Mary, Undoer Of Knots

Wolfgang did not know where else to turn.

After several years of marriage, he and his wife, Sophie, were heading for divorce. In a last ditch effort to save his marriage, he began visiting father Jakob Rem, a priest who was widely known for his intelligence and holiness.

Wolfgang took much comfort from the wisdom and advice that Father Rem provided. However, it was their prayer time together that really made a difference. Father Rem encouraged Wolfgang to seek Our Lady's intercession in hopes for a breakthrough in his marriage.

On the last day they met together, September 28, 1615, Wolfgang brought along the wedding ribbon from his marriage mass. It was a custom in Germany at the time that, during the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom would have their hands wrapped together in a ribbon symbolizing their sacramental union as husband and wife. Over the years, it had become soiled and was tied in knots because of the way it had been stored.

As was their custom, they met in the chapel of our Lady of Snows at the monastery where Father Rem lived. As they prayed, the holy priest lifted up the ribbon and begin undoing the knots asking all the while that,  through Mary's intercession, the knots which kept Wolfgang and Sophie from living a holy and loving marriage would be undone. Miraculously, the ribbon was transformed from its dull, yellow color into a brilliant white. Soon after,  Wolfgang and Sophie were able to work past their differences, reconcile and avoid divorce.

The loving couple passed on the story of their miraculous reconciliation to their children and grandchildren. In the year 1700, one of the grandchildren, Hieronymus, who became a priest, wanted to commemorate the event which made his life possible. To do so, he commissioned an artist, Johann Schmittdner, to paint a portrait of Mary whose intercession had saved his grandparents’ marriage. That painting which has come to be known as, “Our Lady, Undoer of Knots”, portrays Mary untying knots from a long ribbon. She is assisted by two angels. One is receiving the ribbon with knots from us and giving it to Our Lady. The other is receiving the ribbon from Our Lady now free from knots and handing it back to us.

Since then, the devotion of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, has been popular with people who struggle in their marriage or who otherwise have difficulties with their families. The devotion spread to Argentina in the 1980’s when Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio, whom we know today as Pope Francis, brought it to his diocese after discovering it during a trip to the church of St. Peter in Augsburg, Germany where it hangs today.

Marriage is a beautiful gift of God. It serves men and women by providing them with love and companionship throughout their lives. When Adam in today's first reading rejoices over Eve whom he calls, “bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh”, we get a glimpse into God's plan for marriage - that a man and a woman take real joy and pleasure in each other. Jesus teaches us in the gospel that the union of a man and woman in the Sacrament of Marriage is meant to last a lifetime." What God has joined, no human being must separate." When a couple marries, they vow to love each other "in good times and in bad times, in sickness and health, for richer or for poorer until death do they part." Marriage aids a man and a woman in reaching holiness by giving them the grace to endure all the trials and tribulations that come with married life, including raising children. The bodily union which is the hallmark of marriage teaches us that this sacrament is not just about the man and the woman, but about children. Marriage is the means God provides us to cooperate with him in creation by bringing new life into the world. Only the marriage of a man and a woman can guarantee that children will live with and be raised by both their biological parents. Creating a loving home in which children can be nurtured and learn to be good citizens of the country and holy saints in the kingdom of God is at the heart of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

We are all painfully aware of how difficult it is in today's world to live a loving, happy marriage for a lifetime. Many of us, for whatever reason, have not been able to. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to welcome all people with love and mercy and to accept them wherever they are in their journey of faith. For those who carry emotional pain because of divorce, healing is possible through Confession, prayer,  fellowship with other Christians and regular Mass attendance. God understands how difficult marriage and life in general are. No matter what mistakes we've made in the past we can always turn to Him to find forgiveness and healing.

At the same time, it is imperative that we support married couples in living this sacrament of marriage. There are many ways of doing that, but, as Wolfgang and Sophie learned, the most powerful means is through prayer. The Census Bureau tells us that one out of every two marriages ends in divorce. However, for couples who are married in the church and continue to attend Mass, that number drops to one out of 50. And, when married couples who attend Mass regularly also pray together at home, divorces decrease to one in 1150. This gives powerful witness to the power of prayer in the lives of married people. Devotion to our Lady, such as Our Lady, Undoer of Knots, can help a couple find strength and consolation as they work through the daily challenges of married life. We should never underestimate the power of prayer to heal and strengthen us.

Gathered here today, as a people of faith, let us pray for all married couples and those preparing for marriage. Let us also remember those who live with the pain of divorce that they may find healing. The prayer of God's people is powerful and when combined with the intercession of our Lady can bring about miracles. Let us continue to turn to our Heavenly Father in all our needs with faith and confidence that, in Him,  all things are possible.