"Burning Zeal"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today is the Feast of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who was imprisoned during WWII and suffered great hardship in the concentration camp (Auschwitz). He offered up his own life in place of another prisoner. How gracious of our God to take this “champion of the Immaculate Mary” from this life to the next on Aug. 14, the eve of Mary’s Feast of her Assumption into heaven! In the Liturgy of the Hours, the Second Reading for today is taken from the Letters of St. Maximilian. Here is an excerpt:

The burning zeal for God’s glory that motivates you fills my heart with joy. It is sad for us to see in our own time that indifferentism in its many forms is spreading like an epidemic not only among the laity but also among religious. But God is worthy of glory beyond measure, and therefore it is of absolute and supreme importance to seek that glory with all the power of our feeble resources. Since we are mere creatures we can never return to him all that is his due.

The most resplendent manifistation of God’s glory is the salvation of souls, whom Christ redeemed by shedding His blood. To work for the salvation and sanctification of as many souls as possible, therefore, is the preeminent purpose of the apostolic life. Let me, then say a few words that may show the way toward achieving God’s glory and the sanctification of many souls…

Being a Conventual Franciscan priest he was writing this to members of his order and so continues the letter encouraging them in their particular vow of obedience in a religious community under religious superiors, but the laity is also called to the apostolic life by Baptism, and as lay persons we are called to obey God in the duties of our particular vocation as married, single, husband, wife, mother, father or child. Neither laity, nor clergy, nor religious can give way to indifference in our zeal for God’s glory and the salvation of souls. The Church – the whole Church --exists to evangelize i.e. to bring the Good News of salvation to every soul. St. Maximillian’s letter concludes with these two short paragraphs:

…Let us love our loving Father with all our hearts. Let our obedience increase that love, above all when it requires us to surrender our own will. Jesus Christ crucified is our sublime guide toward growth in God’s love.

We will learn this lesson more quickly through the Immaculate Virgin, whom God made the dispenser of His Mercy. It is beyond doubt that Mary’s will represents to us the will of God Himself. By dedicating ourselves to her we become in her hands instruments of God’s Mercy even as she was an instrument in God’s Hands. We should let ourselves be guided and led by Mary and rest quiet and secure in her hands. She will watch out for us, provide for us, answer our needs of body and spirit; she will dissolve all our difficulties and worries.

Come, Holy Spirit, kindle in us the Fire of Your Love. Grant us “Burning Zeal”.
Mary Immaculate, Mother of the Church, pray for us.
St. Maximilian Kolbe, pray for us.

 

[wllmjoseph]

I vividly recall being in Theology class at Maria Regina Diocesan High School in Uniondale, NY. The year was 1985. From time to time the Theology teacher would have us watch a Catholic program that came on the local PBS station. I believe the name of the program was Insight. The program was very good and often was thought provoking in that it was true to Catholic values. Martin Sheen did a number of short movies on Insight.

On this one occasion what immediately caught my interest was that Jack Klugman was one of the actors in the movie. I recalled seeing him act in the Odd Couple for years. It meant a lot to know that although he was not Catholic that he would participate in this project. Jack Klugman’s character walks into a store and greets the shop keeper who is very angry and bitter. He challenges him on why he is always so angry, bitter and miserable. He than recounts his life experience in Auschwitz in World War II.

When the movie goes to the scene in a concentration camp of Auschwitz. The actor who played the role of St. Maximillan Kolbe was Werner Klemperer. Werner Klemerer was Colonel Klink in Hogan’s Hero’s. The movie showed the scene after a prisoner had escaped ant the German officer was going to choose 10 men to die in the place of the one man that escaped. As the officer was choosing the men he had chosen one man who had a wife and three children. He began sobbing and explaining that he had a wife and three children and did not want to die. At which point my hero and perhaps my favorite saint stepped forward and offered to take the place of the man who had the family.

The officer new that St. Maximillan was a priest and was amused at the request. He asked the priest why he was willing to take the place of this man. At which point St. Maximillan’s face lit up and he replied to the officer “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer”. At that point I felt the Holy Spirit stirring within me to no longer be a lukewarm Catholic Christian but to be a Catholic Christian with zeal and love. I think of the expression that “chills ran up and down my spine”. Well for me it was not just my spine but my whole body. When St. Maximillan stated “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer” it was clear that he said Fuhrer for the German officer and what he meant was that for the Glory of God he would take this man’s place so that he could live for his family.

The German officer was again amused for he knew that St. Maximillan was not offering his life up for Hitler but was offering up his life for God. He allowed St. Maximillan to take the other man’s place. I do not know if "St. Maxilmillan stated “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer” or is it was just Hollywood. What I do know is that it was at that very moment that I was called to a deeper relationship with Jesus and I believe it was through the intercession of St. Maximillan Kolbe. I am very grateful for St. Maximillan Kolbe. Niech żyje Polska

 

[Casilda]

John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
**
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.** 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 This I command you, to love one another.

 

[MariaChristi]

I vividly recall being in Theology class at Maria Regina Diocesan High School in Uniondale, NY. The year was 1985. From time to time the Theology teacher would have us watch a Catholic program that came on the local PBS station. I believe the name of the program was Insight. The program was very good and often was thought provoking in that it was true to Catholic values. Martin Sheen did a number of short movies on Insight.

On this one occasion what immediately caught my interest was that Jack Klugman was one of the actors in the movie. I recalled seeing him act in the Odd Couple for years. It meant a lot to know that although he was not Catholic that he would participate in this project. Jack Klugman’s character walks into a store and greets the shop keeper who is very angry and bitter. He challenges him on why he is always so angry, bitter and miserable. He than recounts his life experience in Auschwitz in World War II.

When the movie goes to the scene in a concentration camp of Auschwitz. The actor who played the role of St. Maximillan Kolbe was Werner Klemperer. Werner Klemerer was Colonel Klink in Hogan’s Hero’s. The movie showed the scene after a prisoner had escaped ant the German officer was going to choose 10 men to die in the place of the one man that escaped. As the officer was choosing the men he had chosen one man who had a wife and three children. He began sobbing and explaining that he had a wife and three children and did not want to die. At which point my hero and perhaps my favorite saint stepped forward and offered to take the place of the man who had the family.

The officer new that St. Maximillan was a priest and was amused at the request. He asked the priest why he was willing to take the place of this man. At which point St. Maximillan’s face lit up and he replied to the officer “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer”. At that point I felt the Holy Spirit stirring within me to no longer be a lukewarm Catholic Christian but to be a Catholic Christian with zeal and love. I think of the expression that “chills ran up and down my spine”. Well for me it was not just my spine but my whole body. When St. Maximillan stated “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer” it was clear that he said Fuhrer for the German officer and what he meant was that for the Glory of God he would take this man’s place so that he could live for his family.

The German officer was again amused for he knew that St. Maximillan was not offering his life up for Hitler but was offering up his life for God. He allowed St. Maximillan to take the other man’s place. I do not know if "St. Maxilmillan stated “I wish to take this man’s place and to die for the glory of the Fuhrer” or is it was just Hollywood. What I do know is that it was at that very moment that I was called to a deeper relationship with Jesus and I believe it was through the intercession of St. Maximillan Kolbe. I am very grateful for St. Maximillan Kolbe. Niech żyje Polska

Dear William Joseph,

I tend to think it was “Hollywood’s” spin injected into script and story of St. Maximilian’s martyrdom. I looked up the scene in which the commandant spoke and the saint gave his reason:

…In late July 1941, a prisoner escaped from St. Maximilian’s barracks. In retaliation, the Nazis selected ten prisoners to starve to death. One of the ten, Polish Sergeant Francis Gajowniczek, cried out in agony over the fate of his family without a father. To the astonishment of prisoners and captors, Maximilian stepped forward from the ranks and stood before the Commandant.

The commandant asked, “What does this Polish pig want?”

Father Kolbe pointed to the Polish sergeant, saying, “I am a Catholic priest. I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children.”

The commandant stood silent for a moment, and then allowed Gajowniczek to return to the other men while Father Kolbe took his place.

Maximilian then entered the starvation chamber with nine other men. He spent the last two weeks of his life encouraging his nine companions by praying and singing hymns with them in the block 13 starvation bunker.

I found this at the Official site of Militia of the Immaculata , see HERE God works all things unto good for those who love Him…(Rom 8:28). I thank the Lord with you for His graces in bringing you into a closer relationship with Jesus, and I agree St. Maximilian was praying for you!

 

[MariaChristi]

John 15
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
**
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.** 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 This I command you, to love one another.

Dear Casilda,

Thanks for your reply; it’s been awhile since I’ve heard from you, it seems. Hope all is well as you continue your journey to that perfect union in Charity to which we are called.

Certainly, the scripture passages you have shared in your reply were deep in the heart of St. Maximilian Kolbe and were part of the impulse of the Holy Spirit sending him like Mary with haste to bring Jesus to those who needed Him.

May God Our Father, by the power of His Holy Spirit, send us today wherever He wills us to go through Mary, bringing Jesus as she and all the saints have brought Him to those in need of God’s Love.

 

[wllmjoseph]

Dear William Joseph,

I tend to think it was “Hollywood’s” spin injected into script and story of St. Maximilian’s martyrdom. I looked up the scene in which the commandant spoke and the saint gave his reason:

I found this at the Official site of Militia of the Immaculata , see HERE God works all things unto good for those who love Him…(Rom 8:28). I thank the Lord with you for His graces in bringing you into a closer relationship with Jesus, and I agree St. Maximilian was praying for you!

MariaChristi,
Thank you! I had a feeling it was Hollywood. I have to tell you the film was very powerful and changed my life and for that I will always be grateful to the Holy Spirit and to St. Maximillian. St. Maximillan is a part of my life and for that I am so grateful. In the movie when St. Maximillian was asked why he wanted to take this man’s place he stated “I want to take this man’s place and die for the glory of the Fuhrer”. It was clear that he was doing this in his zeal and love of God. Watching that film called me from a lukewarm relationship with Jesus to a deeper relationship. One in which I would live with zeal for Christ. Thank you for your post!