students of jesus

Don't let the lyrical Italian name fool you: Christina Rosette was British through and through. Her father was Italian, and a poet, but Rossetti’s upbringing and environs were solidly the stiff-upper-lip stuff of 19th century England.

Her verse has been chopped into bite-sized pieces and to this day shows up on Hallmark cards and sappy Facebook memes. Her true story—and her work—are much deeper. Peeking through the British reserve and stylistic sound of long-ago, we can still discover the thoughts of a disciple.

The disciplines of meter and rhyme sound strange to our modern ears. Indeed, these devices remind us of greeting cards and simple-minded expressions. Our work today is to look beyond these biases and hear the voice of a devoted follower of Jesus, who still speaks today:

Uphill

Does the road wind up-hill all the way?
    Yes, to the very end.
Will the day's journey take the whole long day?
    From morn to night, my friend.

But is there for the night a resting-place?
    A roof for when the slow dark hours begin.
May not the darkness hide it from my face?
    You cannot miss that inn.

Shall I meet other wayfarers at night?
   Those who have gone before.
Then must I knock, or call when just in sight?
   They will not keep you standing at that door.

Shall I find comfort, travel-sore and weak?
   Of labour you shall find the sum.
Will there be beds for me and all who seek?
   Yea, beds for all who come.