The following are some extracts of Father Maximilian Kolbe's writings.

St. Maximilian Kolbe tells us to read these devout paragraphs slowly and prayerfully, remembering that through these words we are entering into contact with a living, loving person - the Blessed Virgin Mary. In these writings we learn from the lips and pen of St. Maximilian himself how he understood and lived his Ideal of ever more perfect total consecration to Mary Immaculate.

When will Mary Immaculate dominate the whole world? When will Her 'CITY' rise up in every country? When will the 'Crusader' be published in every language and be received in every house, palace and hovel? When will Her miraculous medal be worn by all and every heart beat for Her? I consider that there is no better means of precipitating that blessed moment than that every one of us should endeavor to deepen his devotion to Mary Immaculate. The more perfectly we belong to Her, the more freely She will guide us. There is no more efficacious action than this.

The Crusader of Mary Immaculate does not limit his affection to himself, nor even to his family, relatives, friends or countrymen, but he embraces the whole world and every single person in it, because all are redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, all are our brothers. He desires true happiness for all, the light of faith, freedom from sin, the enkindling in the heart of love for God, love without limit. The happiness of all mankind in God, through Mary Immaculate - this is His dream.

. . . As for you, my child:

(a) Love Her as your mother, to the point of sacrifice. She loved you even to the point of sacrificing Her own Divine Son. At the Annunciation She received you freely as Her child.

(b) She will make you like to Herself; She will purify you more and more, and feed you with the milk of Her grace. Only let Her guide you freely and form you. Watch over the purity of your soul, purify it in Her love. Do not give way to discouragement, even if you should fall frequently into mortal sin. An act of perfect love will purify you.

(c) Let Her do with you what She will, so that She may not be in any way restricted in the exercise of Her maternal duties towards Her child. Be Her property, that She may use you in accordance with Her will for any purpose, without limitation.

You belong absolutely to Her, your Lady and your Queen . . A servant sells his work. You offer your work and your suffering and whole self, as a gift.

Ask Her to ignore your wishes, and always to deal with you freely according to 'Her' will. Be Her child, Her servant, Her slave of love, in every way that anyone has ever described, or that anyone anywhere will ever succeed, in one word - be Hers until you are Her true Crusader - that others may become more Hers, as you are, and even more than you. Thus all those who now live and will live throughout the world will co-operate with Her in the battle with the serpent.

We are called Her 'Crusaders' because whoever belongs to Her does not confine himself solely to consecration of himself to the Immaculate, but strives, as he alone can, to offer Her the hearts of others, as he has offered his own: and in this way to win as many hearts as possible for Her. The hearts of all those who are in existence now, or who will exist even to the end of the world.

A soul which belongs to the Crusade of Mary Immaculate ceases to be troubled even about his salvation. He recognizes that everything does not depend on his own will but comes from the hand of God through Mary Immaculate, and he on his part tries to do everything he can to learn more perfectly the will of Mary Immaculate and to fulfill it more faithfully, though it be at the cost of much suffering, even to the shedding of his blood.

The Crusader of Mary Immaculate is not . . . indifferent to the spread of evil, but hates evil with his whole heart, and fights on every occasion, at all times and in all places, these evils which poison human souls.

The Crusader of Mary Immaculate knows that the quickest and easiest way to belong to Jesus and to God is in Mary Immaculate and through Mary Immaculate. He knows that She will love Jesus in him and through him incomparably more than he could himself, even though he tried in every possible way.

Let us work with all our might that that which was foretold by St. Catherine Laboure, to whom Mary Immaculate revealed the Miraculous Medal, may be realized as quickly as possible, i.e. that Mary Immaculate will become the Queen of the whole world and of each single soul.

To show love for Mary Immaculate we can make an agreement with Her in which a glance at Her statue will mean a renewal of our dedication to Her, in every adversity, aspiration and work.

Love does not rest idle, but spreads like fire which draws everything to itself. And we also, members of the Crusade of Mary Immaculate, must strive that we ourselves should be transformed in these flames of love - and then that the same fire may transform all the souls which are and which ever will be in the world.

Let us pray and bear our crosses, let us love earnestly the souls of all our neighbors whether friends or enemies, and let us trust with one end in view - that She may become the Queen of each and every soul in the world as quickly as possible.

The simplest way in which to secure the salvation of soul is to urge it to do and to suffer every little thing - according to the Will of the all-powerful God - for Mary Immaculate, the most gracious Queen of heaven and earth.

The more one spreads the glory and love of Mary Immaculate and the more souls he gains for Her and through Her to the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Who loved us even to the death of the Cross), such a one will show 'the greatest love' because it is 'active love', towards the Most Sacred Heart, and will be more closely united with Him.

Let us remember that Mary Immaculate will repay generously for even the smallest mark of honor paid to Her. If those among whom we are spreading Her Kingdom do something for Her She will never forget it.

If evil does not delay but works quickly and according to plan, then we, in the 'City of Mary Immaculate', 'must not stop working'. It is a matter of saving souls; of gaining the whole world and each single soul for Mary Immaculate. We are working for the sanctification, through Mary Immaculate of all souls till the end of the world. It would be a misfortune to fail in winning even one soul.

One of the last living Franciscan Priests who worked beside St. Maximilian Kolbe sees Father Gruner's work on the radio and in The Fatima Crusader as a continuation of St. Maximilian's dream to reach every household in the world with the Crusader, encouraging total consecration to Mary Immaculate.

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