Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #9

Day Nine

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

You know very well the suffering it has caused me. Thank you for coming, Mother, with your long fingers of mercy to dry the tears in my eyes; you receive me in your arms and make it possible for me to receive once again the divine grace. Mary, Undoer of Knots, dearest Mother, I thank you for undoing the knots in my life. Wrap me in your mantle of love, keep me under your protection, enlighten me with your peace! Amen.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #8

Day Eight

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Virgin Mother of G'D, overflowing with mercy, have mercy on your child and undo this knot [mention your request here] in my life.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #7

 Day Seven

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Mother Most Pure, I come to You today to beg you to undo this knot in my life [mention your request here] and free me from the snares of evil.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #6

Day Six

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Queen of Mercy, I entrust to you this knot in my life [mention your request here] and I ask you to give me a heart that is patient until you undo it.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #5

Day Five

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Mother, Undoer of Knots, generous and compassionate, I come to You today to once again entrust this knot [mention your request here] in my life to you and to ask the divine wisdom to undo, under the light of the Holy Spirit, this snarl of problems.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #4

Day Four

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Dearest Holy Mother, you are generous with all who seek you, have mercy on me. I entrust into your hands this knot which robs the peace of my heart, paralyzes my soul and keeps me from going to my Lord and serving Him with my life.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #3

Day Three

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Meditating Mother, Queen of heaven, in whose hands the treasures of the King are found, turn your merciful eyes upon me today. I entrust into your holy hands this knot in my life [mention your request here] and all the rancor and resentment it has caused in me.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #2

Day Two

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Mary, Beloved Mother, channel of all grace, I return to you today my heart, recognizing that I am a sinner in need of your help. I entrust into your hands this knot [mention your request here] which keeps me from reflecting the glory of G'D.

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Virgin Mary, Mother of fair love, Mother who never refuses to come to the aid of a child in need, Mother whose hands never cease to serve your beloved children because they are moved by the divine love and immense mercy that exist in your heart, cast your compassionate eyes upon me and see the snarl of knots that exists in my life. You know very well how desperate I am, my pain, and how I am bound by these knots. Mary, Mother to whom G'D entrusted the undoing of the knots in the lives of His children, I entrust into your hands the ribbon of my life. No one, not even the evil one himself, can take it away from your precious care. In your hands there is no knot that cannot be undone. Powerful Mother, by your grace and intercessory power with your Son and my Liberator, Jesus, take into your hands today this knot.

[Mention your request here]

I beg you to undo it for the glory of G'D, once for all. You are my hope.

O my Lady, you are the only consolation G'D gives me, the fortification of my feeble strength, the enrichment of my destitution, and, with Christ, the freedom from my chains.

Hear my plea.

Keep me, guide me, protect me, o safe refuge!

Mary, Undoer of Knots, pray for me.

Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

What is a Novena? & How to Pray One/Our Lady, Undoer of Knots Novena #1

"Maria! Joseph! Come on downstairs!"

It's seven o'clock in the Pluta household. A cotton-candy sunset has painted the sky, the golden light of sun saying its final goodbye as it disappears behind the mountains for the night. Papa, Mama, and Elisha are gathered in the living room, and they listen as Maria and Joseph, the two eldest, come running down the stairs from the top floor. Maria leans backwards into the couch until she has fallen into place beside her father, and Joseph plops down on the floor at his mother's feet. Maria pulls her tiny wooden rosary from a pocket, a present gifted to her by her parents just before she began first grade the year before.

"Not today, love," Mama says, resting a hand over her six-year-old daughter's rosary-wrapped one. "Today, we'll be praying a little differently."

Maria cocks her head and looks with curiosity at her parents. 

"Today, we are going to begin a novena," Papa declares. 

"What's a novena?" Joseph pipes up from the floor, his head resting on Mama's knee. 

"Here, we'll teach you as we go along..." Mama says, and she and Papa reverently make the sign of the cross. 

A Monday Reflection

Happy August! I am very sorry for my "disappearance" this summer, but I hoped to start back up again on Mondays as the school year comes ever-closer to us (oh no!). I came across this beautiful reflection just this morning and it led me to think about my relationship with Jesus in a special way - about how I can grow in my love of Jesus by spending more time with Him. It is especially important to remember, as the year becomes less our own and more scheduled, to continue to make this time to grow our friendship with the Lord. 

Enjoy!

The Little Soul

There once was a little boy named Ambrose. His mama and papa frequently took him to Mass and the Sacraments. As he got older, Ambrose learned more and more to enjoy such ventures. After his first Holy Communion, he made a promise to frequent the chapel weekly, so as to pay homage to his dear Jesus in the Eucharist.

These simple acts of devotion were so pleasing to Our Lord. He loved to see Ambrose tiptoe into the chapel after a long school day, tidying his messy blonde hair to the best of his abilities and tucking in his maroon uniform polo. Ambrose would always make sure to come as close to the Tabernacle as possible, front and center for Christ to see him. And there was no greater joy between the two hearts, each staring into one another with a gaze of love like no other. 

You see, Our Lord is fond of little souls. Their childlike demeanor seizes his love like nothing else. But oftentimes, souls try to become too big. As people grow old, they lose sight of Heaven and instead turn to the world. Things like money and security, politics and society, concern them more than a relationship with their Creator. They are too focused on taking on everything themselves that they forget whose hands their lives are in. And this makes Our Lord so, so sad. the gaze of love is broken and too often never mended.

One evening, Ambrose came to Jesus a little differently than usual. He was gripped with anxiety and filled with fear. For many years, the boy had followed willingly where Christ was calling. Some trials were easy, while others had him clinging to the cross for aid. Still, Ambrose had put total confidence in his King. But that confidence in Christ slowly became a confidence in himself. Little did he know, Ambrose had begun taking matters into his own hands. And when things went right, he ceased to praise God, but instead gave glory to himself. But now, Jesus was calling him to something which seemed to be too much.

“I can’t, Lord!” he cried coldly before the Blessed Sacrament. It wasn’t really that he though he couldn’t. Remember, Ambrose was quite sure of his abilities. Rather, he was scared to.

Our Lord was calm as He is with all His children, “And why not?”

“Think about it,” Ambrose pleaded, “I’m a businessman. I make good money. What good would it do to throw away my job? I give you what I’m obligated, don’t I? I come to Mass each Sunday and still make a chapel visit weekly. There isn’t a month that goes by where I don’t make it to Confession. What more do you need?”

Hurt by the insincerity of his words but still eager to engage the young soul, Christ replied, “My Child, don’t you remember the love that we shared? You were so certain that I would do anything for you, and it was true. It is true. Tell me now, why do you fear?”

Ambrose stopped in his tracks, looking away from the Tabernacle and to his folded hand that rested upon the rail of the pew. He remembered a time when they were small and fair, uncalloused but still held in the same reverent position. The memory had been one of love, a love worth dying for. And here Ambrose was, unable to even say yes to such a love. But why?

“I guess it comes down to the unknown,” he finally replied. Everything about Christ’s call was cloaked in uncertainty. If he could just know what lay ahead…

“But don’t you know Me, child? If you know Me, then you know the plan,” Our Lord lifted Ambrose’s gaze to the crucifix above the altar and invited him to ponder each one of His wounds. Sufferings which Christ would have borne if only one of us needed Him, let alone thousands.

“See,” sweet Jesus concluded, “my plan is all goodness and love.”

And from that moment on, Ambrose could not refuse even the smallest biddings of Our Lord. Beginning with his resounding yes to the priesthood, he lived the life of a little soul on fire for Jesus. Fiat by fiat. Little by little.