On this day, we spent the morning in Ostia Antica, an ancient port city that was abandoned and never built over - good for seeing what Roman life was life back in the day. The second photo is the ruins of what is probably the first Christian basilica church there - very possibly attended by St. Augustine and his mother, St. Monica (though by their time this was not the only church they could go to). We then went to San Paulo Fuori le Mura (St. Paul's Outside the Walls), which is the site of the tomb of St. Paul. We stopped briefly at a place called Tre Fontane (Three Fountains), which is the place where St. Paul was beheaded, and according to the legend, when they chopped off his head, it bounced three times, creating three springs. There are three springs there, but they are within a church now, and they had a Mass going on, so we couldn't really get in (but I was able to buy some of that great monk-made beer). I don't have any photos of Tre Fontane handy, but like anything else, you can find pics online. We ended the day with a pizza making class with my good friend Chef Giuseppe. It was a long day, but with a lot of great stuff packed in.
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
The problem with us men is that often we don't have the wisdom to be a father until we're a grandfather.
This may sounds like some ironic statement that makes you nod your head in agreement but shrug your shoulders in resignation, thinking, well there's nothing we can do about that. But the practical application of that is that it demonstrates how important it is for kids to grow up around their grandparents. But as in our culture the family becomes ever more fractured and spread out, that is harder and harder to do.
Lately I've been thinking that part of the problem is the whole concept of college. It used to be that everyone thought a person had to go to college to make a good living. Not only is that not the case (truck drivers make more money than I do) but now college has gone from useless to actually ruining our kids. But when I went to college, what you were supposed to do is figure out what career you wanted (as if anyone knows that at age 18) and then go away to the college ...
And don't forget, if you would like to read my latest novel:
The Sword and the Clover - just let me know by email.
I'm happy to send you the PDF version, even if you haven't been a monetary supporter of the community - all I ask is that you don't share it with anyone else.
My email address:
Keep in touch!
JIm
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