As I write this article, we approach my favourite day of the calendar year at our beautiful school – Kolbe Day. As we prepare to honour the patron saint of our College, the sense of community spirit is so evident and excitement is building. While I am confident most members of our community would realise we are named after St Maximilian Kolbe, I often wonder how much our community genuinely know and appreciate about this man whose life was in some ways so ordinary, but in other ways, so extraordinary. My recent trip to Japan helped me further appreciate how amazing he was – a man inspired by Christ who sought to bring peace and prayer to everyone he encountered.
I discovered this wonderful reflection on Kolbe’s life a few years ago. Although it is only a few minutes long I believe it beautifully captures the impact Kolbe had during his lifetime, especially on the prisoner whose life he exchanged for his own on that fateful day in 1941 at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. This man, Franciszek Gajowniczek, lived to be 94 years of age and was a guest of Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in 1982 when Maximilian Kolbe was made a saint. Franciszek passed away in 1995 – 53 years after being saved by Kolbe.
We do not have to give up our life for others to follow in Kolbe’s footsteps, though through his sacrifice we should be inspired to show love and service to others. One small gesture of kindness to another person has the potential to change their day, or week, or even their life – never underestimate the impact your actions can have.
As St Maximilian Kolbe said ‘A single act of love makes the soul return to life’.
