By Susan Ciancio
On August 14, we celebrate a man who gave his life for another. Because he hid Jews during WWII and spoke bravely about his Catholic faith, Fr. Maximilian Kolbe was arrested and imprisoned at Auschwitz. One day, in repercussion for a man who had escaped, the guards randomly chose 10 men to die. One of those men pleaded to be spared because he had a wife and family. Fr. Kolbe heard his pleadings and offered his life instead.
The guards accepted Fr. Kolbe’s offer, and he and nine other men were marched to a bunker to die of starvation. They spent weeks there praying and singing. When the guards returned and saw that Fr. Kolbe and a few others were still alive, they gave Fr. Kolbe an injection of carbolic acid to hasten his death. Fr. Kolbe died on August 14, 1941.
It’s hard for us to imagine the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp. It’s likely harder for us to imagine giving our lives for another, starving for weeks, and then dying via a lethal injection. But Fr. Kolbe did this willingly because he believed that every person has value. He gave his life so another man would have the opportunity to live through the horror of Auschwitz. And that is what happened. Franciszek Gajowniczek was liberated in 1944 and returned to his family. He died in 1995 at the age of 93.
The beautiful story of Fr. Kolbe’s life teaches us so much, and as we contemplate his feast day, let us think about how we can apply the lessons we have learned to our own lives.
Fr. Kolbe teaches us the true meaning of love.
Love is not only a feeling; it’s an action. Love is wanting what is best for another person. Fr. Kolbe loved Franciszek Gajowniczek because he was a child of God—a fellow human being. He understood that Franciszek had a family. He understood the grief it would cause if they lost him. And so he did what he thought was right. He offered his life so that another might be spared. Though the vast majority of us will never be in a situation where we could choose to give our life for another, every day, we have the opportunity to give of ourselves and to make sacrifices for the good of another. Maybe that’s doing something we don’t like to do but that we know a spouse or a child enjoys. Maybe that’s taking time to do a chore so another family member can rest. Let us remember that everything we do for another person, we also do for Christ.
Fr. Kolbe teaches us faithfulness.
Fr. Kolbe’s entire life, not just the last few weeks at Auschwitz, was a testament to faithfulness. He protected and hid Jews. He held a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother, which caused him to teach about her. Everything he did, he did for the love of God and to glorify Him. When we find ourselves having doubts or feeling despair, let us look to Fr. Kolbe’s example and pray for his intercession that we may continue to be faithful followers of Christ.
Fr. Kolbe teaches us moral courage.
It’s difficult, especially for children, to stand up for what is right in today’s world. That’s why we need the examples of saints who teach us about what is truly important in life. Salvation should be first and foremost on our minds as we interact with others. Fr. Kolbe’s willingness to help others despite the possibility of imprisonment and death serves as guidance for us as we navigate our woke culture. Today, moral courage could be speaking for the elderly or preborn babies. It could be teaching about the value of all people. It could be walking away from a friendship that has become harmful. All of those things require us to live our faith openly and proudly.
As faithful children of Christ, we are blessed to have the example of saints to show us the path to heaven. The saints have faced countless temptations and evils, and when we pray for their intercession, we can be assured that they will help us overcome these. So as we approach St. Maximilian Kolbe’s feast day, let us learn to live as he lived. And let us learn to love as he loved.
The Culture of Life Studies Program has a beautiful middle school lesson on St. Maximilian Kolbe called No Greater Love: Saint Maximilian Kolbe. In this lesson, students will learn about his life and will witness the devotion he had to our Lord. This lesson challenges students to think of ways that they can use their talents to spread the gospel of life. Download easily here.
