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FRIENDS OF The M.I. CENTER MARY'S GOLD: by Brother John M. Samaha, S.M., Marianist Community, Cupertino, California While the Virgin Mary probably possessed no gold to smooth her life in the household of the Holy Family, she wears a crown of gold that circles the earth. Flower gardens around the world blaze with golden blossoms that honor her. Every marigold is a living memorial to her, a token of veneration and praise. We have no certainty how the small golden flower was named for Mary. In any event, the name of this flower was established early in the development of England as a nation, the England that became to be known as "Our Lady's Dowry." And history does offer a few clues of why this particular flower was selected to honor Our Lady. Perhaps the most important is that the plant called Marygold frequently appeared in bloom at Ladytide, that is, it bloomed during each of the festivals in honor of Mary. At that time, the flower given her name was the most abundant source of golden blossoms. Later, botanists gave the plant the formal scientific name, calendula officinalis, the calendar flower, but the flower came into prominence only after it was christened as a living memorial to Mary. Few plants achieved greater esteem. Flower petals, both fresh and dried, were used to give color and flavor to many types of soups and drinks. The flower was so widely used as a condiment that it was known as "herb-general of all pottage." Medieval physicians listed the marigold as a medicinal plant. A medical book dated 1578 declared, "The conserve that is made of floures of Mary-goldes cureth the thrembling of the harte." Even in the wars of the 20th century, English soldiers were given medicinal oil extracted from modern varieties of the marigold. Present day scientists are still awed by the marigold. Some botanists believe the flower holds the key to a few baffling problems of the plant world. People of science were interested in the golden flower centuries before it attracted the attention of western Christians. To a degree quite unique among medieval plants, Mary's gold exhibited a strange sensitivity to light from the sun. Today botanists refer to the marigold's movement as phototropism (light turning). Most, if not all, plants arrange their leaves, blossoms, and stems in response to light. Conspicuous movements by the marigold and sunflower simply dramatize a process taking place more slowly among practically all green leaf organisms. If the secret of the marigold could be unlocked, we would know how light energy stretching 93 million miles from the sun influences the movement of plants on earth. But that riddle may not be solved in our lifetime. Today few gardeners grow the exact plant to which earlier generations gave Mary's name. Contemporary flower lovers usually identify marigolds into African and French varieties. No matter what its variety, the marigold is rich in symbolism of Our Lady. The gold petals are likened to rays of light crowning her head, the prodigal color related to the generous giving of herself to God's plan. Sometimes described as "the flower of grief," the marigold actually weeps on occasion. Droplets gather in the flower during the night and drip off like tears when it opens in the morning. This characteristic moved Shakespeared to write in A Winter's Tale, "The Marygold that goes to bed with the sun, And with him rises weeping." Grief mixed with joy, poverty linked with abundance of good gifts--that is the marigold's reflection of the Lady for whom it is named. If peoples and nations could achieve the spirit of Our Lady whom this flower commemorates, all life would take on new meaning and purpose. This ordinary and humble plant serves as a vivid and perennial challenge to new adventures of mind and spirit in fulfilling the Creator's will. |