Advent Reflections - Week 4 - Marybeth Sedlak
"And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word."
Luke 1:37-38
On this last Sunday of Advent, we read Luke’s gospel account of the angel Gabriel’s
visit to Mary. Each time I have read it or heard it proclaimed at Mass I am filled with a
sense of amazement. Not one but two surprising revelations are told to Mary who is just
a young girl living in Nazareth! How her life was changed that day! And yet she humbly
accepted this message as the handmaid of the Lord.
Many times in life we are faced with unexpected news within our family or with a
friend that we find quite unsettling. It may be a sudden illness, loss of a job or even an
unexpected death. Our life can be turned up side down to say the least.
Several years ago, I was introduced to a new devotion to the Blessed Mother entitled
“Our Lady Undoer of Knots”. As I learned more about the story behind this devotion it
soon became one of my favorite prayers to Mary. Who doesn’t have knots in life which
become tangled causing us to be confused or afraid?
Mary certainly experienced the knots of uncertainty and confusion in her life yet she
trusted God to undo these knots and humbly accepted his will.
Our Lady Undoer of Knots
Holy Mary, Mother of God and ours, with your maternal heart untie the knots that upset
our lives. We ask you to receive us in your hands and deliver us from the chains and
confusions that have us restrained.
Blessed Virgin Mary, through your grace, your intercession and by your example, deliver
us from evil and untie the knots that keep us from uniting with God, so that once free
of every confusion and error, we may find Him in all things, have Him in our hearts
and serve him always in our brothers and sisters. Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.
Amen
Marybeth Sedlak
