The Legend of the Cardinal

“God saw all that He had made,
 and it was very good.”
 Genesis 1:31

"According to an old legend,

the brilliant red feathers

of the beautiful

Cardinal

were once

an unremarkable dull

brown color.

When the little bird

came upon the scene

of the crucified Jesus

his tiny heart

became heavy with

deep sorrow

and compassion.

He alighted upon 

a nearby tree branch

and began to sing,

lamenting...

his tiny heart

beat with sorrow...

at the broken body

of the dead Lord..

A single drop

of the Savior's precious

blood

fell upon the

weeping bird...

His dull brown feathers

transformed 

to a beautiful

bright scarlet red,

a perfect match

for the tiny crown

of glory

rising from his head. "

-Author Unknown

The blood of Christ, Thy spotless Lamb,
O God, is all my plea;
Naught else could for my sin atone;
I have no merit of my own,
Which I can bring to Thee.

No sacrifice save His Who bore,
My load upon the tree,
No other plea which lips could frame,
No other blood, no other name,
Accepted is by Thee.

Since Christ has entered by His blood,
The holiest on high;
By that same hallowed blood stained track,
Thou welcomest the wanderer back,
And biddest me draw nigh.

Oh, wondrous cross! Oh precious blood!
Oh death by which I live!
The sinless One, for me made sin,
Doth now His wondrous heart within,
Eternal refuge give.

By that blest cross, that cleansing blood,
I know His power to save;
The merits of His work confess,
I stand in Him completely blest,
A conqueror o’er the grave.

Words By 

W. S. W. Pond

1901.

Music By

Frederick C. Maker

1887

Unlike most songbirds in America,
 both the male and female
 cardinal can sing.
 However, the
male does most of the singing!

"If a cardinal flies into your life, expect a
change for the better in 12 days."
-Cardinal Folklore

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.

He gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
 -Cecil F. Alexander