St Maximillian Kolbe. Day 2.

 

The weather was absolutely stunning today: not a cloud in the sky, well behaved mosquitos and low humidity. I sat on the edge of Spa Creek in Annapolis enjoying the sunshine and the thought came to me: what was this day like for St. Maximilian Kolbe on August 6, 1941? He was in the underground cell in Auschwitz, had been beaten and tortured. Was the sun shining that day? Were the flowers reaching for heaven in all of their glory? What prayer came out of his lips on that day in the cell with fellow prisoners, some dead. I wonder if the perfect nature that our Creator made could feel the sadness from Auschwitz that summer, if the soil and earth felt the injustice as blood seeped into it along with ashes. 

I felt incredibly fortunate to still have some freedom of religion in the USA where as of yet, we have suffered some restrictions, some persecution and certainly mockery for having faith. However, that is not the case in many countries even today. The tyranny to believe one thing or another in a forced way keeps the freewill that God gave each soul in a bondage to the local governmental ruling on a belief. Nevertheless, there are bold and infinitely courageous missionaries that risk their lives to spread the love of Christ in countries where the only truth has been suffering. 

St. Maximilian Kolbe was a missionary priest from 1930 - 1936  in  a very interesting place: Nagasaki, Japan. Yes indeed.

St Max Kolbe teaching little children the love of Jesus Christ  in Japan

 He traveled from his native Poland to Japan to spread the good news of Jesus promises of life everlasting. In fact, he founded a Franciscan monastery in Nagasaki. St Maximillian Kolbe had a deep prayer life and his devotion in prayer led him to build the monastery in an awkward location on the side of a mountain that was difficult for anyone to arrive two. Priests and bishops questioned his choice. Four years after his death, the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki tragically destroying everything living in it's path, except for one building: the monastery St. Max Kolbe built. Every monk in there was saved. 

Novena Day 2: Missionary Zeal

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. I pray in a special way today for courage to have missionary zeal in the lives of believers. May we not run and hide at the first instance that we are associated with Christ, like Peter did when Jesus was being beaten. May we have the courage to have open hearts and open eyes to the people who God puts in our lives as opportunities to give them Christ's love. Above all, St Maximilian, I especially pray for brave missionaries throughout the world today. I pray for missionaries who have it good and are beloved, I pray for missionaries who are lonely, for missionaries who are poor and doesn't have basic needs, I pray for missionaries who want to call it quits, and I ask special intercession for missionary priests, in particular Nigerian priests in harms way. I pray for your help in praying for them to have courage, joy, fortitude and love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I pray that the zeal in their hearts might not be extinguished by any dire circumstances they see that are beyond their control. I pray also for my faith and zeal to be like that of Christ. Intercede for me, St Maximilian and pray that I may never waver no matter how strange a land I might feel I am in. May my faith be led like yours to build a monastery of prayer in my heart so that if anything shakes me, my faith like your monastery in Nagasaki, may stand firm.  

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.