I have grown weary of the animosity that splashes across broadcast news, print media and social media feeds, and even our dinner tables. In this age of cynicism, polarization and fear, many of us are looking for a different kind of voice – one rooted in compassion, humility and grace. I’ve found myself drawn to the life of someone who embodied those values, not with dominance or power, but through quiet acts of radical love: Mother Teresa.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Missionaries of Charity, the religious order she founded in 1950 in Calcutta, India, and that now serves in 139 countries. Her name has become synonymous with service to the poor, but what continues to move me is not just her sainthood, but her humanity. She was not born extraordinary. She became extraordinary through ordinary choices: feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, comforting the dying.
On September 6, I will perform in Journey of Faith: A Musical Tribute to Mother Teresa with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland. The concert includes the D.C. premiere of Divine Hymn, a powerful composition that sets to music a poem Mother Teresa wrote as she left her homeland to begin her mission. It’s a rare glimpse into her inner life and humanity – a mix of sorrow, courage and unwavering faith. The piece, composed by Albanian musician Genc Tukiçi and commissioned by Dijana Toska for Mother Teresa’s canonization in 2016, is built on a motif by her cousin, composer Lorenc Antoni.
I first encountered this work in 2023 when I was invited to perform in Tirana to mark the 20th anniversary of her beatification. The experience was transformative. I left that stage knowing I wanted to carry her message to other audiences. It led to a performance at Carnegie Hall earlier this year, and now to Washington, D.C., a city that feels especially poised to receive it.
Washington isn’t just my hometown; it’s the epicenter of our national government – a place where decisions are made that ripple across the world. And yet, in the shadow of that power, there is also the quiet question: What does it mean to lead with love?
Mother Teresa had no wealth or position of coercion. What she had was conviction in the power of compassion. Her legacy – caring for the most forgotten – echoes the highest callings of public service: to lift up the vulnerable, to serve without self-interest, and to pursue the common good.
It’s tempting to think her kind of impact is beyond our reach. We tend to mythologize our heroes, placing them on pedestals so high they feel unreachable. But that’s a misreading of who she was. She faced loneliness, doubt and exhaustion. Her greatness didn’t stem from perfection; it came from perseverance, faith, and acts of compassion in the face of immense need.
She famously said, “Small things done with great love will change the world.” That’s not just an idea; it’s a challenge. The world doesn’t change all at once. It changes in kitchens and classrooms, in quiet corners of hospitals and on crowded subway cars. It changes when someone listens instead of turning away.
In this era of noise, Mother Teresa’s example still speaks – maybe even more urgently than before. Her mission was simple: love without condition, serve without pride, and act without expecting reward. In the process, she reminded us that even one life – fully given – can transform the world.
Journey of Faith is more than a concert. It’s an invitation to reflect on that message. Through music, we remember not just what Mother Teresa did, but how she did it – with courage, humility, and an open heart.
And perhaps we leave inspired to ask: What small thing can I do, today, with great love? Together, our small acts might just change the world, too.
“Journey of Faith: A Musical Tribute to Mother Teresa,” will be presented Saturday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Ln, North Bethesda, Maryland. Tickets range from $30-$120 and are available now at https://www.strathmore.org/eve...tickets/in-the-music-center/journey-of-faith-a-musical-tribute-to-mother-teresa/, or the Strathmore Box Office at 301-581-5100.
