Poems (Clark)/Saint Gregory's Guest
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SAINT GREGORY'S GUEST
Do you know the beautiful story,
So wonderfully tender and quaint,
Of Pope Gregory, famed for his goodness,
Now known everywhere as a saint?
So wonderfully tender and quaint,
Of Pope Gregory, famed for his goodness,
Now known everywhere as a saint?
'Tis a story worth the repeating,
For it tells of his service of love
To the sick, the sad and the weary,—
Born of love to our Father above.
For it tells of his service of love
To the sick, the sad and the weary,—
Born of love to our Father above.
His heart seemed a fountain of sweetness,
From whence like a rivulet flowed
A stream of kind words,—deeds of mercy,
On the sad and the storm-tossed bestowed.
From whence like a rivulet flowed
A stream of kind words,—deeds of mercy,
On the sad and the storm-tossed bestowed.
But of all these memories cherished,
The sweetest and dearest and best,
Is the one 'tis a joy to be telling,
How he welcomed an unbidden guest.
The sweetest and dearest and best,
Is the one 'tis a joy to be telling,
How he welcomed an unbidden guest.
One day, he had gathered around him
Twelve sad ones to comfort and cheer,
Whose lives had been darkened by sorrow,
And saddened with many a fear.
Twelve sad ones to comfort and cheer,
Whose lives had been darkened by sorrow,
And saddened with many a fear.
But when his guests all had been seated
At the table so bountifully spread,
And the words of thanksgiving been spoken,
That were said at the breaking of bread.
At the table so bountifully spread,
And the words of thanksgiving been spoken,
That were said at the breaking of bread.
In wonder he saw that a stranger
Had taken a seat with the rest,
And Gregory said, "In the name of the Lord;"
And thus welcomed his unbidden guest.
Had taken a seat with the rest,
And Gregory said, "In the name of the Lord;"
And thus welcomed his unbidden guest.
But his wonder increased when he noted,
By him only the stranger was seen;
And his heart glowed with tenderest pity
As he marked the man's sorrowful mien.
By him only the stranger was seen;
And his heart glowed with tenderest pity
As he marked the man's sorrowful mien.
When the supper was over, the stranger,
Stood, as waiting Saint Gregory's quest,
Who asked him in wonder the question,
"Who art thou who come as my guest?"
Stood, as waiting Saint Gregory's quest,
Who asked him in wonder the question,
"Who art thou who come as my guest?"
And the beautiful words of the answer,
Were like balm to the listener's heart,—
"My name is the Wonderful, ask and receive,
For a true faithful servant thou art."
Were like balm to the listener's heart,—
"My name is the Wonderful, ask and receive,
For a true faithful servant thou art."
"Thus in feeding the poor and afflicted,—
In speaking the comforting word,—
In sharing with others thy blessings,
Thou hast cared for and succored thy Lord."
In speaking the comforting word,—
In sharing with others thy blessings,
Thou hast cared for and succored thy Lord."
In amazement Saint Gregory listened,
Reverently bowing his head,
And when silence again fell around him,
The wonderful vision had fled.
Reverently bowing his head,
And when silence again fell around him,
The wonderful vision had fled.
But his heart kept the beautiful picture,
That grew dearer as year followed year;
He made life one continuous blessing,
And good souls hold his memory dear.
That grew dearer as year followed year;
He made life one continuous blessing,
And good souls hold his memory dear.