The Agony of Victory

 Years ago, ABC ran a show every Saturday called, "The Wide World of Sports" which had an intro with a voiceover and repeating images of, "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." When Christ hung on the cross, it was seen at the moment to be the agony of defeat, but we know the rest of the story. To us, the agony of the cross leads to the thrill of victory.

From The Temple (1633), by George Herbert:

 

The Agonie.

 

        Philosophers have measur’d mountains,

Fathom’d the depths of seas, of states, and kings,

Walk’d with a staffe to heav’n, and traced fountains:

        But there are two vast, spacious things,

The which to measure it doth more behove:

Yet few there are that sound them; Sinne and Love.

        Who would know Sinne, let him repair

Unto mount Olivet; there shall he see

A man so wrung with pains, that all his hair,

        His skinne, his garments bloudie be.

Sinne is that presse and vice, which forceth pain

To hunt his cruell food through ev’ry vein.

        Who knows not Love, let him assay

And taste that juice, which on the crosse a pike

Did set again abroach;1 then let him say

        If ever he did taste the like.

Love in that liquour sweet and most divine,

Which my God feels as bloud; but I, as wine.