Dom Donald's Blog: May Flower 2

Monday 12 May 2008

May Flower 2

We are into Pentecost-tide and I would also like to wish you the Glories of May. But thereby hangs an ongoing discussion. When I wrote about, “Not casting a cloot until May is oot”, it was pointed out that it does not refer to the Calendar Month of May but to the MAY FLOWER.. When May Flower has blossomed we can put off our winter garments. Being curious to which flower is the May Flower I was happy to be

informed that it was the LILY OF THE VALLEY. Significantly it has not yet appeared.

But a friend of the first elderly lady has since

stated that the May Flower is the HAWTHORN Flower.

(Natural History Source names the Lily of the Valley and gives the Alternative as Hawthorn - so they were both right).

The Hawthorn is the MAY TREE. The first SPRIG to flower is presented to a loved one and it becomes part of MAY DAY celebrations.

I therefore scoured our Hawthorn hedgerows but there is NOT YET any sign of the flower in bloom. So we have keep our SHIRT on yet a while, and keep watch. This, 13 May is extremely late for the appearance of the Lily of the Valley or the flower of the Hawthorn.

Another name for the little white flowers is “MARY’s Tears”. When Mary wept at the Passion of her Son her tears became the May Flower.

I am told that there is a Website ‘the Garden of Mary’ giving traditions associating particular flowers with the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Today, 13^th May, being the commemoration day of Our Lady of Fatima, the Holm Oak figures as the tree of the Appartions.

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Bernard 900 at Citeaux

O.C.S.O. Order of Cistercians
of the the Strict Observance

Vocations Year 2012-2013

The ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entry into the Abbey of Cîteaux

Monday, 06 August 2012

On the occasion of the ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entry into the Abbey of Cîteaux, Dom Olivier, abbot of Cîteaux, has asked us to pass on the following invitation to all the members of the Order:

Our community is going to celebrate the ninth centenary of St Bernard’s entering Cîteaux (1112 or 1113?). To mark the event, we are setting up a campaign of prayer for vocations, from 20^th August 2012 to 20^th August 2013. We invite you to join us with this prayer:

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Most gracious Father,
in setting up the New Monasteryour fathers followed the poor Christ into the desert.
Thus they lived the Gospel
by rediscovering the Rule of Saint Benedict in its purity.

You gave Bernard of Fontaine
the ability to make this new life attractive and appealing to others,
in the joy of the Holy Spirit.

Grant that we today, after their example,
may live our charism deeply
in a spirit of peace, unity, humility,
and above all, in the charity which surpasses all other gifts.
May men and women of our time
be newly called to follow the Gospel in monastic life,
in the service of the Church’s mission,
and in a world forgetful of You.

Remember Lord, Cîteaux,

where Bernard arrived with his companions.
May the brothers there
continue to live in the enthusiastic and generative spirit of the founders.

Remember all who live the Cistercian charism.

Remember all Cistercian communities,
those which are aging and those newly-born,
in all parts of the world, north and south, east and west.

Let them not lose courage in times of trial,
but turn to her whom Bernard called the Star of the Sea.

Holy Father,
from whom we have already received so much,
grant us again your blessing
that our communities may grow in numbers,
but above all in grace and in wisdom,
to your glory,
who are blessed for ever and ever.

Amen.

900 years, anniversary

Bernard arrived 1112-1113

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fra_bartolomeo_02_Vision_of_St_Bernard_with_Sts_Benedict_and_John_the_Evangelist.jpg