Christus Consolator

Rossiter Worthington Raymond (1840–1918)

BESIDE the dead I knelt for prayer,

And felt a presence as I prayed.

Lo! it was Jesus standing there.

He smiled: “Be not afraid!”

“Lord, Thou hast conquered death we know;

Restore again to life,” I said,

“This one who died an hour ago.”

He smiled: “She is not dead!”

“Asleep then, as thyself did say;

Yet thou canst lift the lids that keep

Her prisoned eyes from ours away!”

He smiled: “She doth not sleep!”

“Nay then, tho’ haply she do wake,

And look upon some fairer dawn,

Restore her to our hearts that ache!”

He smiled: “She is not gone!”

“Alas! too well we know our loss,

Nor hope again our joy to touch,

Until the stream of death we cross.”

He smiled: “There is no such!”

“Yet our belovèd seem so far,

The while we yearn to feel them near,

Albeit with Thee we trust they are.”

He smiled: “And I am here!”

“Dear Lord, how shall we know that they

Still walk unseen with us and Thee,

Nor sleep, nor wander far away?”

He smiled: “Abide in Me.”