The Dogwood

The dogwood trees in East Tennessee have bloomed. The flowers have had their peak and now have almost faded completely away. On this Good Friday, however, the blossom of the dogwood will forever remind me of the passion, crucifixion and death of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, for our sins so that we may one day have eternal life with him in heaven.

 While I was away two weeks ago at the spiritual retreat Cursillo, I was blessed with the opportunity to photograph many beautiful dogwood blossoms at their peak. On this holy day of remembering Christ's death on the cross, I leave you with these images from my time at Cursillo.

  I also share "The Legend of the Dogwood." May God's peace be with you all.

Legend of the Dogwood

"At the time of Crucifixion the dogwood had been the size of the oak and other forest trees. So firm and strong was the tree that it was chosen as the timber for the cross. To be used thus for such a cruel purpose greatly distressed the tree, and Jesus nailed upon it, sensed this. In His gentle pity for all sorrow and suffering Jesus said to the tree: " Because of your regret and pity for My suffering, never again shall the dogwood tree grow large enough to be used as a cross. Henceforth it shall be slender and bent and twisted and its blossoms shall be in the form of a cross--two long and two short petals. And in the center of the outer edge of each petal there will be nail prints, brown with rust and stained with red, and in the center of the flower will be a crown of thorns, and all who see it will remember."