Saturday, August 8, 2009
Feast of Dominic, Priest, Founder of the Order of Preachers, 1221

If it be all for naught, for nothingness

At last, why does God make the world so fair?

Why spill this golden splendor out across

The western hills, and light the silver lamp

Of eve? Why give me eyes to see, and soul

To love so strong and deep? Then, with a pang

This brightness stabs me through, and wakes within

Rebellious voice to cry against all death?

Why set this hunger for eternity

To gnaw my heartstrings through, if death ends all?

If death ends all, then evil must be good,

Wrong must be right, and beauty ugliness.

God is a Judas who betrays His Son,

And with a kiss, damns all the world to hell,—

If Christ rose not again.

... Anonymous, Unknown soldier, killed in World War I, included in Masterpieces of Religious Verse, James Dalton Morrison, ed., New York: Harper & Bros., 1948, p. 205 (see the book; see also 1 Cor. 15:13-17; John 11:25-26; Acts 17:31; Rom. 4:24-25; 8:11; 10:9; 1 Thess. 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:3-5; more at Beauty, Death, Easter, Eternity, Resurrection, Sight, Wrong)

 
Compilation Copyright, 1996-2024, by Robert McAnally Adams,
        Curator, Christian Quotation of the Day,
        with Robert Douglas, principal contributor
Logo image Copyright 1996 by Shay Barsabe, of “Simple GIFs”, by kind permission.
Send comments to curator@cqod.com.

Last updated: 04/11/19

Fun stuff

Tweet this      

     CQOD is now available to include on your personal home page, blog, or church web site—perfect for a sidebar.
     To display CQOD on your web site, updating daily, copy the line below and paste directly into the position that CQOD should appear:

     <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cqod.com/js/"></script>

     To display this particular quotation on your web site, copy the line below and paste directly into the position that CQOD should appear:

     <script type="text/javascript" src="https://cqod.com/js/index-08-08-09.js"></script>

     For more information, see CQOD Web Home

    Previous day’s CQOD (John of Damascus)
    Following day’s CQOD (Meynell)
    This month’s CQODs

 
    CQOD for today
    CQOD on the go!
 
    Use our double opt-in listserve to receive CQOD by email
 
    CQOD daily index
    All monthly archives
    What’s New on CQOD
    Author index
    Title index
    Poetry index
    Scripture index
    Subject index
    Search CQOD (or see below)
    CQOD Blog
 
     CQOD RSS
 
     Facebook CQOD Fan Page  
     Follow CQOD on Twitter  
     Follow CQOD on Instagram     About CQOD
    CQOD on the Web
    CQOD FAQ
    CQOD Liturgical Calendar
 
    Mere Christianity: a conversation
    Simple Songs for Psalms
    Quotations Bible Study
    Essays Archive
    Bookworms
    Spotlights
 
    Publications:
    Jonah: a miracle play
    Ruth: a play
 
    Also visit these organizations:
    Arab Vision
    Crescendo
    Oratorium
    More devotionals
 
    Search CQOD: