We praise You for these gifts,
Light-giver,
Sound of joy,
Wonder of being alive,
Hope of every person,
and our strongest Good.
~St. Hildegard von Bingen
purpleliciousness
color of robe given Christ
in passion’s demand
~Natalie Scarberry
The flower in my photograph is a passion flower (passiflora incarnata.) Besides being breathtakingly beautiful there was a time long ago when Catholic missionaries connected certain aspects of the passion flower with Christian beliefs. To them the ten petals of the flower represented the ten apostles in Christianity excluding St. Peter and Judas. The vines of the plant symbolized the whips that were used during the flagellation of Christ. One of the major characteristics is the hundreds of filaments on the flower that symbolized the Crown of Thorns. The five anthers were associated with the five sacred wounds of Christ. The flower contains three stigmas that reflected the three nails that were used for Christ’s hands and feet during his Crucifixion. There is a floral component that resembles a chalice-like ovary that has been supposed to symbolize the Holy Grail. The religious symbolism and associations that had been brought to attention once gave the missionaries faith and comfort for their efforts in spreading Christianity to the indigenous cultures of South America. The Jesuit Missionaries transported color drawings and dried versions of the plant back to their country where a Spanish herbalist named Nicolas Monardes was the first to document the plant and write about the qualities of the flower, indicating that it was a powerful plant and that it carried a symbolic relationship with Christianity.
The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe. ~John 19:2 ✝
Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you save, you heal, you restore, and you reveal Your Father’s heart to us! You have captured me with grace and I’m caught in Your infinite embrace! Like Saint Hildegard Lord, may I too be a feather on your holy breath and spread, like seeds, the gospel abroad.
Sacred Touches 
“purpleliciousness” Love that word and love this post! 🙂
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Thanks, Skye. My made up word just seemed to fit that amazing flower so well. Love and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Just beautiful Natalie!
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Thank you, Diana. I’m glad you liked it. Hugs and love, Natalie 🙂
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Thanks, Diana. Hugs, 🙂
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boy are we on the same page—I wrote tomorrow’s post earlier today using one of the “songs” of dear Hildegard. Brenton and Abby, plus one of their friends, was coming to dinner tonight so I knew I wouldn’t have time this evening.
May I say that we are simpatico my friend! 🙂
I enjoyed the story behind the passion flower–as I love the connection between our faith and the handiwork of our Father. . .
and sorry about the snake, but I had to share the encounter 😉
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Yes, we are muy simpatico on lots of occasions. Hey I’ve put you through a few spidery posts so it’s only fitting that I should endure one about snakes. I’m so impressed at your lack of fear of them. A garter snake crawled on my sandaled foot one day in the yard and from all the screaming and running I was doing you’d have thought it was a boa constrictor or something equally large and nasty. My neighbor’s young children got a big laugh out of my antics and wanted to know which direction the snake went in. Like I gave a bit rat’s behind. I was just glad it was gone and hope it would never return again. I know they are good for the garden but I don’t need to know where there are. They can just work away behind the scenes all they want and we’ll both be happy campers. Enjoy your visit with the newlyweds and their friend. Love and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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Gorgeous passion flower…Love the photo.
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Thanks, Charlies. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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I don’t think that I’ve ever seen a close-up of a passion flower before. I enjoyed scrolling back and forth between the picture and your description of what the various parts of the flower represented.
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I’m glad you could look and identify some of the parts mentioned. I adore this flower. It’s exotic, it’s strange, it’s stunningly beautiful, and I love that someone connected it with the Christ. Hugs, Natalie 🙂
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I love that word! It should be a real word. Beautiful post! 😀
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It should, shouldn’t it?! I think we shall just have to make purpleliciousness a word then!!! Love and hugs, N 🙂
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OH yes! Let’s use it! 😀
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I do all the time and you may use it whenever you like too. Love and hugs, N 🙂
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Oh good I was going to reblog it on Pink tonight. I will go back and do that. I love all your stuff. So positive and lovely! 😀
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So-o beautiful!
Hugs,
Tricia
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Thank you, Tricia. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Blessings and hugs, Natalie 🙂
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