Franciscan Focus

Just a simple blog of a Secular Franciscan trying to live with a Franciscan focus.
(And one of these days I'll fix the template and add a Search feature. :-P)

19 June 2006

Rosy ruminations 

As I've Wanted To See The Danged Roses In Bloom at a nearby public garden for quite a long time, Husband Mike finally indulged me this past Saturday afternoon (yay!), and so off we went to wander amid the blooms.

As we meandered, I thought about the rose in comparison to other flowers. I'm not dissin' daisies, lilacs, or cherry blossoms, mind you. It's just that whenever I think of flowers, they fall into two categories: Roses, and All The Other Flowers ... sort of like Mary, and all the other saints. Every one exquisite, beautiful, unique, and giving glory to God in their own right. And yet, the Rose has priority, just as Our Blessed Lady has priority.

And then I started thinking of all the associations between Our Mother and roses ... of how her apparitions are frequently accompanied by the scent of roses ... the Rosary ... and all the rose-related titles that've been applied to her.

So, I thought it fitting to weave some of those titles (more here) among the pictures we took. (And look! No fingers over the lens! That's a personal best for me.) Hope you enjoy them. :-)

Rose giving back to all the destiny of salvation
Rose giving back to all the destiny of salvation

Rose soothing the afflicted
Rose soothing the afflicted

Fragrant rose of the heavenly court
Fragrant rose of the heavenly court

Rose ever blooming
Rose ever blooming

Rose ruddy in trampling vices
Rose ruddy in trampling vices

Rose white in purifying the affections
Rose white in purifying the affections

Rose of paradise, transplanted into this valley of tears
Rose of paradise, transplanted into this valley of tears

Rose in whose gentle bosom God was laid
Rose in whose gentle bosom God was laid

Mystic rose in the flowering garden of the Church
Mystic rose in the flowering garden of the Church

Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord!
Bonus robin picture: "Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; cry out to the rock of our salvation. Let us greet Him with a song of praise, joyfully sing out our psalms." (Psalm 95)

Labels: , ,


2 Comments:

Blogger Bego said...

brilliant. truly a gift to your readers'.

20 June, 2006 17:29  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lisa these are gorgeous! I love "naming" the Roses too after various titles of our Lady!

21 June, 2006 13:02  

Post a Comment

<< Home