Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe

I would be so completely remiss if I did not note on this blog the feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe today. He was truly one of the first saints to make a deep impression on me, thanks to a homily preached by Fr. John on this day many years ago and a foundational and profound experience of prayer. He spoke of how St. Maximilian handed over his life throughout his life (not only in his martyr's death). At the time, I was deeply anxious and troubled over whether I would ever marry, or if I would always feel alone and unloved, and unworthy of love. I was there in Gesu Church, in the basement chapel where daily Masses always happened. It was a Saturday. The words of Fr. John's homily, describing the amazing life of St. Maximilian, echoed in my heart as we entered the Eucharistic prayer. At the moment of the consecration, as I was beholding Jesus handing over His body and blood unto death for me, upstairs in the upper church, the "Hallelujah" of a wedding Mass rang out with resounding joy. I was so struck by the unity of these two moments: the death, the agony, the handing over; the resurrection, the joy, the marriage. It was branded into my heart that we never, ever experience the cross without the resurrection being there, at least in promise form. There are not two Jesus's. We love and embrace the suffering Servant, and in so doing, we embrace the glorious Resurrected One. This truth carried me through some rough years that laid ahead of me.

While I lived in Japan I had the opportunity to visit the monastery in Kyushu where St. Max lived for some years. Perhaps later I will add in a photo. It was during that time of my visit that I began to get some idea of the love Mary has for her children.

In 1997 I first made the consecration to Jesus through Mary and joined the Militia Immaculata.

St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, pray for us!