Cord Byrd: “just as the world was recovering from the shock last week of the sad news about the tragic and untimely death of…”

“just as the world was recovering from the shock last week of the sad news about the tragic and untimely death of Princess Diana--including the disturbing discovery that alcohol may have been linked to the crash--it was again rocked by reports of the death of another of its beloved heroines. Mother Teresa, considered by many to be a living saint, died last Friday at the age of 87. Like Princess Diana, who dedicated much of her attention to the needs of the unfortunate, Mother Teresa was a beacon of hope for countless people who were all but abandoned by mainstream society. But, unlike Princess Diana, Mother Teresa chose to highlight the plight of the destitute by becoming destitute herself. Although a physically small woman, Mother Teresa was a colossus of inspiration. She had little more to offer than kindness, faith, and tenacity, but Mother Teresa ably provided the world with much, much more. Mother Teresa embodied hope. She served God by reaching out to the poor. She dedicated her life to humanitarian aid, making personal sacrifices that most of us cannot easily understand. Mother Teresa traveled to areas where most would fear to go; she embraced AIDS patients and lepers, cradled dying babies, and brought a glimmer of hope to the hopeless. She rejected modern-day comforts, and when she left this world she owned little more than her sari and her rosary beads. Mother Teresa's name is recognized throughout the world, and her influence is immeasurable.”