How many times have we wished we had help untangling the knots of our life? Difficulties in our relationships at home, at work, or in our community. Or from fear, addiction, unemployment, or loneliness.
St. Irenaeus, in his 2nd century work “Against Heresies” (Book III, Chapter 22), wrote “And thus also it was that the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed by the obedience of Mary. For what the virgin Eve had bound fast through unbelief, this did the virgin Mary set free through faith.” St. Irenaeus was drawing a parallel to St. Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 15:22, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Our Lady, Undoer of Knots is both the name of a painting by Johann Georg Melchior Schmidtner around 1700 and a Marian devotion, a favorite of Pope Francis.