’Tis the year’s midnight, and it is the day’s,
Lucy’s, who scarce seven hours herself unmasks.
— John Donne, “A Nocturnal upon St. Lucy’s Day,
Being the Shortest Day”
Afternoons end early, in December.
When the day dissolves in night, remember
Lucy, who took on the night,
embodied it in herself—removed her eyes,
and offered them to God, a sacrifice
tendered in the palm right hand.
Blind, she is the patroness of sight,
the incandescent porteress of light.
Meanwhile the other carrier of light,
the courier of darkness, Lucifer,
was dazzled blind by his own brilliance and,
seizing light-years of lumens, took them down
to decorate his sour December lair.
While from his midwinter home he watches her,
Lucy salvages the young sun, wearing
candles like starry flowers for a crown.
—Deborah Warren
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.
