God-incidence
and Answered Prayers
With God all things are possible!
But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Matthew 13: 16-17
We believe that there are no coincidences, only God-Incidences, what occurs together by God’s providential arrangement of circumstances.
God-Incidences can be connected with God’s grace which is a favor and free undeserved help that He gives us to respond to his call.
God permits these “Amazing Graces” to strengthen our faith, as the song states…“was blind but now I see!”.
His grace OPENS our minds to the truth.
God-Incidence: Help When Needed
Sometimes God-incidences are so obvious that it brings a sense of peace beyond all understanding knowing God’s got this!
This is one of those stories I would like to share.
I volunteered to be a table leader at a three-day parish retreat. This particular retreat allows for 36 participants. The participants are randomly assigned to each table. Within each activity of the retreat, we get to know our table participants on a more personal level. I knew immediately on day one that God had connected me with a participant at my table that was very much needed at this time in my family’s life. My mother’s health had been declining and my father had to make a decision to sell their house and move into a senior assisted living community. This was a tough decision for him and the family. He had selected the community and move in day was fast approaching.
Getting back to the retreat, the participant at my table shared that she works as a head nurse at a senior assisted living community. Guess what?! Yes, that was the facility that my parents were moving into. I immediately knew God’s hand was there helping to guide the way into the next phase of my parent’s life.
My father and I were inspired to start a rosary group at that facility, along with some friends that helped each month. The participant from the retreat introduced us to the activities director to assist on getting this on the schedule. My father has since passed away, however this rosary group still is flourishing at this community and led by two other faith filled residents.
Additionally, this participant has become a best friend and helps me lead a monthly on-line and in-person rosary group.
Keep your eyes open to the people God places in your path.
God-Incidence: novena Miracle
The “Mary, Untier, (Undoer) of Knots” novena is more than 300 years old. (Click on the novena image to view the prayers) The original painting is believed to have been commissioned by Wolfgang Langenmantel, a nobleman from Augsburg, Germany, who sought help from a Jesuit priest named Father Jakob Rem to resolve the conflicts in his marriage. The couple gave Father Rem their wedding ribbon which they used to tie each other together as a symbol of unity at their wedding. Father Rem had a devotion to Mary, and he prayed for guidance. Legend has it that he had a vision of Mary untying knots in a ribbon while praying for the couple. Wolfgang’s grandson, Father Hieronymus Langenmantel, became a priest and requested a painting in memory of the story. In the painting, Mary unties the knots of marriage. One angel gives her the knotted ribbon, while the other holds the unknotted side and presents it to us. Mary also crushes Satan’s head, which represents her Immaculate Conception. The dove above her head symbolizes her spouse, the Holy Spirit. At the bottom of the image, Saint Raphael the Archangel and Wolfgang walks toward a monastery.
The painting which is the cover of this pamphlet, shows us the mission granted to our Our Lady by her son and has been venerated in the Church of St. Peter in Germany. It was originally inspired by a meditation of Saint Irenaeus (Bishop of Lyon and martyred in 202) based on the parallel made by Saint Paul between Adam and Christ. Saint Irenaeus, in turn, made a comparison between Eve and Mary, saying: “Eve, by her disobedience, tied the knot of disgrace for the human race; whereas Mary, by her obedience, undid it”.
The image gained popularity over the years, particularly in South America, where Pope Francis encountered it during his time in Argentina. He was struck by its symbolism and adopted the devotion to Mary, Undoer of Knots, as one of his personal devotions.
He is quoted in an address to the faithful at Saint Peter’s in Oct 2013; But we know one thing: nothing is impossible for God’s mercy! Even the most tangled knots are loosened by his grace. And Mary, whose “yes” opened the door for God to undo the knot of the ancient disobedience, is the Mother who patiently and lovingly brings us to God, so that he can untangle the knots of our soul by his fatherly mercy.”
Unlike many Marian devotions, the novena to Mary, Undoer of Knots emerged through Our Lady’s intercession, rather than an apparition, like Fatima or Lourdes.
My sister Denise saw me struggling with a situation, “a knot” in my life that was really causing me pain. We talked about it often as it produced many sleepless nights for me and worry. She sent me the above novena card and a rosary made out of red cord. I had never heard of this novena before but I was willing to try anything. When this knot felt too hard to bear I turned to our Lady in this devotion for help. I walked my neighborhood each morning with the rosary in one hand and the novena card in the other.
Each day started with the same opening prayer,
“Dearest Holy Mother, Most Holy Mary, you undo the knots that suffocate your children. Extend your merciful hands to me. I entrust to You today this knot [mention your request here] and all the negative consequences that it provokes in my life. ”Each day I walked I found myself crying out to Mary for help with these prayers. The prayer concludes with
”O my Lady, you are the only consolation God 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.
I took the picture above left to show my sister I was indeed doing the novena and sent it to her on the fourth day. I was not sure what would happen, if anything, but it was consoling to pray this novena with our Holy Mother each day. The eighth day of the novena opens with a prayer asking for our Holy Mother’s mercy so I stated my knot again. It followed with:
”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 God 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.”
No sooner had the words come out of my mouth, the knot that fastened the cross to the rosary came undone. I was stunned! I took a picture so I could show my sister. (see top right) Later that night, the news I had been waiting for to untie my knot came through. The actual intention I prayed for was realized…my knot was indeed undone! This may sound crazy but it is totally true. I had the most restful night in a long time.
The next day, which was the last day of the novena to my surprise was a prayer of thanksgiving. Our Holy Mother knew that I would want to show her the utmost gratitude for her intercession whereby Jesus released me from this knot. She even wrote the words for me. The prayer opens with, “Most Holy Mary, our Advocate, Undoer of Knots, I come today to thank you for undoing this knot in my life. 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.
More God-Incidences coming soon!