A feast for Max

Today is the feast day of St.Maxilmilian Kolbe, a modern saint who is quickly becoming very popular.

Early this morning, I asked Max if he wanted to go to Mass with me, to hear the Mass that would be said in honor of his saint. He decided to come, and his face lit up every time he heard the priest say "St.Maximilian Kolbe." After that, we went for a little breakfast at McDonalds and from there, we went to the Apostles Bookstore where Max picked out a coloring book. He was happy it was "his feast day".

Later, if I can find it, we'll post St.Maximilian's picture up on the altar for a special remembrance and honor. We will invoke St.Maximilian to pray for us in our daily lives and ask that he helps us to become saints. We'll pray St.Maximilian's special prayer to Our Lady, his "Immaculata", whom he had such a special devotion:

O Immaculata, Queen of Heaven and earth, refuge of sinners and our most loving Mother, God has willed to entrust the entire order of mercy to you. I, (name), a repentant sinner, cast myself at your feet, humbly imploring you to take me with all that I am and have, wholly to yourself as your possession and property. Please make of me, of all my powers of soul and body, of my whole life, death and eternity, whatever most pleases you.

If it pleases you, use all that I am and have without reserve, wholly to accomplish what was said of you: "She will crush your head," and "You alone have destroyed all heresies in the whole world." Let me be a fit instrument in your immaculate and merciful hands for introducing and increasing your glory to the maximum in all the many strayed and indifferent souls, and thus help extend as far as possible the blessed kingdom of the most Sacred Heart of Jesus. For wherever you enter you obtain the grace of conversion and growth in holiness, since it is through your hands that all graces come to us from the most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

V. Allow me to praise you, O Sacred Virgin

R. Give me strength against your enemies

Amen

This is why I wanted the kids to have special saint names: to strive a saint who wore the name well! To imitate someone who has merited sanctity. Not to say that having those names of our relatives should be any less special; but for myself, but the saints lives are mapped out with the victories won, those virtues that were practiced and the faults that were overcome successfully.

And, as Max likes to so often point out to us, his saint is "the greatest", because his name Maximilian means "the greatest." To which Max takes all the credit for by the way.

So to all the little saint Maximilian's out there, happy feast day!