Born in Poland in 1894, Maximilian Kolbe entered the Conventual Franciscans at the age of 16. He developed a strong devotion to Mary, a devotion that would offer him great solace in his final days.
Ordained at 24, Fr. Kolbe saw religious indifference as the deadliest poison of the day. Indifference is the belief that all roads, religious or not, lead to happiness, human flourishing, and eternal life. One needs to only point to the violence, war, man-made human suffering in the world, to show this philosophy to be in error, and yet, indifference continues to flourish in our own time.
To combat the growing religious indifference in early 20th century Poland, Fr. Kolbe founded the Militia of the Immaculata, whose aim was to fight evil with the witness of the Catholic life, prayer, work, penance, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Fr. Kolbe started a religious magazine under Mary’s patronage, Knight of the Immaculata magazine, to help spread the message of the Faith.
As hostilities grew toward Catholics and particularly the clergy during World War II, Fr. Kolbe prayed to Mary for guidance. “What will happen to me,” he prayed. And she appeared to him, holding in her hands two crowns, one white, one red. She asked if he would like to have them—white for purity, the other for martyrdom. He said to her, “I choose both.” She smiled and disappeared. And his life would never be the same.
During the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939, his small town was bombed and he and his fellow friars were arrested. Arrest came again in 1941. Without trial or sentence, Fr. Kolbe was transported to Auschwitz where he managed to hear confessions and celebrate Mass using smuggled bread and wine. His “zeal for souls and love of neighbor” impelled him to minister to his fellow prisoners at risk to his own life.
One day, several prisoners managed to escape. In retaliation, 10 men from his block were selected to die. When a married Jewish man with a family was among them, Fr. Maximilian asked to take his place. The stunned Nazi officer agreed to the exchange. Fr. Kolbe and the other nine men were stripped, locked in a cell, and left to die without food or water. After two weeks, some, including Maximilian were still alive. They were injected with carbolic acid, and their remains were thrown into an oven. Such is the result of religious indifference. The Jewish man Fr. Kolbe saved attended his canonization in 1982.
Father Kolbe’s death was not a sudden, last-minute act of heroism. His whole life had been a preparation. His holiness, his passionate desire to convert the whole world to God, was limitless.
We pray that through Fr. Kolbe’s intercession, and with the aid and protection of the Immaculate, whom he loved so dearly, that we too may give witness to importance and saving power of the Catholic faith in all we do, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
- - - - - -
That religious indifference in our country and around the world may be transformed to radical commitment to the Gospel of Christ.
For the transformation of all attitudes which lead to war, violence, racial hatred, and religious persecution.
For deeper devotion to Immaculate Mary, for the conversion of Atheists, hardened sinners, lapsed Catholics, and the conversion of all hearts.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, and all the poor souls in purgatory, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
No comments:
Post a Comment