So Great a Cloud :: Maximilian Kolbe
Today is the commemoration of St Maximilian Kolbe. I felt a little shy writing about this saint. This is the first year I’ve celebrated his saint day, the first I’ve read about his life. I don’t have a long history of devotion. But then I realized that the learning is the thing. That’s what makes the celebration.
This Polish priest was captured by the Nazis and taken to Auschwitz. To curtail escapes, for every person who escaped, ten were killed. A man was rounded up to be one of the examples, and Father Maximilian stepped in and took his place. Greater love… In 1982, when John Paul II (that’s him in the picture above!) canonized Maximilian Kolbe, the man whose life he had saved was there. He was 94 years old.
So maybe you’ll take a little time today to ponder this child who had a vision of Mary, this man who laid down his life.
and remember we sang Jingle Bells with the pope!
In my memory it was Silent Night…but I wouldn’t put it past JPII to sing Jingle Bells!
Beautiful. Thank you for sharing Paper Dali’s post. It was the most beautiful that I have read thus far. I shared a different one with my children today, but I’ll be sharing hers tomorrow as well.
Paper Dali is an absolutely excellent resource for sharing faith with children. Veronica is creative & smart devoted. I love her work.