Tuesday, December 13, 2011

For Saint John of the Cross: the Apple Tree and the Eglantine



In the Advent section of my garden the Apple Tree and the Eglantine grow side by side. I planted the Apple Tree nine years ago, and very deliberately, for St. John of the Cross. The Eglantine appeared from nowhere around about the same time. All I can think is that a passing bird had dropped a rose hip some years previously.. At the time I had already written the entry for Saint John in my first book and it was about to be published.

I shalll visit the garden tomorrow, even if it is raining, because today I was reminded by something that I myself had written in 2001, that there is a connection between the Apple Tree and the Eglantine:
"In his commentary on his poem 'The Spirtitual Canticle', St John explains that the apple tree represents the Cross, and the rose tree, the understanding, memory and will of the soul'"

Both are mature plants now, the apple about seven feet in height, and the eglantine, more spready, shrubby, and very thorny, about four, and huddled against the trunk of the former as if for guidance and protection.

The recording in the video above is beautiful to my ear and only marred by the singer's failing to separate 'the' and 'apple' from one another , so we get 'Jesus Christ the-yapple tree'. Nevertheless the rest of it is so beautiful that I gladly forgive his infelicitous lapse  in enunciation!

Nothing to represent the rose tonight. Maybe tomorrow..

God bless.

2 comments:

A Catholic Comes Home said...

Just lovely.

Lee Farrar Bailey said...

Thank you for your commentary, critique and compliments. May God bless you. Sincerely,
Lee Farrar Bailey