“Today we celebrate a saint whose life almost seems like a living commentary on the words of Jesus in our Gospel: “Love one another as I love you.”

Jesus did not simply say, “Love one another.” He added something more difficult: “as I have loved you.”

And how did Jesus love us? Not only with words. Not only when it was convenient. He loved us all the way to the Cross. St. Maximilian Kolbe did the same.

In Auschwitz, when a prisoner escaped, ten men were chosen to die by starvation as punishment. One of them, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out in anguish because he had a wife and children.

Then Maximilian Kolbe stepped forward. He offered himself in the man’s place.

In a place built on hatred, one man chose love. In a place designed to destroy human dignity, one man showed the world how precious a human life is.

I believe St. Maximilian Kolbe gives us three important inspirations for our times.

In a world of hatred, choose love.

We live in very polarized times. People easily attack one another because of politics, religion, opinions, or even something posted on social media. Sometimes we no longer disagree with ideas—we destroy persons.

Maximilian lived in a world far more brutal than ours. He saw hatred organized into a system. Yet he refused to allow hatred to enter his heart.

This is very important. We do not defeat hatred by becoming more hateful.

Jesus says, “Love one another as I love you.” Christian love does not mean that we tolerate evil or remain silent before injustice. Sometimes love requires us to speak strongly. But even when we correct, oppose, or disagree, we must never forget the dignity of the person before us.

The world already has enough anger. Let Christians bring something different.

In a world that says, “Save yourself,” learn to sacrifice yourself.

Our culture often tells us: Protect yourself. Promote yourself. Look after yourself.

But Maximilian Kolbe stood in Auschwitz and said, in effect: “Take me instead.”

That is the Gospel.

Most of us will probably never be asked to give our lives in the way Maximilian did. But every day, we are given smaller opportunities to lay down our lives.

Parents do it when they sacrifice for their children.

Children do it when they care for aging parents.

A husband or wife does it when they remain patient and faithful.

A public servant does it when he chooses what is right rather than what is profitable.

A Christian does it whenever he asks not, “What can I get?” but “What can I give?”

Holiness is often made of these little deaths to selfishness.

In a world that can make us feel powerless, remember that goodness is never powerless.

Think about Maximilian Kolbe. He was a prisoner. He had no political power. No money. No army. No freedom.

The Nazis could control where he slept, what he ate, and even whether he lived or died. But there was one thing they could not control: his freedom to love.

And that freedom was more powerful than all their weapons. The concentration camp is gone. The Nazi regime is gone. But today, throughout the world, we still remember the prisoner who gave his life for another.

That tells us something beautiful: Evil can be loud, but goodness can have the last word.

Perhaps we sometimes feel helpless before the problems around us—the violence, corruption, division, poverty, environmental destruction, and selfishness we see.

We ask, “What difference can one person make?” St. Maximilian Kolbe answers: One person who truly loves can make a difference far beyond his lifetime.

And perhaps that is the invitation of his feast. You may not be able to change the whole world today. But you can refuse to hate. You can make one sacrifice. You can defend one person. You can forgive one enemy. You can help one family. You can choose what is right when everyone else chooses what is convenient.

And every time you do that, the love of Christ enters the world through you.”