Who was Maximilian Kolbe?
He was a Polish Franciscan priest born in 1894. He entered the seminary and began studying in 1910 and in 1918 was ordained a priest. While in seminary he formed a group with 6 other men called the Militia Immaculata, an organization devoted to being an instrument of Mary, our Blessed Mother.
Why Mary?
As a young boy, he had a great devotion to Mary. He asked her, “What will become of me?” after his mother asked him the question. Maximilian had a vision in which Mary held out 2 crowns, one white for purity; the other red for martyrdom and asked which he chose. He chose both.
His life
As a priest, he worked in Poland and Japan. He founded a magazine, Knights of the Immaculata; two monasteries, one near Warsaw the other in Nagasaki. When WWII broke out he continued to work spreading the Gospel. He was considered a threat, was arrested in 1941 and sent to Auschwitz.
His death
A prisoner had escaped from the camp and as punishment, 10 men were randomly chosen to die by starvation. One man, called out when chosen, that he had children and a wife and could he be spared. The guards were indifferent but then Fr. Kolbe said he would take his place. So he did. After 3 weeks, 4 men had not yet died so they were given an injection of carbolic acid. Maximilian was one of those men. He died on the eve of a great Marian feast, The Assumption of the Blessed Virgen Mary.
Not Lukewarm Challenge
This week, when you feel indifferent or weighed down by life, pray the Hail Mary and ask Mary to help you.
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
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This is wonderful, Deanna. Thank you.
Glad you liked it, Cindy!