"My challenge to my dear teenage friends is: rise up and be the vibrant youth of God that you are meant to be. Rebel against the low standards set for you! Give everything to the Lord--your studies, your sports, your friendships, your dreams, your future. Do not be afraid to stand out and stand up for your faith. Be a witness by the way you talk, the way you dress, the way you study. Be an example by the friendship you offer to others, and look always to see the goodness in them. Embrace the wisdom of your parents. Respect them and submit yourself to their guidance. Cherish your family life. Take time to pray, not just externally, but entering into the deep realities of which true love relationships are made. Find in Christ and His Church the power to be saints. It is in your hands. You can be a saint, if only you will it!"
His feast day is coming up on August 14, but I read this quote of his and thought it was so inspiring to the youth of our day (to any age really). If they could only turn their natural rebellious feelings toward Christ and away from the secular world, there would be less depression, violence, and immorality. Imagine a world where the teenage population ran to Christ instead of away from him?
St. Maximilian Kolbe died young in an Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland for volunteering his own life for a fellow prisoner. Before he was imprisoned, he had harbored many Jews in his Friary from Nazi persecution. He lived during a very evil time and recognized the power in reaching out to the youth of his time. We are not living in WWII but his words are as important today as they were then.
God Bless,
noreen
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Very wise words to young people from this great saint! Thanks for posting it. These are really tough times for teens because of our secular society and I feel for them.
ReplyDeleteHow timely--my SFO fraternity just studied a bit about his life. It's fascinating...he was much more than a martyr; he spent years in Japan as a missionary. Thank you for posting this quote; I'll be sharing it with them at our next meeting!
ReplyDeleteMary ~ his words are relevant today as they were back during the 1940's. When I read this quote by him, I was moved so much I had to share it.
ReplyDeleteBarb ~ I didn't know he'd been a missionary in Japan. I still have a lot to learn about him and will do so since his Feast Day is in a couple of weeks. Thanks for visiting!
"Imagine a world where the teen population ran toward Christ instead of away from him"
ReplyDeleteWOW...that is one powerful, thought-provoking statement there! Thank you for giving us this to ponder:)
I hope you don't mind me sharing this wonderful post on my Facebook pages...and via emails with many of my friends. I am going to copy the quote and give it to each of my own teens, as well.
Just beautiful; as are your thoughts that follow the quote.
Stopping back in, Noreen, to offer you this post that I did after reading the wonderful one you did here!
ReplyDeleteThanks for inspiring me:)
http://benmakesten.blogspot.com/2011/07/teens-for-christ.html
Noreen, how did I miss this post?
ReplyDelete"Do not be afraid to stand out and stand up for your faith." What a challenge for us all. I have a book about St Maximillian Kolbe. I haven't looked at it in a long time. Perhap I'll share it with my own teens. Where did you find the quote, Noreen?
Judy ~ I will head on over to your blog to read yours! It is such a wonderful quote that is as relevant today as it was in the late 1930's early 1940's.
ReplyDeleteSue ~ I found the quote in Chantal R. Howard's book, The School of the Family (p.89). She credits it from St. Maximilian Kolbe's book called Aim Higher! Spiritual and Marian Reflections of St. Maximilian Kolbe (p.91) This book was translated by Dominic Wisz. Is this the book that you have?