Poetry · Chapter
After an Old Legend explained
A monk in prayer encounters the Master in his cell, but is interrupted by the convent bell calling him to feed the poor.
What happens
A monk in prayer encounters the Master in his cell, but is interrupted by the convent bell calling him to feed the poor. He reluctantly leaves to perform his duty, fearing the Master will be gone when he returns. Upon returning, he finds the Master still waiting, who reassures him that those who serve the poor serve Him. The chapter reflects on the tension between devotion and duty, and the promise of Christ's abiding presence.
Themes in this chapter
Love as Ultimate Strength
Love rises in the monk, wrestling with Duty, and ultimately motivates his service to the poor.
Redemption and Grace
The Master's patient waiting and promise of abiding presence illustrate grace and the assurance of redemption for those who serve.
Characters to notice
- The Master
Appears to the monk in his cell, waits for him to return from feeding the poor, and speaks words of reassurance.
- Unknown
The monk who prays, leaves to feed the poor, and returns to find the Master still present.
- Jesus Christ
Referenced in the narrator's reflection on Christ's words about the poor and His abiding presence.
Key passages
“Then Love rose in him passionate, And with Duty wrestled strong; And the bell kept calling all the time With merciless iron tongue.”
A powerful feeling of love surged within him, struggling intensely with his sense of obligation, while the bell relentlessly summoned him.
The internal conflict between love and duty is dramatized by the persistent bell.
“He said, “My poor had not to stand Wearily at thy gate: For him who feeds the shepherd’s sheep The shepherd will stand and wait.””
The Master told him that the poor would not have to wait long, because the shepherd waits for those who feed his sheep.
The Master's words affirm that service to the poor is service to Him, and He will wait for the faithful.