Don’t be afraid; and never yield to hate,
whilst knowing love, appearing so pristine,
contrasted to a thing as desolate
as death, that faker some men think supreme,
as if it were the arbiter of time.
When trapped, I feel all enmity and loss,
and disillusion like a nauseous crime
against the innocent—but see a cross;
And think of how He suffered there, alone
and as a man, but more. To writhe, and fail,
and give himself away as if unknown,
beyond all pain and suffering. Each nail
they used, each hurt, a thing that he forgave;
To be the love that has no end, or grave.
—David Condell
We launched the First Things 2023 Year-End Campaign to keep articles like the one you just read free of charge to everyone.
Measured in dollars and cents, this doesn't make sense. But consider who is able to read First Things: pastors and priests, college students and professors, young professionals and families. Last year, we had more than three million unique readers on firstthings.com.
Informing and inspiring these people is why First Things doesn't only think in terms of dollars and cents. And it's why we urgently need your year-end support.
Will you give today?
