called to serve
“This is my commandment: love one another, as I have loved you.” — John 15:12
Mother Cabrini understood that no one person can meet every need or solve every problem. But she also knew that each of us has a sphere of influence—a place where our love and service can make a difference.
In a February 1906 letter to students of the Teachers' College in Rome, she reflected on the work being done for immigrants through her missions and the tremendous good that could grow from seemingly small acts of service.
More than a century separates Mother Cabrini’s world from ours, but the call that guided her life has not changed: to love Christ by loving and serving one another.
In a world that can so easily emphasize what separates us, Mother Cabrini calls us to recognize what unites us. Her words challenge us not to wait for others to show charity first, but to be the ones who begin—to welcome, to listen, to serve, and to love.
To be called to serve is to allow charity to rule our hearts and then carry that love into the lives of others. Through acts of compassion, welcome, and accompaniment, each of us can continue the spirit of Mother Cabrini’s mission in our families, parishes, neighborhoods, and communities.
“We are called to be passionately involved in today’s world, as well as try to reply swiftly to the urgent cries of humanity which the God of life has brought to our attention. ”