“What is ever going to become of you?”

That’s a question that little Raymond Kolbe’s mother somewhat exasperatedly asked her son who was always getting into trouble. Genuinely affected, Raymond went before a statue of Our Lady to beseech her with tears for the answer to this question. Kolbe had a vision of the Blessed Virgin smiling at him. She held out two crowns—one white and the other red—and asked him which one he would choose. with all the exuberance of a child he said “I want them both!” Ever since this encounter, Raymond was totally devoted to Our Lady relying on her assistance to curb pride and to correct faults. He believed in God’s promise that ‘the Woman’ would be the one to crush the head of the serpent and usher in the reign of her Son. Raymond Kolbe went on to become Maximilian Kolbe, Franciscan priest and martyr.

Saint Maximilian loved Mary Immaculate and lived to make her more loved. To love her is to do for her whatever she wants. What does the Immaculata want? She has already told us: “Do what ever HE tells you!” In order to do this most perfectly, Fr. Maximilian practiced and promoted total consecration to Mary–giving oneself totally to Mary to the point of becoming her property and possession. “All for the Immaculate!” was the rallying cry of this apostolic soldier, this instrument in the hands of the spotless Mother of God.

[To be continued…]