Saint Maximilian Kolbe Novena — Day 1

Saint Maximilian Kolbe Novena — Day 1

Read the full text here or below:
https://medium.com/@doubtingtomasz/saint-maximilian-kolbe-novena-day-1-5dca065c8598

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Prayer to St. Maximilian

O St. Maximilian Kolbe, faithful follower of St. Francis, inflamed by the love of God you dedicated your life to the practice of virtue and to works of the apostolate.

Look down with favor upon us who devoutly confide in your intercession.

Having consecrated yourself to the Immaculate Virgin Mary, you inspired countless souls to a holy life and various forms of the apostolate in order to do good to others and to spread the kingdom of God. Obtain for us the grace by our lives and labors to draw many souls to Christ.

In your close conformity to our Divine Savior you reached such an intense degree of love that you offered your life to save a fellow prisoner. Implore God that we, inflamed by such ardent charity, may through our living faith and our apostolic works witness Christ to others, and thus merit to join you in the blessed vision of God. Amen.

Reading:

Raymond Kolbe was born in Poland on January 7, 1894. Early in his life, Raymond came to love the Blessed Virgin. His own mother found he could try her patience, and once she said to Raymond, “What is going to become of you?” Soon after, Raymond made a big change in his behavior. His mother asked him what had happened. Raymond said he had prayed to Mary and asked her “Mother of God, what will become of me?” He said the Virgin Mary then appeared to him holding out two crowns, one white, the other red and asked him which one he would choose: the white for purity or the red for martyrdom. “I choose both” he answered. Meditation: If we want to change our behavior, we must recognize that we our weak and that we do not always make good choices — we sin. The example of St. Maximilian’s humility in praying to the Virgin Mary can help us as we strive to be a better Christian.

Novena Prayer for St. Maximilian’s Intercession

O Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “greater love than this no man has that a man lay down his life for his friends,” through the intercession of St. Maximilian Kolbe whose life illustrated such love, we beseech you to grant us our petitions

. . . (state your intentions here)

Day 1 — We pray for the victims of violence

Through the Militia Immaculata movement, which Maximilian founded, he spread a fervent devotion to Our Lady throughout the world. He gave up his life for a total stranger and loved his persecutors, giving us an example of unselfish love for all men — a love that was inspired by true devotion to Mary.

Grant, O Lord Jesus, that we too may give ourselves entirely without reserve to the love and service of our Heavenly Queen in order to better love and serve our fellowman in imitation of your humble servant, Maximilian. Amen.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed are thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed are thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee;

blessed are thou among women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners

now and at the hour of our death.

Glory be to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;

as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.