September 14 (Triumph of the Cross) to September 22, 2015
Pope Francis has been one of the chief promoters of “Our Lady Undoer of Knots.” As a young man, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was studying in Germany. He was very taken by a Bavarian painting of “Holy Mary, Our Lady Untier of Knots.” He acquired a copy of the painting and brought it to Argentina with him. He promoted devotion to Mary under this title and apparently it has caught on with the faithful of Argentina.
It is interesting that this Marian devotion of Pope Francis is rooted in Bavaria – a bridge between the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI and that of Pope Francis. Some time ago, Cardinal Bergoglio had an image of Our Lady Undoer of Knots engraved into a chalice and presented it to Pope Benedict XVI.
It is interesting that this Marian devotion of Pope Francis is rooted in Bavaria – a bridge between the Pontificate of Pope Benedict XVI and that of Pope Francis. Some time ago, Cardinal Bergoglio had an image of Our Lady Undoer of Knots engraved into a chalice and presented it to Pope Benedict XVI.
THEOLOGY
Something about the theology surrounding this Marian Devotion, thanks to Dr. Taylor Marshall:
The theology of Mary untying knots goes back to the second century – less than one hundred years after the death of the Apostles. Saint Irenaeus of Lyons wrote “the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the Blessed Virgin Mary set free through faith.” (Adversus haereses, 3, 22)
This is one of the earliest examples of describing Mary as the “New Eve.” Eve, standing next to Adam, is the “co-peccatrix” (co-sinner) Mary, standing next to Christ crucified, is the “co-redemptrix” (co-redemptress). This does not mean that Mary directly saves or redeems us. It means that Mary consents and participates in the redemptive action of Christ. Her role is congruent and relative to the condign and absolute role of Christ.
This is one of the earliest examples of describing Mary as the “New Eve.” Eve, standing next to Adam, is the “co-peccatrix” (co-sinner) Mary, standing next to Christ crucified, is the “co-redemptrix” (co-redemptress). This does not mean that Mary directly saves or redeems us. It means that Mary consents and participates in the redemptive action of Christ. Her role is congruent and relative to the condign and absolute role of Christ.
Our Lady Undoer of Knots is Patristic and may be the way forward for establishing and expanding Marian theology.
The doctrine of Mary’s universal mediation and her subordinate role to Christ in human salvation is beautifully summed up in this saying of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons. The fact that it goes back to the second century reveals that this is not a medieval accretion. It’s a doctrine deriving from the Apostles themselves.
The doctrine of Mary’s universal mediation and her subordinate role to Christ in human salvation is beautifully summed up in this saying of Saint Irenaeus of Lyons. The fact that it goes back to the second century reveals that this is not a medieval accretion. It’s a doctrine deriving from the Apostles themselves.
Please share in the Novena to Our Lady Untier of Knots as well as the concluding prayer for the intercession of Blessed John Henry Newman.
Instructions for praying
the Novena: Mary, Undoer of Knots
Please note that the first part is composed of four steps,
the last of which involves a separate meditation for each day of the novena;
after the list of meditations, there is a second part of the novena, composed
of three steps.
1. Begin each day of the Novena with the Sign of the Cross.
2. Make an Act of Contrition. Oh my God I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee. I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of Heaven and the pains of Hell. But most of all, because I have offended Thee, oh my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, to do penance, and to amend my life. Amen.
3. Pray the first three decades of the rosary, with the appropriate mysteries for the day: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious.
4. Make the meditation of the day.
5. Pray the last two decades of the rosary, with the appropriate mysteries for the day: Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious.
6. Pray the Prayer: Mary, Undoer of Knots and the prayer for the intercession of Blessed John Henry Newman.
7. End each day of the Novena with the Sign of the Cross.
NOVENA
An inspiring prayer opens the
novena summing up the role of the Virgin Mary, Untier of Knots.
Holy Mary, full of God’s presence during the days
accepted with full humility the Father’s will, and the Devil was never capable
to tie you around with his confusion. Once with your Son you interceded for our
difficulties, and, full of kindness and patience you gave us example of how to
untie the knots of our life. And by remaining forever Our Mother, you put in
order, and make clearer the ties that link us to the Lord. Holy Mother, Mother
of God, and our Mother, to you, who untie with motherly heart the knots of our
life, we pray to you to receive in your hands (name of person), and to free
him/her of the knots and confusion with which our enemy attacks. Through your
grace, your intercession, and your example, deliver us from all evil, Our Lady,
and untie the knots that prevent us from being tied with God, so that we, free
from sin and error, may find Him in all things, may have our hearts placed in
Him, and may serve Him always in our brothers and sisters. Amen.
1. Meditation for the First Day of the Novena
Dearest Holy Mother, Most
Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children. Extend your
merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot [Mention your request
here] and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life. I give
you this knot that torments me and makes me unhappy and so impedes me from
uniting myself to You and Your Son Jesus, my Saviour. I run to You, Mary, Undoer of Knots, because I
trust you and I know that you never despise a sinning child who comes to ask
you for help. I believe that you can undo this knot because Jesus grants you
everything. I believe that you want to undo this knot because you are my
Mother. I believe that You will do this because you love me with eternal
love. Thank you, Dear Mother.
Mary,
Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Prayer: Mary, Undoer of
Knots
Virgin Mary, Mother of fair
love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother
whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved
by the divine love and immense mercy that exists in your heart, cast your
compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exist in my life.
You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these
knots. Mary, Mother to whom God entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives
of his children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not
even the Evil One himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your
hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace
and intercessory power with Your Son and My Liberator, Jesus, take into your
hands today this knot.
[Mention your request here]
I beg you to undo it for the
glory of God, once for all. You are my hope. O my Lady, you are the only
consolation God gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the
enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.
Hear my plea. Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me. [Repeat daily after the meditation.]
2. Meditation for the
Second Day of the Novena
Mary, Beloved Mother, channel
of all grace, I return to You today my heart, recognizing that I am a sinner in
need of your help. Many times I lose the graces you grant me because of my sins
of egoism, pride, rancour and my lack of generosity and humility. I turn to You
today, Mary, Undoer of Knots, for You to ask your Son Jesus to
grant me a pure, divested, humble and trusting heart. I will live today
practicing these virtues and offering you this as a sign of my love for You. I
entrust into Your hands this knot [Mention your request here] which
keeps me from reflecting the glory of God.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite Prayer: Mary,
Undoer of Knots - see above
3. Meditation for the
Third Day of the Novena
Meditating Mother, Queen of
heaven, in whose hands the treasures of the King are found, turn your merciful
eyes upon me today. I entrust into your holy hands this knot in my life [Mention
your request here] and all the rancour and resentment it has caused in me.
I ask Your forgiveness, God the Father, for my sin. Help me now to forgive all
the persons who consciously or unconsciously provoked this knot. Give me, also,
the grace to forgive me for having provoked this knot. Only in this way can You
undo it. Before You, dearest Mother, and in the name of Your Son Jesus, my
Saviour, who has suffered so many offenses, having been granted forgiveness, I
now forgive these persons [mention their names here] and myself, forever. Thank
you, Mary, Undoer of Knots for undoing the knot of rancour in my
heart and the knot which I now present to you. Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
4. Meditation for the
Fourth Day of the Novena Dearest
Holy Mother, you are generous with all who seek you, have mercy on me. I
entrust into your hands this knot which robs the peace of my heart, paralyzes
my soul and keeps me from going to my Lord and serving Him with my life. Undo
this knot in my love [Mention your request here], O Mother, and ask
Jesus to heal my paralytic faith, which gets downhearted with the stones on the
road. Along with you, dearest Mother, may I see these stones as friends. Not
murmuring against them anymore but giving endless thanks for them, may I smile
trustingly in your power.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
5. Meditation for the
Fifth Day of the Novena
Mother Mary, Undoer of Knots, generous and compassionate, I come to You today to
once again entrust this knot [Mention your request here] in my life to you
and to ask the divine wisdom to undo, under the light of the Holy Spirit, this
snarl of problems. No one ever saw you angry; to the contrary, your words were
so charged with sweetness that the Holy Spirit was manifested on your lips.
Take away from me the bitterness, anger, and hatred which this knot has caused
me. Give me, O dearest Mother, some of the sweetness and wisdom that is all
silently reflected in your heart. And just as you were present at Pentecost,
ask Jesus to send me a new presence of the Holy Spirit at this moment in my
life. Holy Spirit, come upon me!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
6. Meditation for the
Sixth Day of the Novena
Queen of Mercy, I entrust to
you this knot in my life [Mention your request here] and I ask you to
give me a heart that is patient until you undo it. Teach me to persevere in the
living word of Jesus, in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Confession; stay with
me and prepare my heart to celebrate with the angels the grace that will be
granted to me. Amen! Alleluia!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
7. Meditation for the
Seventh Day of the Novena
Mother
Most Pure, I come to You today to beg you to undo this knot in my life [Mention
your request here] and free me from the snares of evil. God has granted you
great power over all the demons. I renounce all of them today, every connection
I have had with them, and I proclaim Jesus as my one and only Lord and Saviour.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, crush the Evil One’s head and destroy the
traps he has set for me by this knot. Thank you, dearest Mother. Most Precious
Blood of Jesus, free me!
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
8. Meditation for the
Eighth Day of the Novena
Virgin Mother of God,
overflowing with mercy, have mercy on your child and undo this knot [Mention
your request here] in my life. I need your visit to my life, like you visited
Elizabeth. Bring me Jesus, bring me the Holy Spirit. Teach me to practice the
virtues of courage, joyfulness, humility, and faith, and, like Elizabeth, to be
filled with the Holy Spirit. Make me joyfully rest on your bosom, Mary. I
consecrate you as my mother, queen, and friend. I give you my heart and
everything I have— my home and family, my material and spiritual goods. I am
yours forever. Put your heart in me so that I can do everything Jesus tells me.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
9. Meditation for the
Ninth Day of the Novena
Most Holy Mary, our Advocate,
Undoer of Knots, I come today to thank you for undoing this knot in my life.
You know very well the suffering it has caused me. Thank you for coming,
Mother, with your long fingers of mercy to dry the tears in my eyes; you
receive me in your arms and make it possible for me to receive once again the
divine grace. Mary, Undoer of Knots, dearest Mother, I thank you
for undoing the knots in my life. Wrap me in your mantle of love, keep me under
your protection, enlighten me with your peace! Amen.
Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.
Recite the Prayer:
Mary, Undoer of Knots
We know that Blessed JHN had a deep and abiding devotion to Our Lady under her many titles. He was a patristic scholar and prayed for the untying of many knots in his very rough journey of faith into the light of unity in the Catholic Church.
The second phase of our partnership in prayer is to offer the following prayer invoking the intercession of Blessed John Henry Newman at Mass and daily prayer for nine days:
God our Father, who granted to thy servant Blessed John Henry Newman wonderful gifts of nature and of grace, that he should be a spiritual light in the darkness of this world, an eloquent herald of the Gospel, and a devoted servant of the one Church of Christ.
With confidence in his heavenly intercession, we make the following petition: [here make your petition]
For his insight into the mysteries of the kingdom, his zealous defence of the teachings of the Church, and his priestly love for each of thy children, we pray that he may soon be numbered among the Saints.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. AMEN.
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