Homily
for August 19, 2017
It has
become a common trend to see women travelling abroad with pregnancies just to
deliver their babies outside the country. It is a mark of prestige for us Africans
or Nigerians to see that our babies have double citizenship. We love it when we
hear our kids speak with foreign accents, because it gives them some edge over
their peers at home.
However, the
fact remains that we don’t need to travel abroad or be born outside the country
to acquire double citizenship. By virtue of the fact that we are Christians, we
already have foreign citizenship in a country very different from ours. Indeed,
as St. Paul would say: “We are ambassadors for Christ.” 2nd Corinthians
5:20
As
foreigners on planet earth, it is good to constantly remind ourselves that we
do not belong here. Jesus knew this very well, hence he often freely talked
about his death and the fact that death would not the end for him but a beginning
of a greater life.
Jesus also
knew that by virtue of his dual citizenship, he ought not to pay tax. However in
other to avoid giving offence to the authorities, Jesus went ahead to pay. In this
way, Jesus teaches us that even though we have double citizenship, there is no
need for disobedience to civil authorities.
The life
of St. Maximilian Kolbe whom we celebrate today is another perfect example of a
man who knew he had double citizenship. Born as Raymund Kolbe on January 8,
1894, in the Kingdom of Poland, he was a Polish Franciscan friar and a martyr
in the German death Camp of Auschwitz during World War II.
In 1918,
he was ordained a priest and continued his work of promoting Mary throughout
Poland. Over the next several years, Kolbe took on publishing. He founded a
monthly periodical titled, "Rycerz Niepokalanej" (Knight of the
Immaculate). He also operated a religious publishing press and founded a new
Conventual Franciscan monastery at Niepokalanow, which became a major religious
publishing center.
Kolbe also
founded monasteries in both Japan and India. To this day, the monastery in
Japan remains prominent in the Roman Catholic Church in Japan.
In 1936,
Kolbe's poor health forced him to return home to Poland, and once the WWII
invasion by Germany began, he became one of the only brothers to remain in the
monastery. He opened up a temporary hospital to aid those in need. When his
town was captured, Kolbe 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
February 17, 1941, the monastery was shut down; Kolbe was arrested by the
German Gestapo and taken to the Pawiak prison. Three months later, he was
transferred to Auschwitz.
Never
abandoning his priesthood, Kolbe was the victim to severe violence and
harassment. Toward the end of his second month in Auschwitz, 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.
It is said
during the last days of his life Kolbe led prayers to Our Lady with the
prisoners and remained calm. He was the last of the group to remain alive,
after two weeks of dehydration and starvation. The guards gave him a lethal
injection of carbolic acid. The stories tell that he raised his left arm and
calmly awaited death.
St.
Maximilian Kolbe died on August 14 and his remains were cremated on August 15,
the same day as the Assumption of Mary feast day.
Let us
pray: Lord Jesus, deepen my longing for heaven daily. Amen.
Be Happy.
Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of
the 19th week in Ordinary Time. Bible Study: Deuteronomy 10:12-22 and
Matthew 17:22-27).
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