Right now, dozens of glorious purple blooms grace a trellis in our back yard. This Passion Flower vine is a timely reminder of the pain Jesus suffered on our behalf two thousand 
Easters ago.
Though the versions of the Passion Flower legend vary slightly, the basic facts are the same. A priest in the early 17th century, overwhelmed with the beauty of the flower, likened its parts to elements of Jesus’ suffering – His passion for us.
The stemmed ovary resembles the cup Jesus used to establish the Lord’s Supper. The purple filaments or corona represent the crown of thorns pressed onto His brow. The three pistils remind us of Jesus’ stigma or the wounds caused by the three nails. And the five stamen point to the five wounds of Christ.
The Passion Flower has significant health benefits. Its compounds are often used to treat nervous system issues like nervousness, anxiety, and panic attacks. The passion flower is also used to treat shingles, epilepsy, asthma, and circulatory issues.
As we approach Good Friday, let’s take time to remember the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. While we were yet in rebellion, Jesus submitted His bruised brow to the sharp thorns. While we still sought our own way, He willingly allowed His hands and feet to be nailed to the cross. We did not seek after God, yet He loved us.
God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8, NIV
The Passion Flower may have properties that benefit some illnesses, but in His death, Jesus Christ has the power to heal us completely.
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;
The punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6, NIV
Sin is an ailment that afflicts all of us. Each person who has ever lived falls short of God’s perfection (Romans 3:23) and has therefore earned spiritual death (Romans 6:23). But because God loves us, He provided a way to give us eternal spiritual life through the death of His Son. Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross paid the penalty our sin earned. Salvation is a free gift from God given to those who put their faith and trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Have you ever accepted that free gift? If not, don’t let another Easter go by without making that decision. Find out more about a saving relationship with Jesus now.
I’ve always loved the passion flower…and now I know why! Thank you for sharing its symbolic beauty with us. I am so thankful for Christ’s love and sacrifice for us. It is incredible when we pause to truly think about it. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Amazing!
Blessings to you this Holy Week!