On August 14, we celebrated the memorial of St. Maximillian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr. I first got to know more about him when I took the consecration to Our Lady some years ago.

In the last couple of days, I have had even more opportunities to learn about his life, times, and the events leading to his martyrdom through a podcast about him on Hallow (a Catholic app) called Saints in Seven (7) Days. 

Because of the great impression listening to him has made on me, especially his devotion to Our Lady, I am bringing you some of the words from the podcast.

Raymond Kolbe was born on January 8th 1894, in a small village in Poland. His family was devoutly Catholic and baptized him the day he was born. 

Documents from his canonisation process assert that Raymond’s parents “shone as models of the Christian life.” It is no surprise that under their influence, Raymond quickly developed a deep devotion to Our Lady of Czestochowa, an icon of Mary with deep roots In Polish culture. 

Due to his difficult and mischievous nature around the age of nine, to the exclamation of his mother in desperation, “My child, what’s to become of you?” Raymond ran to the Church, knelt at the altar before the

Blessed Mother, and pleaded with her, “Tell me what will become of me!”

Before his very eyes, Mary appeared to him. In her hands were two crowns, one white and the other red. The white crown offered Raymond a life of purity, where he’d be chaste and undivided in his service to God. The red meant he would die a martyr. 

She extended both and asked which he wanted. Like many children, Raymond didn’t want to choose. So, he told Our Lady, “I want both.” She looked at him lovingly and disappeared.

Our Lady led Maximilian Kolbe to the life and purpose God had intended for him. 

What is your relationship with the Blessed Mother like? In what ways would you like to deepen that relationship?

This encounter changed Kolbe’s life forever. He later founded the Militia Immaculatae (meaning the & quot; Army of the Immaculate One & quot;), called in English the Knights of the Immaculata and became the “Saint of Auschwitz.” For him, the call to be a light in the darkness was the essence of who he was. 

 

Let us pray part of the prayer written by Kolbe:

Immaculate conception, Mary, my Mother, live in me, act in me. Speak in and through me, Think your thoughts in my mind. Love, through my heart. Give me yourdispositions and feelings. Teach, lead, and guide me to Jesus.

St. Maximilian Kolbe, Pray for us!