Saint Maximillian Kolbe, pray for us!

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends," through the intercession of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr, whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions . . .

(here mention prayer requests)

When he was a child in Poland, his mother said to him one day, "I don't know what's going to become of you!" His reaction was to pray very hard to Our Lady asking what would happen to him. Our Lady appeared to him in a vision, holding two crowns, one white, one red. She asked if he would like to have them. The white was for purity and the red for martyrdom. He said, I choose both." Our Lady smiled and disappeared. After that he was not the same.

Maximillian entered the seminary and was ordained a priest at the age of 24. He saw religious indifference as the greatest poison. His mission was to combat it through the witness of living a good life of prayer, devotion to Mary, work and suffering. In 1917, he founded the Militia of the Immaculata and spread a fervent devotion of Consecration to the Immaculate Heart of Mary throughout the world. 

He was imprisoned for his effective work and sent to Auschwitz in 1941. He suffered great cruelty there because he was a Catholic priest. He ministered to the prisoners, heard their confessions and secretly offered Masses with them, He offered up his life by taking the place of a husband and father who was condemned in the death camp. He loved his persecutors, an example for us of unselfish love for all men, a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary. He said, "Genuine love rises above creatures and soars up to God. In Him, by Him and through Him, it loves all men, both good and wicked, friends and enemies." Saint Maximillian Kolbe, through his great devotion to Our Lady, teaches us how to have a forgiving heart. 

Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.  Pray 3 Hail Marys and a Glory Be

Saint Maximilian Kolbe, pray for all the intentions we receive, through the intercession of Immaculate Mary, Mother of God.