Nobel Lecture Question Answer | Class 11 WBCHSE
1. Comment on the nobleness of Mother Teresa with reference to the text
The given lecture has cited various examples to project Mother’s nobility by stating examples that she had experienced in her way of life, that helped her to realise the ailments that exist in the world. On one occasion, she along with her sisters had picked up four people from the street. They were in a terrible condition. One of them was taken up by her-she was in a desperate state. Mother put her in bed-the woman smiled at her, held her hand and uttered the words ‘thank you’ and died. Mother sat up to introspect what she herself would have done in her place. She felt she would have tried to draw a little attention but the woman had given her love.
On another occasion Mother had rescued a man. They picked him up from the drain. He was half eaten by worms. He was brought into the home. The man before dying had said that he had lived like an animal on the street, but he was going to die like an angel. Mother was moved to discover his greatness.
Once Mother had visited a home where all old parents had been put up by the children. There was no dearth of luxury in those homes but there was no smile on their faces. Mother found this intriguing. She then came to know that the old parents were depressed as the children never came to see them. This tells how concerned Mother was for them, how much she liked them, loved people and wanted all to be happy in their own perspective. This proves the nobility of the noble mother.
2. “I feel the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion” Justify the statement with reference to the text
In her speech ‘Nobel Lecture’ Mother Teresa has expressed her views while stating that poverty exists in the human heart. In this context she has mentioned the children in the West, who take to drugs and slowly go into depression because they are uncared for. Parents do not care for them and they are involved in their own way and do not have time for them. In this context mother has discussed ‘abortion as the greatest destroyer of peace’. It is killing of a ‘foetus’ in the womb. This undoubtedly is performed with the consent of the mother. What Mother Teresa does not understand is how can one who brings the child into the world kill her own child. A mother can never be a murderer, she cannot commit such a heinous crime as killing a unborn child; it is unethical. Life is a precious gift of God. It is meant to be procured not destroyed. It is the greatest crime that will spoil the human family hence all hands need to join and all voices to be raised to proclaim that this cannot be allowed to continue as this will bring about degeneration of mankind.
3. Did Mother Teresa believe that family planning agrees to the ethical health of the modern soci- ety
In her ‘Nobel Lecture’, Mother Teresa has opposed abortion as she felt that it is a heinous crime that a mother cannot commit. It is the worst thing she could ever do. If she is unwilling to accept the child she has to be thoughtful and practise restrain. This will be a sensible option as it will not incur killing of a life-which is a gift of the Almighty, too precious to be wasted.
Millions of people are dying everyday due to various reasons and above that, if a mother can kill her unborn child, then perhaps everything will be possible here on earth. Self-control has brought about 61,273 less babies in the world, having practised the natural way of abstaining. By teaching people the way of restraining the world will face less problems; there will be happiness.Self-control can do wonders.
4. In what way ‘the poor people are very great people’ according to mother? Why has she felt so
In the course of her lecture, while relating her experiences of interacting with the poor, Mother Teresa recalls two such incidents in which she had confronted a sick man and a woman. One evening she went out with some of her sisters. They picked up four people from the street. One of them was very sick. She took charge of her while the other three were left in the care of the sisters. She put her in the bed. The woman held her hand and smiled at her, uttering only two words-“Thank you” and she died.
In another case mother had picked up a sick man from the drain. He was half eaten by worms. They had brought him to the home and nursed him. The man said that he had lived like an animal but would die like an angel. In both the cases mother found that the poor did not regret the past or complain about their sufferings. They thanked mother for her greatness to treat them. This she acknowledged was the greatest quality one could not deny. Any other person would have complained in their place. In fact she herself would perhaps have done the same.
5. How does mother wish to overcome all the evil in the world
Mother had felt that all the existing evils in the world are mainly caused due to misunderstandings, selfishness, lack of concern and greed. She felt that if man did come to terms with one another, did understand each other; if there was co-operation and one did reciprocate with the other, then all problems could be solved. If there was peace in the family, the members did understand each other, consent to each other and had respect and allowance for each other’s needs, things would change a lot. What matters is living together, loving each other, feeling for each other. What Mother felt was most important was a feeling of togetherness that would establish a bond among all. It is this concept of oneness that could create homogeneity, wiping out the ills, creating an environment of love and understanding that would bring about peace and prosperity in the country.
6. How would Norway become a nest of love according to Mother Teresa
In her speech ‘Nobel Lecture’ Mother Teresa has tried to establish the truth that one’s love for another in cases considered as trifle, can surely turn a home into heaven. There needs to be a strong commitment. We have to place our trust in others, be mutually committed and only then, can we experience love and peace. If Norway did follow the principles, then the country could be a ‘nest’ of love.
The joy of life one would look forward to in the expectation of an unborn child helps to regain one’s soul, one’s very existence. If Norway could serve as the guiding light to the world and establish peace, then the Nobel Peace Prize would fetch an ideal gift to the country. She reminds people that Jesus is with them and as he loves all men then all should try to kindle that flame of love to keep it burning in the hearts of men. Love and peace can only be availed by exchange of feelings of love. Norway can be a ‘nest’ of love which all men have been craving for since ages.
7. “… he died on the cross to show that greater love”- Elucidate
Mother Teresa has referred to Jesus Christ who sacrificed his life for the welfare of mankind.She sounds quite emotional while she states how Christ had graced death. He had allowed himself to be crucified as he wanted to show man how much he loved them. It was his greater love for man, for the good, the improvement, the upliftment of man’s state of well being. He died for one and all, the sick, the leper, the hungry, the poverty stricken people in the streets, of not only Calcutta but all over the world. Jesus died for us because he loved each and every one of us, millions of people who were tortured all over the world, the oppressed in the society. He accepted the pain till he died. Similarly we too should love each other till it pains us. We should love others for the greater love.
8. Why does Mother advise us to love our neighbour first
Mother Teresa has said that God has created man to love and be loved. He then came to earth as man to make it possible for us to love him as he loved us. He appears in front of us in the form of the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the sick, the criminal, the lonely, the dejected. According to mother, unless one loves one’s neighbour he cannot love God who is invisible. So she says that we must love our neighbour first to love God.
9. “She said one word only: Thank you – and she died.” Who was she? What did Mother find striking in her
Once Mother Teresa had gone out with her sisters and they came across four people in a desperate condition. One of them was in dire state. It was a terrible condition so Mother decided to take care of the worst one. She attended to her and did all that she could do. She was put in bed. The woman caught Mother’s hand and uttered two words ‘thank you’ and she died.
Mother found it strange that the woman did not utter a word of complaint. She expressed her gratitude by uttering those two words. Mother did not understand how someone could overlook her suffering, extreme destitution and be so grateful in such a state in life. This made her realise that the poor are great people.
10. Relate Mother’s experience with a Hindu family
Mother Teresa has narrated one of the most extraordinary experiences with a Hindu family.
A gentleman informed Mother that there was a family of ten people. They had eight children who had not eaten for long. Mother took some rice and immediately went there. She saw the children, whose eyes were shining with hunger. Mother was used to such situations. The mistress of the house took the rice and divided it and went out at once, but came back soon. When asked where she had gone, the woman said that the next door Muslim family too, suffered from hunger and starvation. She shared the rice with them. Mother Teresa did realise their joy in sharing their love with each other. This was indeed, a great experience with her. She now realised that they were the people who understood the real meaning of love. It was they who knew the definition of sharing and caring. They could give it till it hurt them. They were poor people but they were great even though they have nothing to eat and no home to live.
11. “I don’t want you to give me from your abundance” Why did Mother say so
Mother Teresa always felt that those who had enough could afford to give, but did not give from the core of their heart. To them it was giving a bit of theirs, which required no sacrifice. She felt that unless one agreed to give something that would involves sacrifice, it did not fulfill the meaning. In this context she had recalled an incident in which she had received fifteen dollars from a man who lay down for twenty years. This man was partially paralyzed. He could only move his right hand. The only thing he enjoyed in life was smoking. He did not smoke for a week and saved fifteen dollars, and gave away the money to her which was a terrible sacrifice for him. With that money Mother bought bread and gave it to those who suffered from extreme poverty. They enjoyed the bread while the man who sacrificed fifteen dollars, also satisfied himself for being able to sacrifice it. So it was worthy. Mother felt that both the giver and the receiver have to feel the joy of giving and receiving, then only it can be complete.
12. Why did Mother feel that one should always greet another with a smile? Or, Why according to Mother Teresa is a smile so important in life
Mother Teresa felt that one should always greet another with a smile, as it is the first expression of the beginning of love. One can greet another with a smile, when it comes from within the core of the heart.
Life in today’s world is full of problem. Nothing seems straight and there is too much of misunderstanding, misrepresentation, ill feelings among people which breed hatred in the society. Life becomes unpleasant. In order to improve human relationships, one needs to greet another with the smile as that can only rid the unpleasantness that can create a rift between two, making the situation unhealthy, suffocating and difficult to endure. A single smile is the only remedy that can improve the society, the environment and change the scenario.
13. What did Mother Teresa remark about the poverty of the West
Mother Teresa spoke about many aspects of human life. One of them was the poverty in the countries of the West. The poverty of the West is different from that of the East. It is so much more difficult to remove, according to Mother. She said that poverty in the West is mainly spiritual. When a person feels unwanted, unloved, terrified and has been thrown out of the society, it is very difficult to remove his or her hunger-the hunger of the soul. Most of the people of the West are affluent and so do not have any want of food, clothing or shelter. But they are very lonely. They have no peace in mind. They have no one to love or to get love from.
14. How did Mother fight against abortion and with what result
To control the problem of abortion Mother appealed everywhere in India. That year being the child’s year, she proposed to bring all the children back. At the beginning of the year, she proposed everywhere that they should make every child, born or unborn, wanted. She fought abortion by adoption. She requested every clinic, hospital and police station not to kill any child and to give it to her. She requested the unwedded mothers to come to her and she would take care of them and take the children from them. She told them that she would get a home for the children. She also fought against abortion by natural family planning. As a result, the birth of thousands of children in Kolkata alone could be controlled.
15. What does Mother Teresa want us to do to feel Jesus in our hearts
According to Mother, Jesus Christ is an emblem of love, as well as ‘the messenger of peace’. He tried to save man at the cost of his own life. We have to utilize his messages in our life only then we can feel him in our hearts. Mother wants us to remain in close contact with Jesus. We must love all the destitutes to love Jesus. We have to share the joy of loving Jesus with anybody we come in contact with. We have to believe that Jesus is with us in our hearts. He is inside the poor, unhappy persons whom we come across. Jesus resides in our love for man. Mother wants us to do little jobs of sympathy and love. Thus we can find Jesus in front of our eyes.
16. What for did Jesus take birth on this earth ? What was the story narrated in Mother’s speech about the birth of Jesus
Mother Teresa told that Jesus took birth on this earth to bring the good news to the poor that man has been created to live in peace.
About the birth of Jesus, Mother told that God loved the world so much that He gave his son (Jesus) to the world. God gave His son to Virgin Mary. As soon as Mary came to know of the arrival of a child in her life, she immediately went in haste to the house of her cousin to give her the good news. Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, too was carrying her child in her womb. That unborn child leapt with joy. According to Mother Teresa, the unborn child of Elizabeth was the first messenger of peace. He recognised the Prince of Peace. He recognised that Christ had come to bring the good news for the mankind.
17. Why should we consider the poor, ordinary people as Christ himself
Through her work Mother had a lot of experience which forced her to believe that human beings are Christ on this earth. Once a man was picked up from a drain and brought to a home of the Missionaries of Charity. The man was half-eaten by worms and was dying. He was like Jesus who said, “I was hungry-I was naked-I was homeless-I was unwanted, unloved, uncared for-and you did it to me.” Mother advises us to love our family members and our neighbours and then the people of the world. The poor, according to her, are really beautiful. They are simple and they can learn anything quickly. They are great people though they have nothing to eat or no house to live in. So, we should consider the poor, ordinary people as Christ himself.
18. Why had the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi been chosen by Mother
The occasion for the lecture was Mother Teresa’s acceptance of the Nobel Prize on Peace. This particular prayer was thought to be the most relevant for the occasion as it speaks about forgiveness, doing away with hatred, to bring in harmony, rule out errors, establish truth in place of doubts, make a way for faith, establish hope, replace sadness with joy and shadow with light.
In the later lines, the prayer reads ‘Lord may I seek to comfort rather than be comforted, and to understand than be understood, to love than being loved.’ One needs to forget self. This prayer which had been composed four to five centuries earlier stands appropriate even in today’s world. It carries the same message which Mother would have wanted to present to the people. It expresses the words of her heart to the people and was an exact expression of her feelings that matched with the depth of our emotions. It rather seems to have been composed for the occasion. Nothing else could have been more appropriate.
19. Why did Mother Teresa mention the birth and death of Jesus Christ in her ‘Nobel Lecture’
At the beginning of her speech Mother Teresa referred to the incidents of birth and death of Jesus. The birth of the son of God, was considered as a good news to the earth. Though he was the son of God he took birth in the shape of a man. He brought the message of love and peace with him. He came to this mortal world to redeem mankind, to give the good news of peace to all and this is something that everybody wants-the peace of heart.
She said that God loved the world very much and for that He had given the world His son as a gift though it hurt Him a lot. According to her, He died to show greater love for mankind. It was a noble sacrifice. Through His sacrifice Jesus taught us to love one another and sacrifice our lives, if necessary, to save others as He had sacrificed His life for the sake of mankind.
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