4Real Forums: "I See His Blood Upon the Rose"

Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.

Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login

Domestic Church
4Real Forums : Domestic Church

Topic: "I See His Blood Upon the Rose"

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

Cindy Mac
Forum All-Star

Joined: April 21 2005
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 576

Posted: March 31 2007 at 1:27pm \| IP Logged

I just received an email with a poem that is timely as we enter Holy Week. I thought I would share it along with the meditations on the lines of the poem by Friar Jack. Enjoy, and have a blessed Holy Week and Easter.

“I See His Blood Upon the Rose”
by Joseph Mary Plunkett

I see his blood upon the rose
And in the stars the glory of his eyes,
His body gleams amid eternal snows,
His tears fall from the skies.

I see his face in every flower;
The thunder and the singing of the birds
Are but his voice—and carven by his power
Rocks are his written words.

All pathways by his feet are worn,
His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea,
His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn,
His cross is every tree.

Friar Jack’s line-by-line meditations

“I see his blood upon the rose”: When we gaze at a rose or any other part of this universe, we see not only the individual beauty of the rose, precious and awesome in its own right. We see also the intensity of God’s care behind that rose and behind the universe itself—an intensity revealed in Christ’s all-out, self-giving love, in his blood spilt for us on the cross.

“And in the stars the glory of his eyes”: In the stars we see not only the glory of his death and total self-giving. We see also the glory of his risen body and his death-conquering gaze.

“His body gleams amid eternal snows”: When we look at snowcapped mountains or other snowy vistas, we might see glimpses of Christ’s pale body, as when taken down from the cross—or his glorified, transfigured body shining brighter than snow. “His tears fall from skies”: Again, behind the lovely everyday processes of nature such as a spring shower, we can't help seeing the love of our Great Lover—and the tears he shed over Jerusalem or during his agony in the garden.

“I see his face in every flower”: Every flower, indeed everything in this universe, reminds us of Christ. As St. Paul tells the Colossians (1:16), “All things were created through him and for him.” We recall, too, that St. Francis saw in the beauty of flowers the One who is Beauty itself.

“The thunder and singing of the birds/Are but his voice”: Singing birds and all other sounds of nature communicate one thing: God’s great love for us.

“And carven by his power/Rocks are his written words”: Christ, the Word made flesh, is truly intermingled with the universe. Creation itself is a reflection of the Word through whom “all things came to be” (Jn 1:3).

“All pathways by his feet are worn”: At the Incarnation, God made this world his home. Every path, trail and road of this earth has taken on an elevated dignity and meaning because of the pathways Christ took while accomplishing his mission on earth. All paths remind us of the pathway he took to save us—the Way of the Cross.

“His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea”: In the sea pounding against the jagged coast, we get glimpses of Christ’s mighty heart pounding with love for us.

“His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn”: Every thorn is somehow intertwined with Christ's crown of thorns. Indeed, in every created thing we see Christ's saving love.

“His cross is every tree”: Behind every tree, we can see Christ’s cross—and the Creator's unconditional love.

__________________
Cindy - wife to Chris, mommy to my 4 sons!

Kellys Klassroom Korner
St. Anne's Academy

Paula in MN
Forum All-Star

Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064

Posted: March 31 2007 at 3:11pm \| IP Logged

This is beautiful - thanks Cindy!

__________________

Paula
A Catholic Harvest

Jane Ramsey
Forum All-Star

Joined: Jan 05 2007
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 652

Posted: March 31 2007 at 3:30pm \| IP Logged

Beautiful thoughts for Holy Week.

Tina P.
Forum All-Star

Joined: June 28 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1638

Posted: March 31 2007 at 5:30pm \| IP Logged

We have planned to illustrate every line that we can *see* of this poem this week.

__________________
Tina, wife to one and mom to 9 + 3 in heaven
Mary's Muse

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login
If you are not already registered you must first register

[Add this topic to My Favorites]

Printable version

Forum Jump

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com