St. Peter once: ”˜Lord, dost thou wash my feet?’””
Much more I say: Lord, dost thou stand and knock
At my closed heart more rugged than a rock,
Bolted and barred, for thy soft touch unmeet,
Nor garnished nor in any wise made sweet?
Owls roost within and dancing satyrs mock.
Lord, I have heard the crowing of the cock
And have not wept: ah, Lord, though knowest it,
Yet still I hear thee knocking, still I hear:
”˜Open to me, look on me eye to eye,
That I may wring thy heart and make it whole;
And teach thee love because I hold thee dear
And sup with thee in gladness soul with soul,
And sup with thee in glory by and by.’
–Christina Rossetti (1830-1894)
Amen. God bless you Christina. You were all of the sweetness of catholic Anglicanism in verse.
I am no Rossetti fan, but this is good strong wine, vigorous and intense. L
I am a St Peter fan – of all the disciples, he seems the most “human,” he seems to struggle the most with trying to understand Jesus as the way – you’ll never wash my feet – oh, well if you have to wash my feet for me to be a part of you, then wash my head and the rest of my body, too – oh, you only need to wash my feet to make your point for us to love one another as you have loved us, so that the world will know us as your followers – oh, washing feet will do all of that? Isn’t it amazing how God took this wonderfully flawed blustery man and made in the Rock of our church. Isn’t it amazing how God takes all of us wonderfully flawed people and uses us to do his will, even when we don’t know it – just like Peter. Maybe we should all learn to trust HIM a little more. God bless and may our sorrow today rise to the joy in 3 days.