Here is the most beautiful passage in Sirach that I just never knew was there. I came across it yesterday, and have been thinking about it since. It is an ode to Our Lady, though, of course, Sirach did not know it then. She is likened to many different, and beautiful trees. The verse itself seems to be a bit breathless in searching for more and more ways to praise her. You are like this, and this, and this.
"I have struck root among the glorious people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage. Like a cedar on Lebanon I am raised aloft, like a cypress on Mount Hermon, Like a palm tree in Engedi, like a rosebush in Jericho, Like a fair olive tree in the field, like a plane tree growing beside the water.” Sirach 24:12-14
I researched the trees and found to my wonder that the symbolism is astounding. And in art, Our Lady sometimes looks like a sheltering tree - like a Cedar of Lebanon or a tall and noble Cypress.
The Cedar of Lebanon is a large tree that has flat, large, shading branches to hide under from the blazing heat of day. Our Lady.
The Cypress of Mt. Hermon can be seen from far away. It grows tall and gorgeous on the Mt. of the Lord. Our Lady.
The Palm Trees of Engedi always grow where the oasis is in the desert. Travelers can see it from far and know that here is where the water is. Our Lady.
The rosebush of Jericho is not like our rose bushes. It grows in the desert and needs hardly any water. It can also be transported to different locations. As soon as it is touched with water, it blossoms immediately and turns green. Then it closes again waiting. Our Lady's Fiat.
The Olive Tree is loved for its healing, food, comfort, and oil for light. Our Lady.
The Plane Tree has the brightest and most beautiful leaves. It grows always near running streams and gives great shade. Our Lady.
Our Lady is our shade in the desert, our sign on the mountain, showing us where water may be found, showing us how to be open to grace whenever and wherever God sends it. She is a cool shade in temptation, an oil of kindness when we need her. She is the most beautiful of our human race ever fresh and ever green.
This was one small verse in the Bible that I had never seen before and it was full of images to meditate upon. It also tells us to look closely at the created world around us. where God is waiting to be found.
The Living Word of God.
I absolutely love the images included in this story - I never saw most of them before today and I hope to keep this article available to look at them again
This is a beautiful article.
Thank you so much.
As always, your observations and expressions of them for others offer encouragement and joy for my soul!