Our trip began in Rome-glorious, ancient Rome! It was...expansive. Fast-paced. The people were ... elegant. Well-dressed. Proud. Rome is a large metropolis without skyscrapers. Its architecture grand, whether understated in its classicism or over-stated in its exclamation.
Our first stop in our self-guided-buy a bus ticket and hop on the #64 - tour was the Piazza Venezia. I read that if all roads lead to Rome, then this is the intersection for them all. It is overlooked by the Vittoria Monument which celebrates Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy who unified Italy in 1871, becoming Italy's first democratic king. And in a word, its redeemer.
This is a view from behind the monument, also known as The Typewriter. The area in the foreground is actually part of the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum. But before I proceed to a blog on the ancient ruins, I wanted to reflect on the magnificence of Rome and the triumph of unity that took so long to come to Italy after the Empire fell.
In its grandeur and glory, both past and present, Rome stands tall and proud. The city does not lie dormant in the shadow of its history; Rome still reaches upward to make a shadow that the rest of the world can fade into. But only in Italy, I think. I admire her spirit, her beauty. I respect her dignity and awe at the wonder of what she was and still is today.
Why did she fall? Why did it take hundreds of years to unify a country with mutual bonds of religion, cultural heritage, and hated oppressors. According to the historians, the cities warred among themselves, fueled by an insatiable lust for supremacy and power that would crush and humiliate its neighbors. Neighbors who would have been helpful allies against foreign invaders, if alliances had been sought.
The pride of Rome, of Florence, and of Siena built walls and towers of isolation that crumbled beneath enemy threats. One guide book stated that Romans are somewhat embarrassed by the Vittoriano monument, also known as the Republic Memorial. Is it because it is a reminder of the necessary humility of mutual dependency? That the Holy Roman Empire's pride became its downfall?
For me, it is a reminder not to build walls and towers of isolation from my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. That the pride that elevates my accomplishments crushes my connection with the body of believers by stifling the tender spirit of Christ within. My enemy will certainly assault me, and I am no match for him alone. I may piously state my dependence on Jesus Christ alone, but the truth is that He dwells in my fellow believers and works through them to meet my needs, strengthen my faith, and secure the victories that are promised through faith in Him.
My Victor Emmanuel is Jesus, and He secured my freedom and victory on the cross. I became a little stone in the house/kingdom He is building on July 2, 1970, when I was just five years old.
Ephesians 2: 20-21 says, "We are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. We who believe are carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord." (NLV)
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