A Tongue of Honey

http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com/pics/Saint_Ambrose_of_Milan_Holy_Spirit.jpg

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending the Antiques and Garden Fair at the Chicago Botanic Gardens with my fifteen-year-old.  I am not an 'antiques addict' but I do enjoy browsing through them to see what people have kept, what has survived the years (sometimes miraculously) , and what simply piques my curiosity.  Among the many beautiful items was a 5-foot tall image of St. Ambrosius hand-woven from some kind of grass or reed in the early 1900's.  What caught my attention was not that I recognized that it was St. Ambrosius (because I surely did not); rather it was the mitre and bishop's staff, and the fact that a religious image was amongst the many secular items at the fair.  In his upraised hand he was holding a beehive and he himself was also designed to be a hive!  The piece had never been utilized as a hive and was in pristine condition.  What was the significance of the beehive, I wondered?  After a search of several sites online, I discovered the legend that as an infant "a swarm of bees settled on his mouth as a prophecy that he would be gifted with eloquence."  (www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/1207.shtml)  It is also felt that the honey left by the bees on the infant's tongue "lead to the unusual sweetness in his lyrics...."  (swarm-catcher-lel.blogspot.com/2009/02/st-zosima-and-st-savatii-my-favourite.html)
Here are some additional notes of biographical interest:

>St. Ambrosius, more commonly known as St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan
>feast day is December 7 (recognized by the Church as his day of consecration)
>one of the 8 Great Doctors of the Church
>elected bishop while still a catechumen (such was his eloquence with the people!)
>responsible for the conversion of St. Augustine
>accredited with the Ambrosian chant and many Latin hymns
>spoke against the Arian heresies of his time
>known as the patron saint of beekeeping 

My son asked me on the way to the fair, "Why are we going to this again?"  I cheerfully responded that it would be a 'feast for the senses':  a myriad of colors, designs, and textures; the scents of antiquity and fresh flowers; a taste of wine to enjoy while browsing (for me, anyway); the conversations of visitors and vendors.  Little did I know that God would also plant a seed that would lead to learning about one of the Doctors of the Catholic Church!  I leave you with a prayer that we may follow the example of St. Ambrose's eloquence with people and in defense of our faith, and that our words may always be perceived as sweetness to the ears of others.