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Travel offers endless blessings, from people, places and things to contemplation.
And so it was, while walking around Rome (with Stuart Harvey [1]), we stopped to discuss the Arch of Titus [2].
Stuart described Titus’s triumphal arch to us, including “the spoils of Jerusalem”. It was constructed to commemorate Roman victories, including the Siege of Jerusalem [3].
While Stuart eloquently described Titus, I recalled Christ’s words in Luke 19:41-44 [4]:
41 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 43 The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. 44 They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”
and, Matthew 23:37-39 [5]:
37 “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. 38 Look, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’[a]”
Good Friday. Holy week timeline.
[2] Arch of Titus via duckduckgo.
[3] The Siege of Jerusalem – wikipedia. duckduckgo
[4] Luke 19:41-44.
[5] Matthew 23:37-39.
[6] Da Vinci’s Last Supper (Milan): duckduckgo.
I found Elizabeth Bruenig’s recent article: “A Benedictine retreat from political life cannot be the answer for today’s Christians.” interesting.
