On a warm and sunny day, usually between Palm and Easter Sundays, stores will have displays of Easter plants out front where shoppers will be sure to see them: potted daffodils, hyacinths, tulips and lilies. This weekend, one store with the million products, offered large, purple, heather plants which the honey bees quickly discovered. You could hear the bee-buzz while some feet away.
The honeybee is privileged in producing the wax that's used for the making of altar candles. Indeed, the honey bee gets a shout-out in the Easter Night Exsultet which sings praises to the great candle:
On this, your night of grace, O holy Father,
accept this candle, a solemn offering,
the work of bees and of your servants' hands,
an evening sacrifice of praise,
this gift from your most holy Church.
But now we know the praises of this pillar,
which glowing fire ignites for God's honor,
a fire into many flames divided,
yet never dimmed by sharing of its light
for it is fed by melting wax,
drawn out by mother bees
to build a torch so precious.
Honey bees have been symbolic of a high functioning monastery where (bee-hive like) every monk has his job which he performs virtuously.
In ancient Greece the honey bee was symbolic of the life of solitude as bees would take up residence and build nests in caves and hollowed out tree-trunks.
We may put the two images together: the monk in solitude - alone with God. And there is something of the monk in each of us. Saint Symeon tells us a bit about it in his short poem.
Solitary, one who is unmixed with the world,
and continually speaks with God alone.
Seeing he is seen, loving he is loved,
and he becomes light glittering unspeakably.
Blessed he feels himself more poor,
and, being close, yet goes as stranger.
O miracle strange in every way and inexplicable!
For immense richness I exist penniless,
and having as I think nothing, possess much,
and I say, I thirst, in the midst of waters.
P.S. Honey Bees are called the "Heroes of our Planet" for their pollination-gift which makes flowers, fruits and vegetables possible. As the honey bees go - we go. But they are disappearing for our obsession with insecticides. We might have a care.
Honey bees have been symbolic of a high functioning monastery where (bee-hive like) every monk has his job which he performs virtuously.
In ancient Greece the honey bee was symbolic of the life of solitude as bees would take up residence and build nests in caves and hollowed out tree-trunks.
We may put the two images together: the monk in solitude - alone with God. And there is something of the monk in each of us. Saint Symeon tells us a bit about it in his short poem.
Solitary, one who is unmixed with the world,
and continually speaks with God alone.
Seeing he is seen, loving he is loved,
and he becomes light glittering unspeakably.
Blessed he feels himself more poor,
and, being close, yet goes as stranger.
O miracle strange in every way and inexplicable!
For immense richness I exist penniless,
and having as I think nothing, possess much,
and I say, I thirst, in the midst of waters.
P.S. Honey Bees are called the "Heroes of our Planet" for their pollination-gift which makes flowers, fruits and vegetables possible. As the honey bees go - we go. But they are disappearing for our obsession with insecticides. We might have a care.
