In June ~ Lilium Candidum ~ Madonna Lily

This is Lilium Candidum,  popularly called, Madonna Lily. I first experienced this plant, (sight and scent), years ago when I was a seminarian and visiting the Biblical Gardens at the Episcopal Cathedral of St John the Divine in New York City. Since then and whenever I've had my own garden, I've tried cultivating Madonna Lily which can be a little difficult because the bulbs are ideally planted in July so they can sprout a tuft of green leaves before the frost. It's hard to find a bulb company that will comply, insisting October is soon enough. I disagree. Anyway, this year, cultivating my garden behind an enclosing wall and having found a company that would get the bulbs to me sooner than October, I've had success. The waxy flower and the pleasing scent are a delight. Here's the bulb company's description of Madonna Lily.

In cultivation since the time of Minoans, 1500 years before the birth of Christ, this lily probably reached western Europe via Phoenician traders. From there it quickly naturalized throughout much of the continent. The outwardly facing pure white flowers with yellow throats adorn tall stems in early summer and gently perfume the garden. Each stem holds 8 to 15 funnel-shaped florets. 

I've written here a number of times over the years that prior to the English Reformation all the flowers of Europe had Marian associations — hence Marigold, Lady's Mantle, Lady's slipper, etc. Here of course, Madonna Lily refers to the Virgin Mary.

And here is a lovely image of the Annunciation painted by the Renaissance (16th c) Dominican nun, Sister Plautilla Nelli. The themes are traditional: Mary wears robes of blue and red. Her hands are folded across her heart. Gabriel's colored wings echo those of the archangel painted by Fra Angelico.  And for our purposes, Gabriel carries Lillium Candidum (Madonna Lily) symbolic of Mary's purity. But if I may, Mary's purity is much bigger than sexual integrity, but an anticipation of Christ's beatitude- blessing, "Blessed are the clean of heart." Mary is the first disciple. She blazes the trail, going ahead of us who hope to possess clean hearts — hearts without hatred, authentic, generous, Christ-attentive hearts. 

It pleases me to think

 that when God imagined this flower,

 God knew that it would one day be embraced as emblematic of the woman,

 who with a clean heart, 

fragrant with love,

 would be the Mother of God's ever progressing Word

become one of us.

On Entering A Church

 

Here is the door to the 11th century church (before 1086) in Gloucestershire, England — St. Edward aka The Parish Church of Stow-on-the-Wold. The great yew trees on either side of the church seem to have become part of the building itself. They have sent down deep roots — perhaps summoning us to be rooted in worship and the service of love. 

Traveling around England while a seminarian in the early 1970's and visiting so many of the great medieval cathedrals and churches, I came across the following prayer inside a door, like the door at St. Edwards. Maybe we could make a phone note (until we've memorized it) to pray upon entering our own church.  I wonder if we could give a copy to the pastor who might pass it on to the whole parish. It might cut down on some of the incessant and distracting talking which fills our churches before Mass. When I was a boy, church was silent as we waited for the bells which signaled the start of Mass. I fear we are rapidly losing our sense of the invisible and the vertical.

Enter Church

As if the floor

Within were gold,

And every wall

Of Jewels

All of wealth untold;

As if a choir

in robes of fire

were singing here.

Nor shout, nor rush,

but hush...

for God is here.

Intercessions ~ Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ

Eastern Christian altar prepared for Communion

   

Today we honor and pray for our fathers and grandfathers,/ but not only for them/ but for fathers everywhere,/ mindful of those who father young families,/ for fathers who have failed their families,/ for fathers who are exhausted,/ worried,/ away from their families,/ underpaid or addicted./ We pray to the Lord.

On the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ,/ we pray for ourselves and those who are with us at Mass today./ May we worship well,/ with attentive,/ inclusive,/ generous and clean hearts./ We pray to the Lord.

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving./ Grant that our Christian lives would be marked by gratitude,/ freed of complaint,/ entitlement,/ negative judging,/ cynicism and waste./ We pray to the Lord.

Eucharist is the sacrament of unity./ Our country refers to itself as one nation;/ our Church refers to itself as one faith./ We ask for the healing we need,/ weakened as we are by growing violence/ fear,/ suspicion and hatred of persons perceived as other./ We pray to the Lord. 

In the Eucharist,/ Jesus feeds us in our spiritual hunger./ We pray for those who are physically hungry,/ May we do what we can to help./ And we pray for those who hunger to be included,/ who hunger for peace,/ hope,/ meaning,/ justice./ We pray to the Lord.

Wendell Berry wrote,/ "There are no unsacred places; there are only sacred places and desecrated places."/ May we understand/ and care./ We pray to the Lord.

We pray for Pope Francis whose ministry is slowed these days because of knee problems./ We ask for his healing./ We pray as well for those who are against him,/ even clerics,/ and for those who hope he might be able to visit them soon in Canada and Africa./ We pray to the Lord.