Why the Easter Lily and Not the Dandelion

Historically, the Easter Lily has been used to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope for life everlasting. Churches line their altars and surround their crosses with masses of Easter Lilies.They are beautiful and I am certainly not going to take away any of the symbolism that goes along with the flower in reference to what it represents for many Christians. I will, however, compare the resiliency of the dandelion to the perseverance of Jesus Christ, and pose the question "Why the Easter Lily and Not the Dandelion?"

Easter Lily (Photo credit: photoholic1)

 Beautiful? Yes. The Easter Lily or Lilium Longiflorum has been established throughout the centuries as a symbol of purity, grace, and the regal lifestyle. It is a suitable reminder of the greater meaning of Easter. Often called the "White-Robed Apostles of Hope" they are exquisite and carry an inspirational meaning for many. Rumored to be found in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ died on the Cross, they can be found along the altars and donning the interior of many churches throughout the Easter season. A native of Japan's Ryukyu Islands, the flower was discovered in 1777 by British plant explore Carl Peter Thunberg. Sent to England in 1819 they reached Bermuda in the mid-1800s, and was called the "Bermuda lily." It was destroyed by a virus and the production of the plant was resumed exclusively in Japan. The plant gained the name Easter Lily as a result of being transported from Bermuda to Philadelphia where a local florist forced the flowers to bloom in spring, originally blooming in the summer, and people purchased them for Easter solidifying their popularity as Easter flowers. There is a poem that I came across that best explains the importance of the Easter Lily.

Nature's Perfect Gift

Easter morn with lilies fair

Fills the church with perfumes rare,

As their clouds of incense rise,

Sweetest offerings to the skies.

Stately lilies pure and white

Flooding darkness with their light,

Bloom and sorrow drifts away,

On this Holy hallow'd day.

Easter Lilies bending low

in the golden afterglow,

Bear a message from the sod

To the heavenly towers of God
.
-Louise Lewin Matthews

Dandelion / Diente de León (Photo credit: Guillermo Fdez)

Beautiful? Yes, but not as exquisite as the Easter Lily. Still, a masterpiece created by our Father all the same. Dandelion or Taraxacum is considered by many to be a nuisance, including myself. Dandelion derives from a french word meaning "lion's tooth," and is easily noticeable by the white fuzz on top of it that is the pollination and this is how the dandelion spreads. It is very hard to get rid of if you don't want it around. Take for instance, I mow my yard on Monday. I try to remove the roots of the dandelions that I see in hopes of eliminating them. After spending my afternoon trying to rid these pesky weeds, I am finally satisfied that it has been accomplished. The very next day, I walk out to my front yard only tyo find that the number of dandelions have multiplied drastically. For all of the flaws that I can find with the dandelion, the benefits are just as noticeable. The resiliency of this species is amazing. I take the time to pull, cut, and spray weed killer in hopes of never seeing these again, and they still return. The fertilization process is also an awe-inspiring phenomenon called double fertilization. 

Once again, the Easter Lily will probably always be the recognized flower of this season. As to the comparison of the perseverance of Jesus Christ and the resiliency of the dandelion, this is my take. 

No matter what we do to avoid the tugging of our heart strings by God calling us back home, no matter how many times we deny hearing that voice inside pleading with us to ask forgiveness for our sins and allow Jesus Christ to become our Savior, no matter how many times we turn our backs and continue trying to find something in this life to fill that "God-shaped" hole, He still remains a part of us. God still longs for a relationship with us. He is still rooted within our hearts, and continues to spread His love for us throughout our beings in hopes of breaking through that hard shell we have built. As to the fertilization process mentioned above, this is another lesson. The dandelion spreads tons of petals or florets many directions establishing life in areas far away. God asks that we do something similar. He asks that, we as disciples, spread the good news of Jesus Christ to all corners of the earth. We as disciples, are to make disciples in order to create life where life is not. That life being the only there is, an eternal life with our Father in Heaven.

The question still remains, "Why the Easter Lily and Not the Dandelion?' More importantly, there is lessons to be learned in all that we do. Beauty can be found in everything, and God is everywhere. All things in His creation are of importance, and the value can be found by us if we listen and learn.