These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.

Saturday, Week XIX, Ordinary Time, St. Maximilian Kolbe, presbyter & martyr, August 14

Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,
and addressed them, saying: 
“Fear the LORD and serve him completely and sincerely.
Cast out the gods your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt,
and serve the LORD.
If it does not please you to serve the LORD,
decide today whom you will serve,
the gods your fathers served beyond the River
or the gods of the Amorites in whose country you are dwelling.
As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Jos 24:14-29)

Sometimes we have to decide, like Joshua and his family: “We will serve the LORD.” Maximilian Kolbe also made a decision to take the place of someone condemned to death during the atrocities of the Holocaust of World War II. He gave his life for Christ. The following link is to the reading of the first chapter of the book, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne (2006). The remainder of the book may be found on YouTube.   https://youtu.be/jsECnhhO3xw