The Lily of the Valley is one of those plants that demands very little and although it looks fragile with its thin stems adorned with tiny white bells, it withstands a variety of conditions each with complete humility. It is a sight and an abundant scent to behold and enjoyed, especially after rainfall or morning dew. These characteristics resonate beautifully with its symbolism as Mary’s tears shed at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. It definitely wasn’t the end, the best was to come, and still is, with the promise of happiness returning, gently nodding to Christ’s second coming when all tears will be wiped away.

The Lily of the Valley is mentioned in the Bible several times, most often used to describe love. The white sweet scented flowers are a sign of purity lending to this flower being given traditionally as a gift to celebrate the birth of a child or as a wedding gift, where it would be planted in a newly wed’s garden as a symbol of the renewal of love. One of its other characteristics is that it is a fairly rampant plant and hard to contain – how much more so should we reflect these qualities and resist containing our joy, gifts and the love found in and through Christ.

“I’ve found a friend in Jesus, He’s everything to me,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;

The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see

All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole.

In sorrow He’s my comfort, in trouble He’s my stay;

He tells me every care on Him to roll.

He’s the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,

He’s the fairest of ten thousand to my soul”.

(Extract from a hymn by Charles W. Fry)