedridden for 20 years, His only pleasure was smoking. However he gave up smoking for one week to donate the money to the needy. These are the stories of love, sharing and sacrifice.
What is the difference between the Poverty of the East and the West?
Ans. Mother Teresa shares the poverty of both the eastern countries and western countries in her Nobel Lecture. In easter countries the poverty is compared to a material. The children and the people remains unfed, unclothed and unsheltered. Many of them die of malnutrition in India and in Africa. But the poverty of the western countries is alarming. The people and the children are suffering from mental poverty. In western countries, many young boys and girls are drug addicted. There are no family bonding. They need only money and pleasure. Here mother kills her own child in womb. The old parents are sent to old age homes.
Material poverty can be removed but not psychological poverty. Thus Mother Teresa makes the difference between the poverty of the East and that of the West.
How far was Mother Teresa successful in teaching the lesson of family planning to the poor?
Ans. To combat with the growing population, Mother Teresa taught the lesson of family planning to the poor. She was teaching beggars, leprosy patients, slum dwellers, people of the street, natural family planning. So they took everything easily. They practised this natural way of abstaining, of self control, out of love for each other. She taught them the temperature meter which was very beautiful, very simple and which the poor people understood. This teaching had a great result. The poor people said to Mother Teresa that their family was healthy and united. They could have a baby whenever they wanted. In this way, they were able to control the birth of 61,273 babies only in Kolkata in six years.
What is Mother Teresa’s conception of God? Why does Mother Teresa say that her life and the lives of their sisters have to be woven with prayer?
Ans. According to Mother Teresa, God is Almighty and He has carved everything including humans with His own hand. God is infinte but loves all his creation and loves them to the point of getting hurt. He is a continuous judge of our activities and evaluates how much love we put in for our neighbours as they are the embodiment of the living God.
According to Mother Teresa, those who are in service of Christ have to relive the passion of the Lord which is to share the sufferings of the others. So the spirit of oneself is to be woven with the spirit of Christ to understand human problems. That is why she feels that her life and the lives of her sisters have to be woven with prayer.
What did Mother Teresa intend to do with the prize money?
Ans. Mother Teresa followed the ideals of Christ. She wanted to spread peace and love among the people. She established Missionaries of Charity for the homeless children, she believed that love begins at home, So, she was going-to-try-to make the home for many people who had no home to live. Actually she built a home for the homeless people with the money that she had received as a prize of peace. She thought if she could make a home for the poor, more and more love would spread, she also thought that this understanding of love brought peace and good news to the homeless poor. In this way she served God truely through loving people and sharing love amongst all.
Narrate the experience of Mother Teresa with a man half eaten?
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Why did Mother Teresa consider the poor, people as an angel?
Ans. Mother Teresa had an experience with a poor man. The man was picked up from the drain by Mother Teresa. He was half eaten by worms. They brought him to her home. Before death, he confessed that he had lived like an animal in street but now he was going to die like an angel with beautiful love and care. And also we knew that he died without blaming anybody, without cursing anybody, without comparing anything, this was the greatness of the man. The poor people could teach us so many beautiful things.
“I feel the passion of Christ is being relieved all over again”. Why does Mother Teresa say this?
Ans. In Nobel Lecture, We see that Jesus Christ died on the cross to show that greeater love. He died for the ordinary poor people. The sisters had to be woven with Christ to be able to share. There is so much, suffering in the world. So Mother Teresa feels that the passion of Christ is being retired all over again. There are two types of poverty materical and mental. The poverty of the west is mental which cannot be removed. The poverty of West are unwanted, unloved, terrified. The poverty of East is physical which can be removed. So the poverty of West is so much more difficult to remove.
Discuss the significance of the title of Nobel Lecture.
Ans. Mother Teresa delivered this lecture on December 11, 1979, in Oslo, Norway. In this essay, Mother sees love as a new light. She stresses Jesus Christ’s identity as a messenger of peace and saviour of humanity. In this context she makes a strong appeal to the audience to adopt the universal love represented by Jesus and his teachings. She also underscored the holiness of poverty and highlighted the nobility of the poor who are honest in spite of being neglected, unloved and uncare for. Mother described abortion as the most heinous crime because it kills a child in a mother’s womb and is a direct assault on the spirit of humanity. She also emphasized the fact that Love alone has the capacity to bring peace and harmony in this strife torn world. So we can very well consider the title of the essay as appropriate and significant because it gives us a fairly clear idea about its subject matter.
How, according to Mother, can we make a happy family?
Ans. In ‘Nobel Lecture’ Mother Teresa shows us the way of making our family happy. The secret of such happiness is Love. If someone in the family is lonely, sick or worried we should try to console them as a mother consoles her child. True be love will make everyone happy and will bring smile to every lip. Smile is contagious and a genuine smile will spread genuine love, we have to pray together in the family. The united prayer will give us a soulful communication between ourselves. We must feel the presence of God together. We must love one another. So according to Mother, Love is the secret of our happiness in any family.
“And that is what strikes me most”-What strikes Mother Teresa most? What remedy does she suggest?
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How does Mother fight against the evil of abortion?
Ans. Through abortion, a mother could forget her child, but God would not forget the child because that unborn child had been carved in the hand of God. These act of abortion i.e. direct murder of unborn child in the womb Mother struck most.
To combat the evil of abortion, Mother introduced adoption, she saved thousand of lives. She collected these child from clinics, hospitals, police station and also from unwedded mothers. She welcomed every unwanted, new born babies and handed them over to the childless families. They built home for unwanted child. They took care for them. She also taught natural family planning to the beggars, leprosy patients slum dwellers, and the people of the street.
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