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This statue of Mary has, for many years, been taken from house to house in St Michael’s parish, Traralgon. By doing that families invite the real Mary to become part of their family life. By giving the statue pride of place they are giving honour to Mary herself and inviting her to be present.
So, as we pay attention to the statue and give honour to Our Good Mother may she see our deep need for wholeness and may she add her prayer to our prayer for ourselves, those we love and the needs of the whole world.
Alongside this statue is the icon of ‘Mary Undoer of Knots’, a favourite image of Pope Francis. Over the last two weeks, some 300 students from various religious education classes have come together in the chapels of Kildare and Saint Paul’s reflecting on Mary’s intercessionary role in the Wedding Feast at Cana, helping to untie the bridegroom’s lack of wine problem.
They were then asked to reflect on the knots in their own life… they were all given a piece of coloured thread and invited to lay it across their open palms…
This is the thread of your life.
Think of a ‘knotty problem in your life… some stumbling point, some knot that you have difficulty untying…. something that you can’t seem to solve by yourself. A problem that is holding you back.
It could be a difficult relationship… an old hurt you cannot forgive… a fear you carry with you… something of which you are ashamed. There may be more than one.
Place a knot in the thread to represent this stumbling point in your life.
The students were then invited to come forward and stand before the icon placing the ‘knot of your life’ in front of Mary, the ‘Undoer of Knots’ seeking her intercession.
The following prayer was then said in unison:
Mother of fair love, I look to you.
Take into your hands the thread of my life,
and see the snarl of knots that keep me bound
to selfishness, anxiety, and hopelessness.
I beg you, Mother, by your powerful intercession
and long fingers of love and grace,
help undo the knots in my heart and in my life.
Free me to love as Christ loves.
Mary, Undoer of Knots All: pray for us
Marcellin Champagnat All: pray for us
Mary of the Cross MacKillop All: pray for us
And let us always remember All: to pray for one another
By Mike Hansen
