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Growing-up in early 20th-century Poland, St. Maximilian Kolbe had dreams of fighting on the battlefield for his country.
He wanted to be a modern-day knight and ride gloriously into battle, sacrificing his life for a greater good.
This desire persisted throughout his life and it nearly set him on a much different path, almost moving him to leave the seminary to join the military.
God's intervention
Author William LaMay explains the situation in his book The Life of St. Maximilian Kolbe:
Raymond [St. Maxilian Kolbe's baptismal name] hoped that one day Poland would be a free and independent county, and he saw himself as an important part of bringing about that vision. An outstanding chess player, he viewed this talent as part of his training for the battlefield in case he chose a military career. At that time, however, there was no formal Polish army. Nevertheless, during his studies at Lwow, Raymond displayed his talents as a strategist. Through much time, thought, and effort, he once designed and built a cardboard model of a fortress that he proposed could be built around the city of Lwow to make it invulnerable to invading armies. As a sixteen-year-old, Raymond was faced with a dilemma. He was forced to decide the kind of soldier he would be: a soldier for his country or a soldier for Mary Immaculate, his spiritual mother. Making that decision was no easy task because he loved both Poland and Mary.
He truly wanted to become a soldier and convinced his brother to follow him in leaving the seminary:
With his gift of persuasion, Raymond convinced Francis that they should join the military. They agreed to inform the Franciscan Prior of their decision and headed to his office. Raymond continued seesawing about their choice and paced back in forth in front of the office a short time. Then the two brothers entered the office and sat in the waiting room.
At that moment, God intervened and his mother stepped in:
Suddenly the front doorbell rang, and a friar entered the room. He announced to the boys that their mother had just arrived and wished to speak to them in the parlor. Smiling broadly, Raymond and Francis hurried joyfully to the parlor and greeted their mother with hugs. Maria announced the good news that their brother Joseph was going to follow in their footsteps and become a member of the Franciscan order...At their mother’s news, Francis and Raymond realized they would stay the course for religious life.
St. Maximilian Kolbe never lost his passion for the military and translated that into his spirituality, forming the Knights of the Immaculate, an organization that would spiritual fight to win souls for Jesus Christ.
