PAUSE FOR REFLECTION
by Ken Rolheiser
Mother Mary unties our knots

“My life was dull and I was stagnating… jobless…and lonely. And I wanted a car,” writes an anonymous testimony to the intercession of Mary. Things changed after Anonymous started praying a novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots .

It was an incredible time in her life, Anonymous writes. On the second day of the novena she was able to buy a car. On the sixth day she entered a job training program, and three days after the nine-day novena ended, she landed her dream job.

Three weeks later she met her soul mate and started a long and loving relationship. Mary had untied all the knots in her life. Our experience with prayer often requires more patience, but Mary does answer prayers.

John Henry Newman writes about Mary’s humble role in God’s salvation plan. When Jesus preached, Mary interfered not. When Christ ascended into heaven, Mary did not assume an apostolic chair.

Mary waited with the disciples for the Holy Spirit’s gift and the blossoming of the Church. She did not take the office of priest, but she sought her son in daily Mass. She waited until she was needed in the world.

When the holy name of Jesus was dishonored, when heretics said God was not incarnate, she rose with her quiet influence. Her apparitions always call us to repentance and prayer. Her miracles touch thousands.

In time the Church proclaimed her immaculate conception and her assumption, body and soul, into heaven. Now she is Queen of heaven and earth, still gently touching those who seek her intercession.

Mary is our model of grace, the example to follow. Human, like us, she simply said yes to God’s invitation. The fruits of the Trinity can touch us, as they touched Mary, just as the Creator planned.

Jesus invites us into the heart of the Father. Jesus makes this so clear in the parable of the Prodigal son. Our Father longs for us and waits for us with open arms. 

Just as at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit springs forth in us constantly, and the bread of life lives in us now and eternally. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit unfold in our lives according to the Creator’s plan in the mystery of Pentecost.

The same Spirit who formed Jesus in Mary, who brought him out of the tomb victorious over death, will raise us to life. Through Mary, the Spirit has obtained power over the whole body of Christ which is the Church. 

Our life experience is often more challenging than we wish. Demands of our human nature pull us earthward. Our hearts and minds are not so clearly focused in what we may call “this vale of tears”.

In Revelations 12 we see a woman adorned with the sun, crushing a serpent’s head. Mary can undo the knots of temptation in our lives. We are sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters of Christ. Mary is our Mother.

For three centuries Mary has been called on to undo the knots of family discord, disrespect, violence, depression, marriage struggles, addictions, illness and a host of others.

As sons and daughters of God our true heritage is to enjoy a sense of freedom and a gratitude for the blessings and peace in our lives. We live in the hope of the life of eternal joy to come.

(560 words)