Homily (Reflection) for the Memorial
of Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, P.M., (14th
August, 2019) on the Gospel and the
Memorial
Deut 34:1-12;
Ps 65:1-3.5.16-17. (R. cf. vv.20.9);
Matt 18:15-20.
Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe
was born on 8th January, 1894 in Poland as Raymund Kolbe. He was a
Conventual Franciscan friar and very active in promoting the Immaculate Virgin
Mary. Maximilian earned doctorate in philosophy and theology at the age of 21
and 28 respectively. He organized the Army of the Immaculate One (Militia
Immaculata) aimed at the conversion of sinners through the intercession of
Mary. Maximilian was ordained a catholic priest in 1918 and continued his work
of promoting Mary throughout Poland. Over the next several years, Kolbe founded
a monthly periodical titled Knight of the Immaculate and also operated a
religious publishing press. He also founded monasteries in both Japan and
India. In 1936, his poor health forced him to return to Poland. He was among
the brothers who remained in the monastery at the break of World War II. He
opened a temporary hospital to aid those in need. He was sent to prison but
released three months later. Kolbe refused to sign a document that would
recognize him as a German citizen with his German ancestry and continued to
work in his monastery, providing shelter for refugees – including hiding 2,000
Jews from German persecution. On 17th February, 1941, the monastery
was shut down; Kolbe was arrested by the German Gestapo and taken to the Pawiak
prison and three months after was transferred to Auschwitz. Toward the end of
his second month in Auschwitz, 10 men were chosen to face death by starvation
to warn against escapes. Kolbe was not chosen but volunteered to take the place
of a man with a family. After two weeks of dehydration and starvation, he was
given a lethal injection of carbolic acid. He died on 14th August,
1941 and his remains were cremated on 15th August. Kolbe was
beatified as a “Confessor of the Faith” on 17th October, 1971 by
Pope Paul VI and canonized by Pope Saint John Paul II on 10th
October, 1982 as a martyr of charity. He is the patron saint of drug addicts,
prisoners, families, and the pro-life movement.[1]
Topic: Gentiles and tax collectors.
Jesus while teaching in today’s gospel gave steps towards
reconciling with the offenders. They include going to the offender alone, going
with one or two others, and presenting the matter to the church. He concludes,
“… if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to
you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matt
18:17).
The Jews classified the Gentiles and tax collectors among the
worst sinners. Devout Jews are not expected to have anything to do with them
not even making effort to convert them. In the early Church, some of the
apostles and other Christians maintained this tradition. Hence they criticized
Peter, cf. Acts 11:2.
However Jesus’ attitude towards them did not follow this
tradition. In fact, it was among the barriers that prevented them from
believing Him to be the son of God, cf. Mk
2:16; Lk 7:39. And His reply to those complaining against Him dinning and
winning with the tax collectors and other sinners is, “… Those who are well
have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this
means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous
but sinners” (Matt 9:12-13; cf. Lk 5:32;
Hos 6:6). He was even nicknamed “… a friend of tax collectors and sinners!”
(Matt 11:19).
Jesus instructs His followers to love their enemies and pray
for those who persecute them, cf. Matt
5:44. We know that love bears all things and never ends, cf. 1Cor 13: 7-8). Saint Paul admonishes us, “Bless
those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them” (Rom 12:14).
The summary of all the commandments given to Christians is to
love everybody, cf. Matt 5:43-48; Jn
13:35; 1Jn 4:21. Saint Paul rightly noted that without love every gift and
good deeds come to naught, cf. 1Cor 13:2-3.
Our love ought not to be “… in word or speech but in deed and in truth” (1Jn 3:18). Whoever hates is the real
Gentile and tax collector. Saint Paul cautioned Saint Peter publicly “… If you,
though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the
Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Gal 2:14).
After the three steps given by Jesus in today’s gospel comes the most important
one, LOVE. We ought to love everybody no matter how difficult it is for we all
have the same God, and are all members of the same body, the Church, cf. Rom 3:29; Eph 3:6. Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe lived it out. Let us follow his
example.
Bible Reading: Matt 5:43-48; Lk 3:7-14; 5:27-32; 1Cor 13:1-13; Eph
2:11-3:21.
Thought for today: How do you treat your Gentiles and
tax collectors?
Let us pray: Merciful God, give us a heart of flesh that we
may love everybody even as you love us – Amen.
Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe – Pray
for us.
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