I kindly remember the wise sage advice of Father Ed Hays from our Archdiocese. Father Ed referenced a legend of ancient Greece of the story of Gordius who was chosen to be king of Phrygia. Gordius had a prized wagon that he dedicated to Jupiter. So, Gordius ingeniously fastened the yoke of the wagon to a beam with a rope woven of bark; one that no one could ever untie. The rope and its gordian knot became famous.
When Alexander the Great was shown the knot, he was also told the prophecy that accompanied it: “whoever unties this knot will reign over the whole eastern world.” Alexander looked at the rope with its complicated knot and said, “well then, it is thus that I perform the task,” and after he said that he drew his sword and cut the rope in two.
It is from Alexander's legendary and radical solution to the impossible task that we have the expression “to cut the gordian knot.” This saying implies that one gets out of a difficult situation with one decisive step, resolving the problem swiftly in a manner that handles the problem, but possibly not in the best manner, but definitely a forceful one. How frequently do parents, teachers, pastors, or anyone in a position of power use Alexander's method for solving problems? Is making a quick forceful decision the best one? How might we know in this new year a better approach to our daily concerns?
How easily do most of us get “tied up in knots” as we attempt to resolve difficulties in our own lives? Instead of untying the knots within us, we often pull back in resentment, anger or rejection, and oftentimes seek other ways to deal with our frustration such as social media, drinking, or just being a grump. Any effort to resolve a problem without compassion, holding tightly to his or her own point of view, only pulls the rope tighter as knots are simultaneously formed in our minds.
In the Feast of the Epiphany which we just celebrated, the Christ child was adored by kings because he was recognized as the King of Kings. In the person and life of Jesus was found the answer to the ancient riddle of the gordian knot, and the prophecy, “whoever unties the knot will reign over the whole world.” If we allow Jesus into our lives as our King, and strive to follow His way of life, we will find that with an unknotted heart, any problem at hand will untie itself if we are patient and place it in the hands of God and in His time.
God Bless,
