In a world abounding with news reports that do not bode well, a film comes of the very heart of the Church that brings a desperately needed message of hope.
The feature film titled, “Triumph of the Heart relates St. Maximilian Kolbe and his companion’s triumph over the darkness of life.
The film, scheduled to be released shortly, provides a story of hope for it tells the story of St. Kolbe who in 1941 sacrificed his life to save another man in Auschwitz, and was consequently sent to death in a starvation cell with nine other men. Yet, he triumphed over darkness as he fought to forge brotherhood of hope in the darkest place on Earth. Actually, this film symbolizes the nature of life whereby people struggle with loss of hope and darkness in life always seek a glimmer of hope as it tells how St. Maximilian proclaims hope against all odds while staying in the darkest place on earth. It also shows the process of Kolbe becoming a saint, namely the hard time he went through as the disciples of Lord Jesus Christ went through.
It is important to note in this regard that obedience to the will of God was one of the key concerns for St. Maximilian Kolbe. In a letter found in the Matins reading for his memorial, St. Maximilian Kolbe writes about obedience:
“Let us love our loving Father with all our hearts. Let our obedience increase that love, above all when it requires us to surrender our own will. Jesus Christ Crucified is our sublime guide toward growth in God’s love.”
Actually, the hope that overwhelmed St. Kolbe is exactly what the world needs nowadays, at a time when several people come under the feeling of widespread feelings of loneliness and isolation. The film shows how to have hope when no hope seems in the offing in the prevalent circumstances.
The life of St. Kolbe indicates that, through absolute obedience to the Lord, stark darkness can turn into bright star and despair into promising hope.
