St. Maximilian Kolbe

 Today we're talking about St. Maximilian Kolbe, a great and holy man.

Kolbe was born Raymund Kolbe on January 8, 1894 in Poland. His mother was Polish and his father was German. Kolbe was one of five brothers. For more about Kolbe's early life, you can read here.

Kolbe and his older brother decided to join the Conventual Franciscans in 1907. They illegally crossed the border between Russian and Austria-Hungary to enroll in minor seminary. As a novitiate, Kolbe was given the name Maximilian. In 1918, Kolbe was ordained a preist and soon after returned to Poland. He has a major influence in his own Franciscan Order in the form of the Friars of Mary Immaculate (O.F.M.I), a Franciscan religious institute whose Rule is influenced by the spirituality of St. Maximilian Kolbe.

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(Love his sweet beard here!)

When WWII started and the Nazi's invaded Poland, Kolbe gave shelter to 2000 Jews, which he hid in his friary. On February 17, 1941, he was arrested by German Gestapo and imprisoned. On May 28 of the same year, he was transferred to Auschwitz and became prisoner #16670. 

In July, 1941, three prisoners went missing from camp and the deputy camp commander came up with a solution to keep others from trying to escape. He was going to pick ten men to be starved to death in an underground bunker. One of the men that he selected was Franciszek Gajowniczek. Once selected, he cried out, "My wife! My children!", and Maximilian Kolbe volunteered to take his place.

Father Kolbe celebrated mass and sang hymns in his prison cell with the prisoners each day. He lifted up others and encouraged them by telling them that they would soon be with Mary in Heaven. Every time the guards would check on him, he was calmly, standing or kneeling in the middle of the cell. After two weeks of no food or drink, Maximilian Kolbe was the only prisoner left alive. The guards wanted to empty the bunker so they gave Kolbe a lethal injection of carbolic acid. Those who were present at the injection say that he raised his left arm and calmly waited for the injection. His remains were cremated on August 15, the feast day of the Assumption of Mary!

Koble was canonized as a martyr by Pope John Paul II on October 10, 1982 with Franciszek Gajowniczek (the man he offered his life for) in attendance. 

One of my favorite things about Maximilian Kolbe is that there are actual pictures of him available. He lived when my grandparents were alive. It's awesome to know that holy individuals can and do exist today. Everyday we can stand up for others and show Christ's love. Anyway, I just love him. He sacrificed his own life so that another man could live, what a true hero.

That's all for today! 

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