Monday, March 18, 2013

Mary Untier of Knots - and Pope Francis

Years ago, I found a booklet about an Argentinian devotion to Our Lady as Untier of Knots.

Last year, when I was in Augsburg visiting a priest friend, he took me to a chapel – dedicated to Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. By her obedience to grace, she unbinds  for herself, and all her spiritual offspring, the knotted bonds of sin that Eve entangled for herself and all her children; and even in temporal affairs she assists the faithful to solve knotty problems that try them.

File:Mary-Untier-of-Knots-1.jpgHow did this devotion cross from Bavaria to Argentina, and when?

A certain Fr Bergoglio, S.J., who was studying in Germany, saw the image, and brought a copy back to Argentina... where propagation of devotion to Our Lady under this title has spread far and wide (even to Australia).

And some wretches complain about our new Pope!

I look forward to reading an encyclical of his in honour of the Mother of God, to whom he is entirely devoted, whose Rosary he daily recites (fifteen decades, as is traditional), to whose sacred icons, paintings and statues he pays due relative reverence, and whose patronage he eagerly invokes for all Christian people.

Apparently a silver chalice, to be the gift of the people of the Argentine ("Silver") Republic to Pope Francis, shall bear a representation of the Blessed Virgin under this title; just as the former Cardinal himself gave a chalice emblazoned with the same glorious image to Benedict XVI.

Note, gentle reader, that Pope Francis is quite content (as was St Francis) to give and receive such precious gifts intended for the service of the altar.

Prayer to Our Lady 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 (...). 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.

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