Gemstone Meanings : Reflections on the Gemstones of the Months and Their Significance

Discover the gemstone meanings of 12 precious stones here. According to ancient tradition assigning certain gemstones to certain months. Gemstones, especially their colors, have stood for certain virtues and values from ancient times.

Never should we look upon the wearing a gemstone necklace, or rosary as a “charm,” but always as a sacred symbol of the supernatural protection offered directly by our Triune God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. Gemstone rosaries and jewelry provide a constant physical reminder of the love and fidelity we share with Almighty God and the communion of saints. When an object blessed, it becomes the bearer of a blessing, a sacramental. As an antidote to pagan practice, here is the Christian view of gemstones and their meanings taken from “My Prayer Book: Happiness In Goodness, Reflections, Prayers & Devotions” by Fr. Lasance, with our own pictures added.

Gemstone Meanings in January: Garnet Perseverance; Constancy.

“He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved” (Matt. x. 22).
“Step by step one gets to Rome.”
“Little strokes fell great oaks.”
“Through difficulties to the stars.”

February: Pearl — Faith and Innocence

“The kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it” (Matt. xiii. 45, 46).

The one pearl without price is the true faith and the state of grace. Guard this treasure carefully. Sacrifice everything to preserve your faith and the grace and love of God.

March: Hyacinth — Moral Beauty and Moral Goodness

“Beauty without virtue is a rose without fragrance.”— French Proverb.
“How goodness heightens beauty.” — Hannah More.
Goodness is beauty and real happiness is found in goodness.

Hyacinth is a rare gemstone sometimes called Jacinth. It is a lustrous orange-yellow, orange-red, yellow, or yellow-brown type of zircon.

April: Diamond — Purity and Fortitude

Perform your actions with a pure intention, not out of human respect, but for the love of God. Do what is right because it is right Have the moral courage to stand up for your convictions. If you are conscientious, you cannot but have some character.

Diamonds come in a variety of colors: pinks, blues, even yellow.

Gemstone Meanings in May: Emerald — Faith in God and Faithfulness in Friendship

” An emerald of light” — Coleridge.
“Faith in God is our beacon light in the storms of life; our strength and consolation in the greatest trials.
“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”
“Adversity is the touchstone of friendship.” Anon.

June: Amethyst — Peace of Mind; also Sincerity

Be sincere, truthful, honest, and fair to all; be the master of your passions and emotions; be intent on doing God’s will; preserve a clear conscience; then you will have peace with God and man.
“I feel within me
A peace above all earthly dignities,
A still and quiet conscience.” — Shakespeare.
“He who reigns within himself, and rules passions, desires, and fears, is more than a king.” —Milton.

Gemstone Meanings in July: Ruby Success; Devotedness to Duty

“What things a man shall sow, those also shall he reap. In doing good, let us not fail; for in due time we shall reap, not failing” (Gal. vi. 8, 9).
“Brethren, be not weary in well-doing” (2 Thess, lII 13) Success is ordinarily the reward of merit. Our eternal reward, however, will be most assuredly in proportion
to our deserts. We can all become saints with the assistance of God’s grace. Whatever we shall enjoy in heaven we are earning now; and if in eternity we shall not be numbered among the saints, the fault will be our own. Do well whatever you do, and do it all to please God.
“Think of heaven with hearty purposes and peremptory designs, to get thither.” — Jeremy Taylor.

August: Sardonyx — Felicity; Conformity to the Will of God

One who loves finds it sweet to do the will of the person loved.
“Make up your mind,” says Fenelon, “always to conform your will to the most holy will of God, then shall you ‘taste and see that the Lord is sweet.'”
“He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me. And he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father; and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him” (John xiv. 21).
“Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord ! And our heart is restless until it rests in Thee.” — St. Augustine.

September: Sapphire — Divine Love and Mercy. Love and Repentance in Man

God is love, as St. John tells us: God is our Father.
“The Lord is sweet; His mercy endureth forever”(Ps. xcix. 5).
“A contrite and humbled heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise” (Ps. L 19).
“I say to you, that even so there shall be joy in heaven upon one sinner that doth penance, more than upon ninety-nine just who need not penance” (Luke xv. 7).

Gemstone Meanings in October: Opal — Happiness of a Pure Life; also Hope

Opal is known for its unique display of flashing rainbow colors called play-of-color.
“OH, HOW beautiful is the chaste generation with glory, for the memory thereof is immortal; because it is known both with God and with men” (Wis. iv. 1).
A pure life insures happiness here below and gives a man the right to entertain the hope of eternal blessedness.
“Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord; or who shall stand in his holy place? The innocent in hands and clean of heart” (Ps, xxiii. 3, 4).
“The chaste generation triumpheth forever” (Wis. iv. 2).

November: Topaz — Divine Providence; Resignation; Fidelity

Be faithful to your duty and abandon yourself to Divine Providence.
“We know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good” (Rom. viii. 28).
Divine Providence watches over every creature. “The very hairs of your head are all numbered,” says Our Lord (Luke xll 7).
“To preserve peace in time of trouble our will must remain firm in God, and be ever directed toward Him, that is, we should be disposed to receive all things from the hand of God, from His justice, and from His bounty, with humble submission to His blessed will. Good and evil, health and sickness, prosperity and adversity, consolation and dryness, temptation and tranquillity, interior sweetness, trials, and chastisements, all should be received by the soul with humility, patience, and resignation, as coming to us by the appointment of God. This is the only means of finding peace in the midst of great troubles and adversities.” — Bishop Challoner.

Gemstone Meanings in December: Turquoise — Piety; Fervor in God’s Service; Prosperity.

Motto: All in God; all with God; all for God !
Deus mens el omnia ! My God and my all !
~ St. Francis of Assisi.

“With two wings a man is lifted up above earthly things,” says Thomas a Kempis; ” that is, with simplicity and purity. Simplicity must be in the intention, purity in the affection. Simplicity aims at God. Purity takes hold of Him and tastes Him.”

“Religiousness shall keep and justify thy heart; it shall give joy and gladness” (Ecclus. i. 18).

“Piety is profitable to all things” 11 (Tim. iv. 8).

“The just shall flourish like the palm-tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus. They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God” (Ps. xci. 13, 14).

“To be faithful in little things is a great thing,” says St. Augustine; and, “to maintain fervor, ” says Father Petit, S.J.

“it is a good plan to choose one exercise, however small, and to perform it every day in the best manner possible.” Let us perform some pious exercise, or say a little prayer, for instance, the Memorare, every day, with great fervor, to obtain the grace of perseverance and a happy death.

“Only serve Jesus out of love, and while, your eyes are yet unclosed, before the whiteness of death is yet upon your face, or those around you are sure that that gentle breathing is your last,’ what an unspeakable surprise will you have had at the judgment seat of your dearest love ! ” — Faber.

“Let us pray, and, like sowers sowing their seed, let us not faint; the time when we shall reap is not far distant.” — St. Augustike.

One day we shall look up into the face of our dear Lord; may He then say to us: “Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord” (Matt. xxv. 23).

At VIRGO SACRATA we specialize in custom design religious jewelry, custom rosaries and chaplets. Our in-house studio gives us total control over the production process to create well made unique rosaries. Our designer rosaries incorporate rosary parts made from Gold, Sterling Silver, Solid Bronze, or Brass with a wide selection of the high-quality semi-precious gemstones, and natural pearls sourced around the world.

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