The Lord gives strength to His people;

The Lord blesses His people with peace.

~Psalm 29:11

The “Passion” in “passion flower” refers to the passion of Jesus in Christian theology. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Spanish Christian missionaries adopted the unique physical structures of this plant, particularly the numbers of its various flower parts, as symbols of the last days of Jesus and especially his crucifixion. So it is that I offer up this passionflower from my yard to the risen Christ and ask that He draw near all those suffering losses as a result of the recent devastating tornados. I lift up also all the responders who give of themselves and their skills to help these victims. May all of these people and their families draw strength from You, Jesus, and may they find comfort and rest in the shelter of Your loving holiness.