DESCRIPTION:
I. The francesillas [Ranunculus] --Buttercup 1. Although the francesillas are not aromatic plants, they are however greatly valued and they occupy a
preferential place in all the well ordered gardens. Except for the perfume, they have many qualities proper to a flower in a very high degree: beauty, variety of colours, small, but clustery in its leaves.
II. Religion
2. The francesilla has a bun-shaped small roots through which it nourishes itself; it rises up budded on a straight stem and this tells us that it belongs to the justice family. It rises upright and forced by the weight of its leaves it inclines towards the Sun of Justice. It rises straight towards God and gives God the tribute of honour, of glory, of love, of obedience and submission that is due to him. Religion is a moral virtue by which a person renders to the true God the due worship: devotion, prayer and supplications, the singing of hymns and psalms, sacrifice, gifts and offerings, oaths, vows and promises, our religious functions, the building of temples and altars, all to this virtue. He who has this virtue is religious.
III. Religion in Mary
3. Mary paid to the divine justice the tribute of love, adoration, obedience that she owed, not only for herself but for all mankind. She offered at the foot of the cross in voluntary sacrifice to her Son and to herself.
IV. The francesillas to Mary
4. Do you owe God anything? Ah! much, very much. You owe him first of all love, you owe him honour, thanksgiving, obedience, respect, prayers, praises, supplications... do you pay him? Do you pay him well? Meditate on it. Do you render to God the worship that is due to him? Examine your conscience well: take a walk in the garden of your soul and see how the francesillas are and see how you pay to God these tributes. In the middle of a plant sprout an insignificant stem and bud forth flower. It is not enough to have pleasant religious sentiments and hide them there: let your good works be seen, and your neighbours will glorify the Father who is in heaven: you must be public witnesses; in this manner religion ask of you.Take your francesillas and since they have no odours put the queen of flowers -- the rose -- in the middle, then put them in the hands of the gardener, Mary, and say to her:
Presentation of the flower
PRAY E R. Lady, receive my flowers, accept these resolutions of mine. I oblige myself to give you a public, sincere, unmistakable, and faithful testimony of love,respect, obedience, gratitude, and adoration to my
God at all times and under all the circumstances that religion prescribes to me. Receive my Gardener,
receive these resolutions of mine; to your care I entrust
the francesillas.