A crimson surcoat aptly suits victorious
kings. This royal victor, as a joke,
is clothed by mocking soldiers in a cloak
that rightly marks him both a prince and glorious.
O precious purple drops, so fill my head
that, as I contemplate your mystery,
you draw a thousand crimson tears from me,
my eyes dyeing these Carmelite robes red.
Your bloody hue attests our sins are tied
to the Lamb’s back by the Father, and Christ takes
our crimes upon his shoulders for our sakes.
O Christ, O holy Lamb, consent to hide
all my red sins (hell’s birch rods) deep within
the bloody folds of the mantle of your skin.
You have a decision to make: double or nothing.
For this week only, a generous supporter has offered to fully match all new and increased donations to First Things up to $60,000.
In other words, your gift of $50 unlocks $100 for First Things, your gift of $100 unlocks $200, and so on, up to a total of $120,000. But if you don’t give, nothing.
So what will it be, dear reader: double, or nothing?
Make your year-end gift go twice as far for First Things by giving now.
