Our Good Friday flower robbery.

I delight in seeing things grow.  I enjoy, flowers, fruit trees, gardens, yard work, etc.  So I am enjoying having a tiny plot in front of our front door to watch a few flowers grow.  Our calla lily is our special plant.  Heather's wedding bouquet had calla lilies.  And we enjoy caring for, watching, and waiting with anticipation for any new buds.  A few days ago it looked so beautiful glistening with raindrops that I took photos to share with you here.  Pardon the quality of the photos, but notice the third bud ready to open.

Today is Good Friday.  And this morning we looked out our front door and saw this.

A Catholic procession.  And then I saw this.

Someone had stolen all three of our calla lilies.  A little while later Sarah saw them in a vase in on the security guards' desk in the entrance to our apartments.  Yep, they were the same ones...the little bud and the two big blooms.  I told Heather that I was going to ask about it.  Heather said that she wanted to, so I let her.  Heather asked them where they got the flowers.  They said, "One of the residents brought them."  Heather said that someone took them from from our garden without asking us.  The guards said, "But these flowers are for the Virgin."  With their expressions saying that we should feel honored and happy -- end of story.  Heather let them know that they should still ask before taking our flowers and that this wasn't the first time that someone took our flowers.  Afterward she gave them some of her homemade candied almonds so they would know that we held no ill will.

I told our family that whoever took the flowers didn't have the blameless heart that King David had.  For he said that he couldn't offer a sacrifice to God that didn't cost him anything.  (2 Sam. 24:24)  It doesn't speak well of a god when it's followers can only choke up a stolen offering, or something lame, or just extras.  Also many other infamous crooks throughout history stole from people with the excuse of a higher cause such as giving to others.  [Think Robin Hood the hooded robber and Pablo Escobar the cocaine drug lord who would kill and steal yet give to the poor.  And Communism, etc.]  Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites and said they made void the law of God for their traditions.  Because they said that you could ignore your parents needs if you were going to give it as an offering to their religious coffers.  (Mk 7:11)  Today was a perfect teaching moment.

All in all it looks like we'll have to start enjoying our garden flowers in a vase on our table from now on.  Unless we want others to steal them to give them to the virgin and other needy causes.