Hello Faith Pals,
Tomorrow is the first day of Spring! Bit chilly this morning, but isn’t it lovely seeing the flowers in the garden. Some of our hardy purple irises have made their way through the ground. Purple irises are a symbol of royalty. Irises are also connected to stories of gods and legends/myths. The word comes from the Greek word for ‘rainbow’ (to signify the many colours it can be, and for its role in Greek mythology). According to legend, the name ‘iris’ is derived from Eiris, the Greek goddess, whose role was being messenger between the gods in heaven and the creatures on earth. When the colorful lines of the rainbow turned up, the goddess was on her way to earth to convey a message, the rainbow being the colourful robe of Eiris. Purple irises were planted over the graves of women to summon Eiris to guide the dead in their journey. This idea of the rainbow is very different from our own understanding of the rainbow, a reminder of God’s covenant with us.
In ancient Egyptian times, the iris was regarded as a symbol of wisdom, faith, and valor. Sometimes an iris was placed on the sceptre of the Egyptian kings, and is even chiseled on the brow of the Sphinx. During the Middle Ages, the meaning of irises became linked to the French monarchy, and the Fleur-de-lis became the recognized national symbol of France. For many years, irises were used in perfume, and as medicinal remedies. In Chinese culture the iris is regarded as a summer spirit, because its petals, moving in the wind, resemble butterfly wings. The iris has a place in Christianity too, because the iris is linked to the Virgin Mary. It is said that the sword-like appearance of its leaves resembles the sword of grief that ripped at Mary’s heart when Jesus was crucified. Throughout its history, the hardy iris has come to mean faith, hope, and wisdom.
Some of us associate the iris with Vincent Van Gogh:
His painting Irises held the record for the most expensive artwork in 1987, when it sold for $53.9 million (US).
The painting was among nearly 130 artworks Van Gogh completed during his stay in an asylum at Saint-Remy, the year before he died. It was the first painting Van Gogh started after arriving at the asylum. The flowers were growing in a garden in the small outdoor area where the artist was allowed to stroll and sit.
Well, there you have it! I would hand you all a fresh purple iris if I could! I give God credit for its beauty, and we could ‘Christianize’ it further by looking at its purple colour, knowing we follow Christ the King. We, as his children, are royal too. (Having just found out there is a Siberian iris called the ‘Shaker’s Prayer’-we could say that this is truly a flower associated with religion, as well as with mythology/legend/history!)
‘For flowers that bloom about our feet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet,
Father, we thank Thee.
For the song of bird and hum of bee,
For all things fair we hear or see,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
For blue of stream and blue of sky,
Father, we thank Thee.
For pleasant shade of branches high,
Father, we thank Thee.
For fragrant air and cooling breeze,
For beauty of the blooming trees,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.
For this new morning with its light,
Father, we thank Thee.
For rest and shelter of the night,
Father, we thank Thee
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends,
Father in heaven, we thank Thee.’
(Emerson)
Gosh, I had much more to say, but will hold those things over until Friday. I’ll just leave you in the garden!
Blessings and love
Barbara