This week concludes the series on St. Maximillian Kolbe inspired by the podcast ‘Saints in Seven Days’ on the Catholic app Hallow. Last week, we discussed Kolbe’s deep faith in God and devotion to Our Lady.

This week, we shall see how these culminated in Kolbe giving his life for another man to live, in voluntary martyrdom known as ‘the Saint of Auschwitz.’ 

At his arrest on February 17, 1941, he responded to the police, thus “Praised be Jesus Christ.” This is so striking to me. In the face of impending doom, great difficulty and uncertainties, Kolbe praised God. Does this strike you as well? When the going gets tough, do you praise God or give in to doubt and despair? To whom or to what do you turn?

On May 28, 1941, Kolbe was transferred to Auschwitz, a horrific place where Kolbe experienced these horrors in real-time. By the time he arrived there, Kolbe was already weak and frail.

Despite this, he did not consider self-preservation. Fr. Kolbe clung more radically to the Gospel in the face of destruction and death. 

Here is another point in Fr. Kolbe’s life where we can take some lessons. Even when things degenerated, he did not bail out on his beliefs. He must have been convinced that God was with him all through the ordeal of being one of the most hated because of being a Catholic priest, being made to dig trenches, being beaten to the point of hospitalisation, and telling the medics tending to his wounds, “don’t worry.

I can suffer a lot more than this.” Do we also have such convictions? Or do we pray to at least be able to stay through to God in the face of great difficulty? I believe there is a higher grace that helped Kolbe during his time in Auschwitz; if only we ask, we could receive similar and many such graces as well. 

In July of 1941, Kolbe was transferred to Barrack 14, where he would finally face execution. When the fugitives from this barrack could not be found, ten other prisoners were to die in recompense for the missing prisoner.

Francis Gajowniczek was one of the prisoners wailed in anguish and despair for his wife and children. Kolbe stepped out in line and calmly said he would take his place. After 14 days of starvation and dehydration with no sign of deterioration, Kolbe was injected with carbonic acid and finally died. 

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 your dispositions and feelings. Teach, lead, and guide me to Jesus. St. Maximilian Kolbe, Pray for us!