The Lord’s Prayer, which we have been looking at for the
past four weeks, consists of a series of petitions. The first of those
petitions are really about God, although about things we might be doing, like
hallowing God’s name, which means making it holy, and then it turns to personal
petitions, things we are asking God to do for us. And as a reminder that is the
plural us, not the individual us. And so last week we began with the first of
those personal petitions asking God to give us, and everyone, this day our
daily bread. This image is from a freeze from the Roman Senate House which was
originally constructed by Julius Caesar in 44 BCE. It was updated over time,
and this carving represents the emperor Trajan who ruled from 98 to 117 CE. We
actually know some really interesting things about the early Christian church
because of a series correspondence that Trajan has with Pliny, who was the
imperial governor of what is now modern day turkey. Although it’s hard to see now
due to age and destruction, Trajan is sitting on his throne, with some of his
advisors behind him, and standing in front of him is a woman who was originally
holding a child, although the child has been broken off, and Trajan is
extending out his hand and giving the woman and her child bread. This is to
show his magnificence as through his generosity, and through the generosity of
the kingdom of Rome, Trajan is making sure that this family does not starve to
death.
