The Easter Tree

I love Dogwoods (Cornus florida)!  This picture below is the picture of one of oldest dogwoods on my family's property.  I thought I would share with you a great Easter legend about the flowering dogwood tree that my grandfather shared with me as we admired this dogwood on year during Easter.

The Legend of the Dogwood Tree

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."

The pink dogwood is said to be blushing for shame because of the cruel purpose which it served in the Crucifixion.

The weeping dogwood further symbolized the sorrow.

The red dogwood, called the Cherokee, bears the color to remind us of the blood shed by our Savior.

So as the dogwood's start blooming this spring, let them be your reminder of the great scarifice that our Savior made for you and me!  I hope this will make the flowering dogwood your favorite tree too!