The "Kolbe Thing"
Baptized as Raymund Kolbe, he was a normal child. Yet there is this one stunning exception. One night in Kolbe's childhood, Our Lady appeared to him in a dream holding a white crown and a red crown. He later related, "She asked if I was willing to accept either of these crowns. The white one meant that I should persevere in purity, and the red that I should become a martyr. I said that I would accept them both." So, yes, St. Maximillian had a normal childhood, but with one tremendous difference that was to define the course of his life. He always wanted to be a soldier.
In the year 1917, unbeknownst to Kolbe, one part of the world saw leftist revolutionaries led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin launch a nearly bloodless coup d'état against the Duma's provisional government. In another part of the world - again, without Kolbe's knowledge - Our Lady was appearing in Fatima, Portugal. It was this same year that Kolbe, who had a soldier's heart, knew in his spirit that the time was now to wage spiritual warfare. Along with several friends, a new type of army was founded, the Militia Immaculatae, an army to convert sinners and bring all to love Mary Immaculate. More information about the Militia Immaculata (MI) can be found HERE.
St. Maximilian Kolbe was a master of the new media. Yes, long before Facebook, there was this great saint using every means at his disposal to push out the truth to counter the lies. Kolbe had his friars' making use of the most modern printing technology and distribution strategies for their materials - their arsenal in the Militia's spiritual war. They had started a radio station and Fr. Kolbe even had plans for a movie studio. These were the years that witnessed the rise of communism followed by the rise of the Nazi regime. The level of propaganda and indoctrination was historic, and Fr. Kolbe was determined to keep truth alive.
I've always had a heart for St. Maximillian Kolbe. We look back in utter horror of the times in which he lived, with millions of souls lost through the rise of communism and the Nazi regime. And how, for far too many, the overwhelming indoctrination led most to accept their blood-filled times as something "normal." Kolbe would have nothing of that. Evil would not be normalized under his watch. Truth and a heavy reliance on the power of the intercessory prayers of Our Lady were the weapons of spiritual warfare for this holy saint. And so, he embraced the best of new media and formed an army rosary praying warriors.
Fast-forward to our times. Not millions of souls, but 1.7 billion children worldwide since 1973 have been murdered under our watch, while the vast majority have been indoctrinated into believing this is simply "normal." Where is the worldwide horror?! It has been quelled by the sweet sounding narratives of evil people. The world has been indoctrinated.
IT'S TIME TO DO THE "KOLBE THING!"
We simply must to rid ourselves of our "fear of new media," and do everything we can to embrace it at every level. Pushing out the truth to counter the lies must be our passion, as it was for Fr. Kolbe. And, let's embrace what Pope St. Pius V embraced in the Battle of Lepanto, and what Fr. Kolbe embraced during the rise of Communism and Naziism. Let's form a great army of supernatural rosary praying warriors!!
WE'RE GOING IN!! AUGUST 15 - OCTOBER 7
"When people say the Rosary together, it is far more formidable to the devil, than one said privately. Because in this public prayer, it is an army that is attacking him. He can often overcome the prayer of an individual, but if this prayer is joined to other Christians, the devil has much more trouble in getting the best of it." -St Louis de Montfort.
We are calling all "believing" Catholics to join in a powerful campaign of spiritual warfare, entitled, "Novena for Our Nation" (August 15 to October 7). The United States Grace Force has grown to nearly 77,000 Special Forces Prayer Warriors, and we want to get larger and stronger!!
Cardinal Burke has joined in calling us all to get in the fight ...
"There is no question that we are living in the most troubled times. Fundamental truths about human life about marriage and the family and about the conscience are being called into question by threatening the lives of individuals and of our society. But we are full of courage because we know that our Lord is with us. He's called us to be His soldiers on the ground, working with Him for the salvation of the world.There is a 54 day Novena beginning on the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary which will be completed on October 7. Your prayer would be even more efficacious if you would also take part in that 54 day Novena."
We have witnessed a multitude of miracles (private and public) since this "77,000 strong" United States Grace Force began praying together in 2016 (see HERE).
PRAYER AND TRAINING!
This prayer campaign is also a Basic Training in Holiness. Each day, along with praying your rosary, holiness trainees will be provided with a 1-2 minute reflection on the qualities of excellence. The first 27 days, trainees will read from passages in scripture, quotes from saints and the catechism on one of the following: Theological Virtues, Cardinal Virtues, Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. The second 27 days will be excerpts from the book entitled, Church Militant Field Manual: Special Forces Training for the Life in Christ.
The daily reflections for this prayer and training campaign can be found in multiple places.
1) You can sign up to receive the 54 Day Rosary prayers with daily reflection in your email. Click Here to Sign Up.
2) You can join the United State Grace Force Facebook group HERE, to receive the reflections each day.
I'm Going In!
ENLIST IN THE UNITED STATES GRACE FORCE
(Please recruit family and friends to enlist!)
Click on the medallion (just below)
No comments:
Post a Comment