At a recent study Group, there was a discussion about the nature of Psalms and about how they can be used in our own praying. Psalms bring us close to the praying of Jesus and were his own ‘prayer book.’ We can approach the Psalms in whatever state of mind or being we are and there find comfort, love, challenge and a response to our own feelings and thoughts. In the Psalms we find honesty and a sense that whatever we are going through, good, bad and indifferent, we shall find God.
The study group leader suggested that the members might try to write their own version of a Psalm as a way of growing in understanding of both God and of self. The ‘Psalm’ which is offered here is one such response. It was Scarlet’s first offering of a ‘song to God’ from the centre of her heart.
There are echoes of Psalm 23, Psalm 138, and Psalm 8. The real echo comes from the hearing of God’s voice in a listening which needs silence for it to make the deepest impact on life, as it did, of course, to the writers of the Psalms in Old Testament times.
“The hedgerows are arching with dog rose blooms, buzzing with bees and heralding summer.”
My friend Gill has sent me this photo of a dog-rose growing in the Lakeland hedgerow near her home. It is a sign that summer is bursting forth in our part of the world, even though June rain storms try to tell us otherwise! The dog-rose is perfect for pollinators such as bees and later in autumn, as its blooms are transformed into rose-hips, it is a source of food for birds.
The legend that gave it its name is attributed to ancient times. It is suggested that the Roman naturalist, Pliny, encouraged a belief that the plant’s roots could cure the bite of a mad dog. Hence its botanical name is ‘Rosa Canina’. The plant was popular for treating bites from rabid dogs in the 18th and 19th centuries. Another view is that the name is related to the hooked prickles of the plant which have a look of dog’s teeth. It’s thorny, unruly stems make it an ideal hedge plant, giving it a density which allows it to do it’s job of protection. It may, of course, simply mean wild rose, of which there are several species, to differentiate it from cultivated and posher roses! Maybe that could remind us that wild beauty is a God-given pointer that Nature has its own way of painting our world with a rare and joyous beauty.
This can be related to some of the meanings of the dog-rose. One such meaning is that of ‘Purity’, especially in a religious and spiritual sense. It is also known for its ‘resilience’in that, whilst having delicate flowers, it can withstand harsh conditions. In affairs of the heart the Dog-Rose has been linked with ‘love and beauty’, in many cultures and mythologies. In Victorian times the flowers were given as a sign of affection which, if returned, suggested an interest in marriage. You can always trust the Victorians to find ways of expressing sentimentality.
Though there is no specific reference to the Dog-Rose in the Bible, it has been linked with the Rose of Sharon In the Song of Solomon 2:1, we read : I am the rose of Sharon, the lily of the valleys. Links have also been drawn with Isaiah 11: I – a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom, which has been interpreted as a reference to Jesus. There is no real link with the Dog-Rose in either passages and the Rose of Sharon is usually taken to refer to the plant, Hibiscus Synacus.
However, in one symbolic meaning of the plant, there is a direct link with Jesus Christ. The Dog-Rose is strongly associated with Rebirth-and Resurrection. This is partly because of its association with love and purity but it is also linked with a legend about the Crucifixion of Jesus. In this legend there is a suggestion that the tree was once very large and the wood was strong. It was thus able to be used in Crucifixion. According to the story it was the dogwood tree that was used to make the Cross on which Jesus was crucified. Because of this, it is said that God both cursed and blessed it. It was destined to be forever small so that it could never grow strong and tall again and be used as a cross for crucifixion. Also, its branches would be crooked and twisted which would make it useless for such a purpose. Then God also blessed it. It would produced beautiful flowers each Spring, white or pink, as a sign of Easter glory. God also made its petals in the shape of the Cross, each flower having four such petals. In the centre was a crown of gold.
Like all legends there are things that could be disputed but, legends are never made-up stories nor fanciful thoughts. They always contain a truth which, whilst sometimes clothed in mystery, leads us into a deeper understanding. God is always bigger than the words and thoughts we have of him and we would be wise to see His signs and hear His language in Nature and in the Cosmos and also in our hearts where God’s Spirit constantly dwells. So the lovely Dog-Rose has much to teach us and we who seek God’s truth have always more to learn.
In this spirit, I print below an anonymous version of the Legend. Make of it what you will but don’t just dismiss it for it may be that otherwise you will, to quote the poet Frances Thompson, you may miss the many splendid thing.
In Jesus’ time, the dogwood grew To a stately size and a lovely hue. ‘Twas strong and firm, its branches interwoven. For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen. Seeing the distress at this use of their wood Christ made a promise which still holds good: “Never again shall the dogwood grow Large enough to be used so. Slender and twisted, it shall be With blossoms like the cross for all to see. As blood stains the petals marked in brown, The blossom’s centre wears a thorny crown. All who see it will remember Me Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree. Cherished and protected, this tree shall be A reminder to all of My agony.
Ascension Day sunset over Epping in Essex, The sun reflects off the majestic tower of the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. The other views are of the glorious sky from Epping Town. The photographs were taken by my friend Sue Carter, a member of the Congregation.
Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son, dying, risen, ascending for us, who the heavenly realm has won; glory to the Holy Spirit, to One God in persons Three; glory both in earth and heaven, glory, endless glory, be.
[from the hymn : See the conqueror mounts in triumph, by Bishop Christopher Wordsworth – nephew of William & Dorothy. ]
Ascension.
Ascension means a God-like view of things, Rising above our usual limitations. Rise, then, and know The glory of life Set free from fear.
[Anne Lewin – Watching for the Kingfisher. published by The Canterbury Press, Norwich. available from various sources incl. Amazon]
Rosemary’s Quiet Garden at Dunmow, Essex. photo by Mr G.
Quiet Garden
In the Quiet Garden birds sing antiphonally in the monastery of the air.
Ducks murmur gossip across the pond informing prayer[!], as a bee hovers lazily over new mown grass.
Carefully manicured borders teem with joyful colour as plants flower, gratefully supping May-time air fuelling their thirst for new life.
Nearby, a church bell, a single, insistent chime, repeating, marking the moment; calling to prayer. Insects of varying kind respond, their plainchant lifting our souls.
Nature speaks to nature nurturing all Creation within, where God waits to draw us into the Divine heart.
Roses in the Garden at Dunmow. Photo by Mr G.
Mr G. 24th May 2025. [inspired by Rosemary’ Drew’s Garden at Dunmow, Essex, offered as part of the Quiet Garden movement, as a place of spiritual refreshment and re-creation]
Mr G's Ponderings 