Story of the Christmas Rose 

21st December 2020

Symbolizing ‘Hope, Love, and all that is Wonderful’

 
On a cold December night, everybody was coming to see their new Saviour and brought Him all kinds of gifts and presents. The three Wise Men came in with their valuable gifts of myrrh, frankincense, and gold and offered them to Baby Jesus. At that point, a shepherdess, Madelon, who had seen the wise men passing through, reached the door of the stable, to see the Child
 
However, being very poor and having brought nothing to offer to the child, she felt helpless and started weeping quietly at the sight of all the wonderful gifts that the Three Wise Men had got for the child. Earlier, she had searched, in vain, for flowers all over the countryside but there was not even a single bloom to be found in the bitter winter

An angel outside the door was watching over her and knew about her fruitless search. He took pity on her and, when he saw her head drooped down in sorrow, decided to help her with a little miracle. He gently brushed aside the snow at her feet and where her tears had fallen, sprang a beautiful cluster of waxen white winter roses with pink tipped petals. Then he softly whispered into the shepherdess' ear that these Christmas roses are far more valuable than any myrrh, frankincense, or gold, for they are pure and made of love

also published in Parish Life