St. Maximilian Kolbe was born in Poland in 1894,
entered the Franciscans at the age of 16, and was ordained 8 years later. In his
first years of his priesthood he taught in the seminary in Krakow, the same
diocese from which Pope John Paul would be ordained about 30 years later. In
January 1922, he founded a monthly religious devotional called “Knight of the
Immaculata” and operated a religious publishing press. Between 1930 and 1936, the
saint undertook a series of missions to East Asia. In 1938 he would be recalled
to Poland by his superiors. A year later, on 19 September 1939 he would be
arrested by the Nazi’s for the first time, when the town in which he ministered
was captured by the germans. Two years later, he was arrested again, and this
time sent to the concentration camp at Auschwitz.
You’ve probably heard the story, how while in Auschwitz,
several prisoners managed to escape. As
punishment, 10 men were selected to die.
When a married man with a family was among them, St. Maximilian asked to
take his place. The stunned Nazi officer
agreed to the exchange. St. Maximilian and
the other nine men were stripped, locked in a cell, and left to starve to death. After two weeks, some, including St. Maximilian
were still alive. They were given lethal
injections of carbolic acid, and their remains were thrown into an oven.
“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's
life for one's friends.” St. Maximilian death
was not a sudden, last-minute act of heroism. He had cultivated Christ like
love for souls throughout his priesthood, throughout his life, just as each of
us are called to do. To cultivate love.
“Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed
and truth,” writes St. John.
Every day we are given opportunities to cultivate love,
to die to self in order to live for others: to be patient when we are
irritated; to forgive when we have been hurt; to give our time when we would
rather be left alone; to pray for someone who has wronged us; to notice the
lonely, the suffering, and the forgotten; to make sacrifices for our families,
our parish, and those entrusted to our care.
Holiness is not granted by God waving the holiness wand
over our head. Holiness is formed through daily choices. Every time we choose
charity over selfishness, mercy over resentment, generosity over comfort,
Christ’s love takes deeper root within us.
Through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe, may God
teach us to cultivate that love each day, so that when love demands sacrifice
from us, great or small, we will be ready to give ourselves freely for the
glory of God and the salvation of souls.
That all members of the
Church, laity and clergy, will be committed to self-sacrificial service in
their daily lives.
For an end to indifference
to God and human dignity in our government institutions, universities,
businesses, and personal attitudes.
For an increase in devotion
to Our Lady, that through our love for her, the Church may obtain a renewed
zeal for souls.
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. We pray.
O God, who 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.
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