20120827 Martyr consecrated himself to Mary 奉獻給聖母的殉道者
Raymond Kolbe was born Jan. 7, 1894, in Poland. By the age of 10 he was so mischievous that his mother asked him, “Raymond, what is to become of you?”
He went to church and repeated this question to Our Lady. She appeared with a white crown of purity and a gold crown of martyrdom and asked him to make a choice. He chose both.
In 1910 Kolbe became a conventual Franciscan and took the name “Maximilian.” In 1912 he went to Rome for studies. He was a very talented student.
One professor admitted, “This boy asks me questions I cannot answer.” Another professor said, “He was the most gifted youth I had contact with during the years I was vice rector. He had a rare natural genius.”
Son of Mary
In 1917, a year before priestly ordination and on the 75th anniversary of Ratisbonne’s conversion, Kolbe established the Militia of the Immaculate, a pious association that encouraged total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary as a means of spiritual renewal for individuals and society.
The spirituality of Father Kolbe was influenced by the private revelations of three individuals who saw Our Lady: St. Catherine Laboure, Alphonse Ratisbonne, and St. Bernadette Soubirous. These apparitions encouraged Father Kolbe to deepen his devotion to Mary Immaculate.
Our Lady appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in 1830, giving her instructions about the miraculous medal. Ratisbonne was an atheistic Jew who converted to Catholicism after seeing Our Lady Jan. 20, 1842. Our Lady appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes in 1858.
Father Kolbe promoted consecration to Mary Immaculate, and encouraged people to wear the miraculous medal as a sign of consecration.
One of the favourite sayings of Father Kolbe was that “good is more contagious than evil.” He tirelessly promoted warm devotion to Mary Immaculate to combat the cold indifference of the world.
He said, “The most deadly poison of our time is indifference, and this happens although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers.”
Father Kolbe pointed out, “Modern times are dominated by Satan, and the future will be more so. The conflict with hell cannot be engaged by men, even the most clever. The Immaculate alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan.”
Father Kolbe started a monthly review, Knight of the Immaculate. By 1939 it had reached a circulation of 1 million.
Martyr of charity
After the German occupation, the Catholic publishing apostolate was targeted, and Father Kolbe was arrested.
At the concentration camp, Father Kolbe counselled his fellow prisoners: “Hate is not creative. Our sorrow is necessary that those who live after us may be happy.” “Trust in the Immaculate!” “Forgive!” “Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors!”
Father Kolbe generously shared his food with others, and always went to the end of the line at the infirmary.
A prisoner successfully escaped Aug. 3, 1941, and in reprisal, Commandant Fritsch ordered death by starvation for 10 men chosen at random. One of them, Sergeant Francis Gajowniczek, cried out, lamenting that he would never see his family again.
Father Kolbe silently slipped out of the line, took off his cap, and stood before the commandant. He pointed to the condemned Polish sergeant and said, “I am a Catholic priest from Poland; I would like to take his place, because he has a wife and children.”
In the starvation bunker, Father Kolbe prayed constantly. He was executed Aug. 14 by an injection of carbolic acid. In 1982 he was canonized by Pope John Paul II as martyr of charity.
雷蒙.高比（即後來的聖瑪西米良.高比神父）在一八九四年一月七日出生於波蘭。頑皮的小高比十歲的時侯，母親曾對他說：「真不知你將來會變成怎樣？」小高比卻走到聖堂，把母親的話轉問了聖母。聖母顯現給他，一隻手上拿著代表貞潔的白色花冠，另一隻手拿著代表殉道的金色花冠，問他如何取捨；小高比一併都要了。
一九一零年，高比成了方濟會會士，取名瑪西米良(國柏)。一九一二年到羅馬進修，充份表現他是一名富有天份的學生。一位教授曾坦承地說：「這學生有時的提問，我也不懂得答案。」另一位教授說：「我作為副院長多年，他是我所接觸到的學生，最有天份的一個。他是一位少有的天才。」
聖母的愛兒
高比晉鐸前一年，即一九一七年，成立「無玷聖母軍團」，鼓勵眾人熱心恭敬聖母，並奉獻給聖母，作為個人和社會靈性上的更新。
高比神父的靈修，受到三位曾目睹聖母顯現的人仕的影響：聖加大利納.拉蒲萊、方索.羅德利和聖伯爾納德.穌比璐。
一八三零年，聖母給聖加大利納.拉蒲萊顯院，且授予「顯靈聖牌」。方索.羅德利在一八四二年一月二十日見過聖母顯現後，從一位無神論的猶太人，皈化成一位熱心的天主教徒，瑪西米良.高比在方索皈化的七十五周年日，成立「無玷聖母軍團」；一八五八年，聖母在露德顯現；這些顯現加深了高比神父對「無染原罪聖母」的敬禮：他不斷推廣敬禮無玷聖母，鼓勵所有人配戴「顯靈聖牌」，作為奉獻於聖母的標記。
高比神父認為「善的感染力比惡強」，故此，他不遺餘力地推行熱敬聖母的敬禮，以抗衡普世的冷漠。他說：「冷漠是我們這世代最致命的毒藥。這發生了，縱然對天主的讚頌應該是無止境的。讓我們努力，竭盡所能讚頌天主！」他又警誡說：「現今的世代正受到撒殫的操控，而將來會更為猖獗。與地獄的鬥爭不能靠人力，即使是最有智慧的人也不能。惟有無玷聖母從天主得到戰勝魔鬼的許諾。」
高比神父創辦的「無玷聖母騎士月刊」，在一九三九年的發行量達一百萬份。
愛德的殉道者
第二次世界大戰爆發，納粹德軍攻佔波蘭，打壓教會刊物，逮捕了高比神父。
在集中營內，高比神父不斷勸勉和安慰囚友。他多次說：「仇恨是沒有建設性的，我們的痛苦為將來的人的快樂是需要的。」「信賴無玷聖母吧。」「寬恕！」「愛你的仇人，為你的廹害者祈禱。」他常分施自己僅有的食物，在輪候看醫生時常甘居隊末。
一九四一年八月三日，有人從集中營成功逃脫，守衛的納粹德軍為了報復，隨機從營囚中抽出十個人接受處決。被俘的波蘭中士、方濟.嘉祖肋被抽中時，大驚失色，狂呼：「我不想死！我不想永不見到我的家人！」高比神父見狀，向守衛自獻：「我是波蘭的天主教神父，我願代他一死，因為他還有妻兒哩。」
繼續遭受飢餓折磨數天，高比神父在囚室不斷帶領各死囚祈禱。八月十四日，高比神父接受毒液注射而死亡。一九八二年，教宗若望保祿二世給他冊封聖品，稱譽他為「愛德的殉道者。」