"Many people mistake our work for our vocation. Our vocation is the love of Jesus"

Mother Teresa’s statement calls attention to the distinction between occupation and purpose, inviting reflection on the deeper motivation behind acts of service. Many people look at what someone does, their daily activities, their career, or their deeds, and assume that these outward actions are the true calling or identity of the person. For those in fields such as humanitarian work or ministry, this is a common misunderstanding. The world might see the feeding of the hungry, the care for the sick, or the teaching of the uneducated as the sum and substance of vocation.

Yet, Mother Teresa points to a more profound reality beneath the visible labor. She suggests that one’s true calling is not a set of tasks or roles, no matter how noble. For her, and for those who share her worldview, the driving force, the actual vocation, is rooted in a spiritual anchor, the love of Jesus. This love is both the source and the goal. It is through love for Jesus that one is moved to serve others, not for recognition or even for the work itself, but because every person encountered is seen as a manifestation of His presence.

This perspective reframes the concept of vocation not as a profession, but as a continual response to divine love. Work, whether washing wounds, feeding the hungry, or offering comfort, is the visible fruit of an invisible commitment. To mistake the external labor for the true vocation is to miss the heart of the matter.

By centering vocation in the love of Jesus, Mother Teresa underlines humility and selfless devotion. Her approach encourages others to examine the foundational motivations in their own lives, reminding them that genuine fulfillment and purpose do not merely arise from activity or accomplishment, but from aligning one’s heart with a higher call to love, which gives ultimate meaning to all tasks, big or small.