First Things RSS Feed - Helen Pinkerton https://www.firstthings.com/author/helen-pinkerton en-us Copyright 2025 First Things. All Rights Reserved. ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:55:45 -0500 https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png First Things RSS Feed Image https://www.firstthings.com/rss/author/helen-pinkerton 60 On Taddeo di Bartolo’s “Triptych of the Madonna and Child” https://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/01/on-taddeo-di-bartolos-triptych-of-the-madonna-and-child https://www.firstthings.com/article/2014/01/on-taddeo-di-bartolos-triptych-of-the-madonna-and-child Wed, 01 Jan 2014 00:00:00 -0500 Her face is singularly simple, and His
Seems unaware of the inscription written
Across the scroll His hands unfold to us,
Words spoken to Moses from the burning bush:
“Ego sum Qui sum.” And “Venite ad Me.”
Jerome himself once said that to profess
Truly the triune mystery is to admit
We cannot comprehend it, nor does the mother,
It seems, nor Child. And yet we know the Child,

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]]> Metaphysical Song https://www.firstthings.com/article/2006/04/metaphysical-song https://www.firstthings.com/article/2006/04/metaphysical-song Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 -0500 First principle,
Being’s pure act,
Infinite cause
Of finite fact,

Essential being,
Beyond our sight,
Without which, nothing,
Neither love nor light,

Only through You
Love’s infinite power
Brings into being
Atom and flower.

Only through You,
Infinite light
Illuminates
Both seen and sight,

Beckoning us”
Alert, awake”
Along the way
That we must take,

Resting in this:
The journey’s true,
First, midst, and last,
Grounded in You.

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