Mary Undoer of Knots

Over the years as a former beauty professional guests have shared some of their deepest struggles. They intensified through my own faith formation training. Maybe they were always intense, but now I was listening in a new and different way. Maybe truly listening for the very first time, with my heart. They often begin with “I’ve never told this to anyone”, and at that I pause and say Holy Spirit come. I know the pending conversation will need to be guided by his wisdom and grace. One occasion I can share. My guest began, “You’re Catholic, why does this stuff keep happening to me?” Come Holy Spirit indeed. I asked her to share what was going on. Her son had been journeying down a dangerous path of drug addiction with all the trappings and bad decisions that accompany this route. We had prayed often for his safety, his protection, for God to intercede in some way to rescue him. Well she got the answer to prayer, but she did not like the way that it was answered . Her son had been in a car accident with his young son, her grandson, in the car. He went left of center and hit an oncoming car. The woman in the other car was tragically killed. Her son was banged up but ok, and his son suffered a mild concussion but would recover completely. They found narcotics that were not his in the car and arrested him. He was in jail facing drug and vehicular homicide charges. I paused again and asked the Holy Spirit to make haste to help me before I spoke. First of all I began, let’s pray for the repose of the woman who was killed and her family. Ironically she shared with me that the woman had lost a child several years ago and had fallen into a deep depression, praying to be reunited with her. This of course would never, ever justify the horrible turn of events. I did find it ironic though. Again I paused and pondered for a moment. Well, I said, we prayed for him to be safe. Yes, she softly said. Praise God he is safe, your grandson was not injured any more badly than he was. You wanted God to intercede in his struggle with drugs, looks like God answered your prayers. He landed him in a place where all that may happen. Not without this additional cross now to bear and I know not in a way you would have ever chosen for him. At this point she was crying, we both were. You have to ask yourself if you trust God, I said to her. Do you believe in his promises? At the end of the day through albeit a tragic accident and the loss of what I am sure was a precious life, God is still protecting your son. Why him and not the other driver? Only God knows. I asked her to pray to Mary undoer of knots, the mother of us all for wisdom, courage, and strength. Through the months that followed she shared updates on how her son was doing. He was clean and sober for the first time in many, many years. Through our conversations she would share scripture or an uplifting quote that we had talked about in these talks with her son. She discovered he was writing them on a board and sharing with the other inmates in prison. Her struggle with her own belief was being strengthened by trying to strengthen another. And his struggle was strengthening others as well. A beautiful witness to the power of our own prayer and fidelity to a God that is so faithful to us. A great witness to how God can always find a way to have some good come out of a horrible situation. Her son has served his time and is back in society. I wish I could say things are now perfect, he still struggles in life, as we all do, but things are better. I encourage my friend to understand we all have our own journey. My friend has grown so much in her faith journey over the years and I am so proud of the progress she has made. She looks to her faith now and offers up her suffering to God and prays for his help. She has become a prayer warrior, an encourager to others, and inspiration to me and so many others. She has learned to rely on God and not her own understanding. Mary continues to untie many knots she faces in her life. Mary, Undoer of knots, pray for us.