Today, August 26th is the Feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa.
I want to share a reflection on Our Lady of Częstochowa written by Anthony D’Ambrosio.
Anthony D’Ambrosio is the writer and director of the feature film Triumph of the Heart.
The film was released in September 2025 and follows the triumph of St. Maximilian Kolbe and his companions.
I heard Anthony’s story a year ago after clicking on a “random” YouTube short. I clicked on the short because I felt drawn to it.
Several years ago, I felt drawn to St. Maximilian Kolbe and started invoking him daily.
I don’t know if these events are related, but anything is possible. As I’ve said before, I don’t believe in coincidence, I believe in providence…
I listened to the two-hour interview where Anthony shared his personal journey and how the film came to fruition.
He discussed a dark season of his life with candor and vulnerability, which I greatly respect.
I was mesmerized because his story resonated with me in many specific ways.
I related to his experience of suffering, including: mysterious chronic illness, grief from unfulfilled dreams, feeling abandoned and tempted to give up, and heartbreak.
Other similarities that we share are: we are around the same age, we have the same heritage, and we both write.
I was moved by the interview, which surprised me because it had been a while since I connected with anything or anyone.
At that time, my heart was deeply wounded and incapable of connecting (or feeling anything but pain).
I was shut down and didn’t feel like I was alive.
Hearing his story awakened something inside of me.
His story gave me a little bit of hope at a time when I desperately needed it.
It was just a spark, but it was enough to keep me going.
I’m grateful that God healed Anthony so that he can share his heart with the world. I hope that God will do the same for me…
Below is a reflection from the Triumph of the Heart newsletter written by Anthony D’Ambrosio (March 3, 2026).
“The Immaculata, as the Mother of God, draws us to her heart to console us in our suffering.” ~ St. Maximilian Kolbe
I [Anthony D’Ambrosio] want to introduce you to Our Lady of Częstochowa, one of his [St. Maximilian Kolbe’s] favorite images of Mary.
Tradition holds that it was painted by St. Luke. Since then it has become a central piece of Polish culture. In 1430, the monastery where the icon was kept was attacked by Hussites who tried to remove the icon by force. Miraculously, they were unable to do so and, in contempt and frustration, one of the Hussites slashed at the icon, leaving the scars that still remain on the image today.
Our Lady of Częstochowa, scarred but radiant, was named the Queen of Poland in the 17th century.
There is something in us that is drawn to scars.
Scars are an outward manifestation of a tested character. They tell a story,- indicating that their bearer has been seasoned by suffering. Christ himself did not spurn scarring,- his resurrected body still bears the marks of his Crucifixion. Thus, we can expect that our resurrected bodies will also bear witness to those wounds from which we were saved.
Kolbe, growing up in Poland around the turn of the century, visited and prayed before Our Lady of Częstochowa from childhood. The image of Mary scarred impacted him deeply. The scars across her face are a testament to her solidarity with suffering Polish people, and all of humanity.
Throughout his life, and especially once the Nazis occupied his country, Kolbe came face to face with the woundedness of the world, and rather than turning away in fear, he followed the example of his Queen. He suffered with those who suffered, and his love and presence became the instrument of God’s redemption in the midst of darkness.
Our own wounds can feel mundane, messy, unsafe, and even shameful. But regardless of their source, all of our scars have eternal value and can be redeemed. Jesus who conquered death by death (and who made a starvation cell in Auschwitz into a beacon of His love) can use anything and everything to bring us closer to Him, to make us to become the kind of people He wants us to be.
Our scars (physical, emotional, or spiritual) are not meant to be hidden but are meant to be offered to God, who heals and transforms.
Through Mary’s intercession, let us offer our scars to Him today.
Article and photo used by permission from: Anthony D’Ambrosio / Triumph of the Heart
One Small Rose 