Ignatian Reflections

14 August 2023

Written by Cornelius Buckley S.J. | Aug 14, 2023 4:00:00 AM

Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

The first reading in today’s mass invites me to reflect further on the subject matter over which I prayerfully considered in yesterday’s offering.

The reading tells me that God selected the Jews to be the vehicle of salvation for all people throughout the world. He delivered them from slavery in Egypt, brought them to the land of promise where Christ, through his obedience, sufferings and resurrection would become our universal savior and redeemer.

Scripture shows me this method of selection is characteristic of God’s way of acting. He selects one to be the bearer of good for another. This means he has created me as a conveyer of his grace to others. How do I do this? Remember the Spiritual and Corporeal works of Mercy? Look up the term on the internet.

Then too, the Father gives me an invitation each day to be faithful to my vocation as a vehicle by which his saving and redeeming grace flows to others, some whom I might know, others I hope to meet for the first time in the life to come. For this reason, I should pray frequently to the Father, in the name of the Son, to send me the Holy Spirit to teach me how to discern his will in this regard.

Resolve: Two items for which I shall pray today. 1. For the type of grace the Father gave in abundance to St. Maximilian Kolbe, whose feast we celebrate today, in order that I might come to imitate this extraordinary martyr in cooperating with God’s plan for others. 2. For the conversion of God’s chosen people, the Jews.