Why Did He Give His Life Poem by Francis Duggan

Why did he give his life for the likes of me
Nailed to a timber cross on Calvary
Since I to him do never pray
The great one born on Christmas Day.

For the sins of humanity he died
By his fellow humans crucified
But perhaps were he alive today
He would die in a similar way.

We still have crimes against humanity
Save a thought for the poor refugee
Who risked his life in an overcrowded and an unsafe boat in search of a safe sanctuary
And locked in a detention centre for entering the Country illegally.

We still have innocent people taken captive and put to death
Nor are we likely to forget
The likes of Ken Bigley quite a good living man
And that marvellous and saintly woman Margaret Hassan.

We still have acts of terror and war waged in God's name
By hypocrites ignorant of their shame
And the winners still write the history as they say
And for their crimes are not made to pay.

It all seems very wrong to me
That millions are dying of hunger and in poverty
Whilst thousands grow poorer for every new millionaire
Doesn't life viewed in that way seem unfair.

Why did he give his life for the likes of me
Nailed to a timber cross on Calvary
Since I to him do never pray
The great one born on Christmas Day.