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| St. Lidwina's Vision of the Rose Bush |
History
Saint Lidwina was born in the Netherlands in 1380. When she was 15,
she went skating with some friend, fell on the ice and became hurt deep inside
her body. Since X-rays hadn’t been invented, nobody could find the injury, and
people thought either she was making it up or that she was possessed by an evil
spirit. She couldn’t walk, her eyesight was bad, and she had terrible
headaches. Through all her suffering, however, Lidwina found holiness. She
successfully encouraged many sinners to turn to Jesus, and God granted her answers
to her prayers and visions. Once, her priest tested her by giving her an
unconsecrated host, but she knew immediately that it was not the Holy
Eucharist.
Activity
Once
when Saint Lidwina was feeling quite discouraged, she received a vision of a
flowerless rosebush with the words, "When this shall be in bloom, your
suffering will be at an end." Shortly before Easter some years later, she
saw the rosebush again, this time in full bloom. We will soon celebrate Easter
again, and on Good Friday this week, we remember Jesus’ suffering for our sins.
Today, purchase a rose still in the bud stage (a local florist or even a
florist shop in a grocery store should be able to provide one for you) and set
it in a vase on your table in anticipation of Good Friday.
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