Maximilian Kolbe (1894-1941) was a Polish Conventual Franciscan friar and Servant of God. He is best known for his heroic self-sacrifice in the Auschwitz concentration camp in 1941, where he volunteered to take the place of a stranger who had been condemned to death by starvation. He is remembered for his courage and faith in the face of adversity, as well as for his selfless and sacrificial love for others. His quotes are often used to inspire and encourage others to act with kindness and compassion in their own lives. He said, “I am prepared to suffer and die in defense of the truth. I am ready to give my life for another – even for a complete stranger.” His other famous quotes include, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful,” and “Love is stronger than death.”
47 Best Maximilian Kolbe Quotes
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“We must be willing to suffer much, if we wish to possess a pure and gentle heart.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The greatest destroyer of peace is abortion because if a mother can kill her own child, what is left for me to kill you and you to kill me? There is nothing between.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“A single act of love makes the soul return to its origin.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Prayer is a conversation opened by God.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“I cannot imagine a greater loss than the loss of one’s faith.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The Immaculata alone has from God the promise of victory over Satan.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The most deadly poison of our times is indifference.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Humanity is beautiful, but it is also feeble. We must not forget our frailty.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The Patron Saint of the impossible, Maximilian Kolbe, asked us to trust in God, even when all seemed lost.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“A single act of love makes the soul return to its origin.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The world today is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“We must live in such a way that we are in harmony with the Lord, and He with us.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“In the Old Testament, God said, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’ In the New Testament He says, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out of sin.’”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Man must still have freedom to recognize or not recognize God, to serve Him or not serve Him.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The greatest strength of mankind is in the recognition and defense of truth.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The best weapon against evil is love.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“God does not love that which is already perfect but only that which has the potential to become perfect.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The sacrifice of one’s life, no matter how small, is never in vain.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The most important person on Earth is the individual who is in the process of becoming a saint.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“An act of love is an act of unity, which binds two beings together in their mutual self-giving.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Man is only completely human when he turns freely and willingly to God.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The best way to take control over a situation is to pray about it.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The only weapon we have is prayer.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Do not be content with showing friendship in words alone, let your heart burn with loving kindness for all who may cross your path.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“If ever a man had the right to say that he had been forgotten by God, it was I. Yet in reality during all those years I was never abandoned by him.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The highest form of worship is love in action.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The greatest suffering comes from within.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“In the Old Testament, God said, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.’ In the New Testament He says, ‘I am the Lord who brought you out of sin.’”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“Do not be afraid to seek the truth, even if it leads you away from your current beliefs.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“If God is love, then it is only through love that we can come to know Him.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“God has no need of our punishing ourselves, for he has already punished us enough.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The world is filled with suffering, but it is also filled with the overcoming of it.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“We must constantly strive to make our faith a living, concrete, and effective reality in our lives.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“We must never forget that we are the children of God and must always act accordingly.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“An act of love is an act of unity, which binds two beings together in their mutual self-giving.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The most perfect prayer is that which is least understood by the one who prays it.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“To be a saint means to be myself.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
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“The greatest challenge in life is to be yourself in a world that is trying to make you like everybody else.”
– St. Maximilian Kolbe
Conclusion
Maximilian Kolbe is an inspiring figure and his quotes provide a touching reminder that we all have the power to choose how we live our lives. He was a man of faith who was willing to put his beliefs into action, and his legacy lives on through the inspirational words he left behind. His quotes serve to remind us that we can all make a difference in the world—no matter how small—through our actions, thoughts, and words. We may not all be able to be as self-sacrificing as Kolbe, but we can all strive to live our lives with courage, love, and faith, as he did.
