St Maximilian Kolbe : day 1

 I've tried starting this blog at least 10 times and my computer keeps shutting down! Blessed Carlo Acutis, thanks for the computer help and intercession!

Is there anything you are willing to die for? It could be provolone cheese, too much of it over time could give you high cholesterol and eventually heart disease or heart failure. Dying for something doesn't have to be dramatic or it could be. Is there any person you would be willing to die for? Perhaps your parents, or children or best friend and spouse? What about dying for a total stranger? I don't think I would be brave enough to do that. Any one else I would probably also scratch my head for a second and see if we could negotiate a peace deal. 

However, St. Maximilian Kolbe did just that in a German concentration camp in 1941: he died a slow, dirty and painful death in the place of a Jewish father, Franciszek Gajowniczek, to give him a chance to survive to see his children. He specifically asked Nazi guards to exchange him for Franciszek in the death cell.

St Maximilian Kolbe

Franciszek Gajowniczek. He survived!

 To be specific, St Kolbe, and 9 other prisoners, were put in a tiny underground cell in Auschwitz to starve to death with no food nor water. St. Max Kolbe kept their spirits up by praying and singing aloud. He gave them blessings as they each started to die until he was left alone with their dead decaying bodies around him. He was still singing, still praying. The men in the Gestapo took him out and put an injection of carbonic acid in his arm to kill him on August 14, 1941. St Maximilian Kolbe was only 47.

Why did this happen? Because the people with bigger guns and a diabolical political agenda didn't see Jewish people or Catholics among many other groups as humans worth living, worth dignity. They stripped them of all they had, little by little till they took their lives. May we never categorize humans condemning them death by a label or quietly stand by while their lives are dehumanized. 

I thought it would be a dandy idea to share my novena with you for common sense through Mary, love of our brothers and sisters, and religious freedom. This is in honor of St. Max Kolbe, prisoner 16670, and since today begins his novena 9 days before his feast day on August 14, the day he was killed. May we never accept becoming a number or label. We are all children of God, may we live up to our true calling. In His love, He made us like the flowers in different shapes, sizes and colors but all in His image. I'm going to contemplate 9 aspects of his life during the 9 days of the Novena. 

For today: he founded Militia Immaculata the Army of Mary Immaculate to fight  battles with prayer. 

White crown for purity, red crown for martyrdom.

Novena Day 1: Fidelity to Mary Immaculate

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. St Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us and intercede for us.

Lord have mercy,

Christ have mercy,

Lord have mercy,

Christ hear us,

Christ graciously hear us. 

God the Father in Heaven,

Have mercy on us,

God the Son, Redeemer of the World, 

Have mercy on us.

God the Holy Spirit, Holy Trinity one God, 

Have mercy on us. 

St Maximilian Kolbe intercede for us. You who consecrated your entire life to the Immaculata pray for us to follow in the footsteps of the mother of God. May we go to Jesus through the courageous example of Mary. Pray for us to have perfect peace and bold resignation to the things of this world and to seek first the kingdom of God and it’s righteousness. May our hearts be immaculately pure and spotless as Mary’s and may we strive to live each day in joyful and sacrificial love of God. I pray today in a special way for all countries who have forgotten their Mother in Mary. I pray for France where Mary appeared so many times, I pray for Poland where she interceded as our Lady of Czestochowa, I pray for Spain where she appeared in Garabandal, I pray for Italy where she intercedes in Pompeii. I pray for the hardened hearts of those who don't believe but want to find a way to reason their way to understanding their creator and scoff at Mary. St. Max Kolbe, please intercede for those who have hardened their hearts. 

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. 

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, a world without end. Amen.

Knights at the Foot of the Cross Prayer: Consecration to Mary - by St Maximilian Kolbe

 Only prayed today, on first day of Novena

Oh Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, health of the sick and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. You stood at the foot of the Cross, uniting yourself with the sufferings of Jesus and so you became for all the church a model of compassion. I (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself humbly at your feet imploring you to take me with all that I am, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of should and body, of my daily sufferings, and crosses, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you. 

If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you "She will crush your head," and "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the world." Through my prayers and sufferings, let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter, you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. Allow me to praise you, Oh Sacred Virgin. Give me strength against your enemies.