Information on the Novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots is found below the words of greeting here from us to you:
Dee and the Deke have traveled more than 2300 miles driving from Arizona to Missouri (to visit our daughter and family), to Ohio (Franciscan University) for Tom’s annual priest/deacon/seminarian conference and retreat. Dee visited her mom and siblings in Bedford County, Pennsylvania while Tom was in Ohio – and then came back to pick Tom up. We met with Bob from the Paul’s Men Podcast before returning to Pennsylvania for a long weekend. All of this explanation is shared so you’ll understand why we don’t have it ‘all together’ for this podcast. A lot of this was done in bits and pieces and with a fair amount of editing and splicing. We’ll add some links and email addresses when we get home, God willing.
Thanks for listening to Catholic Vitamins. We hope you will enjoy listening to some wonderful people on a ‘novena’ of thoughts to inspire you and me to a holy walk with the Lord.
Blessings. Catch up with you later.
Deacon Tom and Dee
In our Catholic Vitamin N (For NOVENA) show, a young college student named Cheryl told us about doing the Novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. So here are three related items to share:
1) Below the beautiful picture, I found information on a site entitled Mary’s Anawim (little people). Here’s their web address and some information on this novena.
http://marysanawim.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/mary-undoer-of-knots/
1) Below this image and text, please find an email and some links from our friend Grace from Seattle. Thank you Grace.
1) Finally — I went to the Franciscan University website (Franciscan.edu) and then connected with their bookstore and I ordered a copy of the Mary Undoer of Knots novena. It isn’t expensive and maybe you’d like to consider doing the same.
How this devotion started?
To show us the mission granted to the Virgin Mary by Her Son, an unknown artist painted Mary Undoer of Knots with great grace. Since 1700, his painting has been venerated in the Church of St. Peter in Perlack, Germany. It was originally inspired by a meditation of Saint Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyon and martyred in 202) based on the parallel made by Saint Paul between Adam and Christ. Saint Irenaeus, in turn, made a comparison between Eve and Mary, saying:
“Eve, by her disobedience, tied the knot of disgrace for the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, undid it”.
But what are these knots?
There are the problems and struggles we face for which we do not see any solution … knots of discord in your family, lack of understanding between parents and children, disrespect, violence, the knots of deep hurts between husband and wife, the absence of peace and joy at home. There are also the knots of anguish and despair of separated couples, the dissolution of the family, the knots of a drug addict son or daughter, sick or separated from home or God, knots of alcoholism, the practice of abortion, depression, unemployment, fear, solitude… ah, the knots of our life! How they suffocate the soul, beat us down and betray the heart’s joy and separate us from God.
The devotion to Mary Undoer of Knots is not new. The devotion is more than 300 years old. The devotion to Mary Undoer of Knots is becoming more and more known in many different countries, and the Novena has been printed in 19 languages, as well as in Braille. In the last 4 years, the Sanctuary of Mary Undoer of Knots has welcomed more than 600,000 pilgrims from all over the world.
Day after day, more and more Christians kneel to pray to Her as soon as they meet the Mother of the Fair Love. Many families have become reconciled! Many diseases have been healed! Many spouses have returned to the Church! Many jobs have been given! Many conversions have taken place! Many Catholics have been on their knees praying and giving thanks for graces received from our sweet Mother.
We are living in difficult times where the problems, the knots, the temptations, the lack of peace and the evils are all around us. Like a roaring lion your adversary, the devil, prowls around, looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5,8)
For that reason, Mary Who undoes the knots, Who was chosen by God to crush the evil with Her feet, comes to us to reveal Herself. She comes to provide jobs, good health, to reconcile families, because She wants to undo the knots of our sins which dominate our lives, so that ‘as sons of the King’ we can receive the promises reserved for us from eternity. She comes with promises of victory, peace, blessings and reconciliation.
Then, free from our knots, filled with happiness, we can be a testimony of the Divine Power in this world, like pieces of God’s heart or small bottles of perfume exhaling mercy and love to our neighbor. Like ambassador of Jesus Christ and the Virgin of the fair love, we can rescue those who cry without any consolation, those who are lonely, tied with knots, who have no God, no Father nor Mother.
Mother of the Rising Sun, Immaculate, our Advocate, Helper in moments of affliction, Mother of God and made by Him our Mother, this is how Mary, Undoer of Knots is presented. Above all, She comes as the Queen of Mercy, the one who knows all about us, who has compassion for us and hurries to rescue us, praying for each one of us to Her beloved Jesus.
For more information on this beautiful devotion, go here.
Sunday, June 28, is the feast of St. Irenaeus (the inspiration for this novena). What a wonderful day to begin a Novena for whatever you are looking to have untied in your life.
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Dear Deacon Tom and Dee:
I heard your last podcast about novenas and you discussed the story of
the Virgin Mary Untier of Knots. Since I was lucky enough to visit with my
family the church in Augsburg, Germany where the original painting is at, I
decided to send you some photos and links that I have.
The church is very small and the painting is to the right side of the main
altar. You have my consent to use any of the photographs if you have any
interest.
Thank you very much for all that you do, I love your podcasts!
Thanks, God Bless you both and Happy 4th of July, with love.
Grace from Seattle.
http://www.desatadora.com.ar/novena-i.htm
http://www.maryundoerofknots.com/history.htm
http://www.piercedhearts.org/treasures/devotions/marian_prayers/mary_untier_knots.htm
http://www.marypages.com/VirginMaryasUntierofKnots.htm
http://marysanawim.wordpress.com/2009/06/27/mary-undoer-of-knots/