Deep Dive
Shownotes Transcript
Hey, John Dixon here with a brief Undeceptions single, which we're going to slot in between our full Monday episodes. Some listeners no doubt have way too much on their minds at the moment to want an intrusion like this, and that's totally cool. I don't want to bug you.
But maybe others, certainly I've been asked if I could do this, maybe others would want some ancient wisdom on living through times of illness and disease. It's certainly something the first Christians grappled with, and some of what they did was remarkable.
As our hospitals in the US, UK, New Zealand and Australia move into emergency protocols, I can't help thinking about the first public hospital, so far as we know, established by an incredible woman in Rome in the 4th century. Fabiola was ancient Rome's wealthiest woman. She was actually from one of the seven founding families of Rome.
And in the mid-300s, she became a Christian as an adult. Her story is sort of sad and long one. She had an abusive husband and because of her connections with the emperor, she was able to get permission for a divorce. Good on her. And in that kind of searching period, she read the Gospels, met Christians and was...
captivated by the powerful, gentle one she found in the Gospels. Anyway, as she read the Gospels, she was sort of overcome by the sense of Christ's love and his call to love. And her response kind of changed Western history. She sold her vast holdings, which, as the wealthiest woman in Rome,
sort of unimaginable amounts of money. And she used the money for Rome's poor. And one of the most lasting and history-changing things she did was establish the first hospital. I mean, hospitals were known in armies, of course, but it was a completely novel idea to open a hospital in one location available for everyone. That just did not exist in Fabiola's day.
We actually have a contemporary account of Fabiola's life from a letter written by her mentor, the great biblical scholar Jerome. Let me just read a couple of paragraphs. "Fabiola broke up and sold all that she could lay hands on of her property. And when she had turned it into money, she disposed of everything for the benefit of the poor. First of all, she founded an infirmary." That's her hospital.
and gathered into it sufferers from the streets, giving a nurse's care to poor bodies worn with sickness and hunger. Maimed noses, lost eyes, scorched feet, leprous arms, swollen bellies. How often she carried on her own shoulders poor filthy wretches tortured by epilepsy.
How often did she wash away the purulent matter from wounds which others could not even endure to look at. She gave food with her own hand, and even when a man was but a breathing corpse, she would moisten his lips with drops of water. And Rome was not large enough for her kindness. She went from island to island and travelled around the Etruscan sea, bestowing her riches.
She was remarkable. And one of the most striking things about this from an ancient context is that she was one of the highest born women in the empire. And she took steps toward those completely out of her social class, below her social class. People she would never be expected to be in the presence of, let alone touch, she would care for.
Now, my point is not that we should be touching people at the moment. Physical distancing is key right around the world at the moment. But there is a spirit here in Fabiola that I find utterly compelling. Using whatever we have.
to look out for people in need, offering practical care. And not just for friends and family, but perhaps like Fabiola, those who are maybe forgotten, those out of our context. Her approach was simple. I guess her thought was, I have been loved by the Lord who took steps toward me. And so I'll love others by taking steps toward them.
Buff and I are trying to think this through at the moment. Our household at the moment is pretty healthy. And we're thinking of letterboxing our local streets to see if there's anything we can do for those who might be shut in, who can't make it to the shops and so on. And maybe ask if there are any neighbours who want to help us out with this. So I'll let you know how that goes. But it might just mean texting people, private messaging them, giving them a call on the telephone saying,
Because this is going to be a lonely time for many. We mustn't increase physical contact, but we probably should increase human social contact. Christ has indeed taken all the steps toward us. And I'm just feeling like this is a time to reflect that back to others.
I'll talk to you again in a few days, if that's okay. I wouldn't mind telling you about how the first Christians coped with the devastating plagues that ravaged the ancient Mediterranean. Some of what emerged then, I think, is incredible. Anyway, this is John Dixon with an Undeception single. I hope you're doing okay. You've been listening to the Eternity Podcast Network.
eternitypodcasts.com.au.