Flowers of Lent and Crying Babies

Tradition holds that St. Patrick used shamrocks to explain the mysteries of the Christian faith to the people of Ireland. In the New World, Spanish missionaries used the passion flower, which is indigenous to the tropical Americas, in much the same way.
The priests christened the flower they encountered in the Caribbean “la flor de las cinco llagas” — the flower of the five wounds — for its various parts were seen as symbolic of various aspects of Christ’s crucifixion.
The spiraled tendons of the plant were taken as symbols of the lashes Christ endured, and the central flower column as the pillar of the scourging. The 72 radial filaments of the flower were seen as the crown of thorns; the three stigmas as symbols of the nails used in the crucifixion, as well as the holy Trinity; the five anthers, as the five wounds of Christ; and the style as the sponge doused in vinegar used to moisten Christ’s lips. Taken together, the five petals and five sepals were used to refer to the ten apostles who did not either betray or deny Christ. The fragrance of the flower helped recall the spices used to embalm the body of Christ.Finally, its globular egg-size fruit was taken as a symbol of the world that Christ saved through his suffering.

We celebrated the 2nd Sunday of Lent today. Our Mass was a little different than usual. Our new Priest likes to baptize babies during the Mass...not after like Priests before him. We had a set of beautiful twin boys. They looked like they were just weeks old. Dressed in little satin suits. Tiny bald heads.Proud parents, God parents, and a row of family behind them. A little boy about four was in the group also. The Mass started in the back of the Church, where Father blessed the babies and they were brought forward. The family sat down and the music began. Not only the beautiful soprano and organ, but the music that only twins can make. The cried and cried all during the Mass. What sets of lungs those babies have! Family looked a little frazzled...passing them from one to another. The howling continued. Father was reading and the little boy decided to venture out of the pew and joined him up front. Grandma went up to the rescue. The Grandma started out the door with one of the howlers and Father said, "Not so fast...we aren't finished." He was smiling...he has the happiest face. When the baptism was over the babies were taken out the door. At the end of the service the family entered again to go to communion. The babies were little angels and not a peep was heard. We older women looked at each other and thought how precious these little bundles were but...we agreed that we are glad that those days are behind us and the young women can take over the reigns of childcare during Church.

Balisha