Saint Maximillian Kolbe (feast day 14th August)

Date: 16 August 2013 19:35:27

[caption id="attachment_718" align="alignnone" width="200"] Saint Maximillian Kolbe[/caption]

Maximillian Kolbe was a Polish franciscan monk, who died in Auchswitz having volunteered to take the place of a man who had a family, who was in a group that had been chosen to be starved to death as a punishment for the actions of others. After two weeks of starvation, Kolbe was the only one still alive and was injected with carbolic acid by guards. His remains were cremated on 15th August, which marks the Assumption, which commemorates the death of Mary and her bodily assumption into Heaven, before her body could begin to decay--a foretaste of our own bodily resurrection at the end of time. Kolbe was canonised by Pope John Paul II as a martyr, and is known as the Apostle of Consecration to Mary. His willingness to take the place of a stranger who was facing death remains an incredible action that I do not know how many people would be able to do, whatever the situation. We remember Kolbe on August 14th, his feast day, and give thanks to God for his actions, simple but incredible.

Heavenly Father, You inflamed your priest and martyr, Saint Maximilian Kolbe, with love for the Immaculate Virgin and filled him with zeal for souls and love of neighbours. Through his prayers grant that we may work unreservedly for your glory in the service of men and thereby become like Christ your Son until death. Amen.