Clinton R. LeFort - Our Lady Untier of Knots

Our Lady Untier of Knots

Novena

By

Clinton R. LeFort

January 2017

nd Edition

With Additional Reflections

This book is dedicated to all those who promote Mary's life and devotion.

History of the Devotion

The devotion to Our Lady Untier of Knots was originally started in Germany thru a man named Wolfgang Langenmantel (1568-1637) Because of the hardships he was facing in his own marriage he turned to recourse to a pious and holy Jesuit Confessor and director of the Ingolstadt Monastery. Wolfgang visited the monastery and over the course of several days visited the holy Confessor several times; at the end he finally resolved his marital problems. It had been known that the Holy Jesuit had himself received a visit form the Blessed Virgin Mary which he spoke of as Mother Thrice Admirable.[1]

It was customary at the time, during wedding ceremonies for the maid of honor to to join together the arms of the bride and groom with a piece of ribbon. At the time of one of the last visits to Fr. Rem, Wolfgang gave to Fr. Rem the ribbon which had joined he and his wife. Fr. Rem performed a ritual whereby he lifted up the knot and untied the knot one by one then flattened out the ribbon before Wolfgang and his bride. The ribbon had become completely white again. Wolfgang and his bride were able to keep there marriage intact and avoid divorce.

Many years later the grandson of Wolfgang, a Canon of St. Peters (1666-1709) whose name was Hieronymou Ambrosious Langenmantel commissioned a work of art to commemorate the new century and it was to honor the memory of the Langenmantel family. The painter Johann Georg Schmittdner was commissioned for the work. Schmittdner took the theme of the original miracle recalled of Wolfgang, Sophie and Fr. Rem. Mary was placed in the center of the miracle while the dove above Mary referred to Mary being the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. Mary untying the knots represented the grace that Mary obtained for the couple thru Fr. Rem, who untied the knots of our difficulties in our lives. The devotion is international in scope today because of the recent recommendation by Pope Francis who firs encountered the devotion and picture while he was a student in Germany, then brought it to Argentina.

The first reference to the devotion to Mary as untied of knots is recalled by St. Irenaeus, a first century Martyr and Father of the early Church, who is recorded as meeting the Apostle John.

W hy Our Lady of Knots?

What are the knots in our life? A knot is something that keeps our energies tied up and oftentimes occupies us in uncomfortable ways; that is, when we feel our lives are tied up with unappealing experiences we become uncomfortable with our lives. Just as we only feel at ease in sharing with our closest friends or confidants the problems we face in our life, so it is in our wanting to approach Mary with the difficulties we have in our life. There are may reasons for approaching Mary when we have trouble in our life. First, we know we have ab advocate who cares for us and knows our needs. If God entrusted his Only-Begotten Son with Mary, how much more ought we to be confident in entrusting our life to her and the difficulties we face along the way. What is our first reaction to the knots we face in our life? Im reminded of a song made famous by the Pop singer Joe Cocker named A Little help from my friend, which tells the story of a person who entrusts his cares to a group of friends knowing he will be encouraged when trouble hits. Or take another example from Country music song named Find out who your friends are. [2] This song tells about those people who surround us who only have the appearance of friends, but when something goes wrong in our lives they stand at a distance. The song goes on to praise true friend who drop everything and show up with a big old heart, to help out. They dont think of what they will receive, but are happy just to lend a hand when the well runs dry, the weathers not so fair. Beathard and Hill go on to write that when all these things are happening to you you can may begin to wonder whose going to be there, but never doubting your friends will be there. Our Lady of Knots is such a friend who will help us to unravel the many confusing things that keep us tied up and not free to serve God as we desire.

Lets take another example from the life of Our Lord. We all remember the wedding at Cana. Jesus and his Apostles were invited, along with his Mother. The head waiter didnt have confidence to approach Jesus directly, but chose to go to his Mother instead. It was Mary who decided to approach Jesus and request he help the bride and groom on this happy occasion. I think this proves to us how much Our Lady of Knots wants to be our help in times of need. By allowing Jesus to know the knots in our life, we will be that much happier going thru Mary. She will console us if we trust in her prayer.

Knots in our Lives?

What are the knots in our lives, which we ask Mary to untie and to resolve according to the Will of God? All of us face difficulties everyday. Some of our difficulties are easily resolved, but often we come encounter difficulties which seem insurmountable or even impossible for us to resolve. These difficulties require extra help from God, so we turn to Mary, who is honored under this particular title, to assists us in our spiritual, material and every kind of struggle. Jesus said whatever you do to the least of my brethren you do to me, so we turn to Mary and honor her, since we know that placing all of our needs before God can only result in a peaceful resolution. Are we pressed with problems in our family, friends, work, finances, finding work or making friends? Have we recently moved to a new place and know no one or are we caught in a rut in our lives where we need new direction? We can always turn to Mary in our needs. St. Bernard said this many centuries ago.

And the Virgin's name was Mary." Let us speak a little about this name, which is said to mean "star of the sea," and which so well befits the Virgin Mother. Rightly is she likened to a star. As a star emits a ray without being dimmed, so the Virgin brought forth her Son without receiving any injury. The ray takes naught from the brightness of the star, nor the Son from His Mother's virginal integrity. This is the noble star risen out of Jacob, whose ray illumines the whole world, whose splendor shines in the heavens, penetrates the abyss, and, traversing the whole earth, gives warmth rather to souls than to bodies, cherishing virtues, withering vices. Mary is that bright and incomparable star, whom we need to see raised above this vast sea, shining by her merits, and giving us light by her example.

Look To Mary

"All of you, who see yourselves amid the tides of the world, tossed by storms and tempests rather than walking on the land, do not turn your eyes away from this shining star, unless you want to be overwhelmed by the hurricane. If temptation storms, or you fall upon the rocks of tribulation, look to the star : Call upon Mary! If you are tossed by the waves of pride or ambition, detraction or envy, look to the star , call upon Mary. If anger or avarice or the desires of the flesh dash against the ship o f your soul, turn your eyes to Mary . If troubled by the enormity of your crimes, ashamed of your guilty conscience, terrified by dread of the judgment, you begin to sink into the gulf of sadness or the abyss of despair, think of Mary . In dangers, in anguish, in doubt, think of Mary , call upon Mary . Let her name be even on your lips, ever in your heart ; and the better to obtain the help of her prayers, imitate the example of her life: "Following her, thou strayest not; invoking her, thou despairest not; thinking of her, thou wanderest not; upheld by her, thou fallest not; shielded by her, thou fearest not; guided by her, thou growest not weary; favored by her, thou reachest the goal. And thus dost thou experience in thyself how good is that saying: 'And the Virgin's name was Mary.'" (St. Bernard, Homily II, Missus Est, 17)