A City That has Foundations

This past weekend we descended underneath the city of Lisbon. And it was not to take the metro. Much closer to the surface and underneath the old centre of the city, the part known as Baixa Pombalina, runs a whole system of underground galleries that date back to the first century. They were built during the reign of Caesar Augustus and lay undiscovered for centuries until the city centre had to be rebuilt after the great earthquake of 1755. No-one’s totally sure what they were used for, whether for storage or for water supply, but they are well preserved. For three days in late September each year the City Museum opens up these chambers to the general public.. So we stood in a queue for an hour or more, slowly moving up the line, waiting our turn to go down through an open manhole in the middle of the street, (dodging the trams which were still running!) into the depths below. The reason they only open for these three days, is because there’s an underwater stream that floods the chambers which normally stand in four feet of water, which all has to be pumped out in order to allow visitors in

Central Lisbon built on top of water! How’s that to inspire you with confidence when you’re walking across Rossio square or down the Rua Augusta to the river. One of my most memorable moments in this underground journey (which, by the way only took about 20 minutes) was standing astride a one inch fissure in the ground that ran the length of the chamber and out of which issued clear and pure water, not the dirty water from the river nor from the sewer system. Nut sure where it was coming from, some mysterious stream of fresh water from higher ground further outside the city

Reminded me of the image Ezekiel had of a city, a city with foundations out of which flowed a stream of water, clear as crystal, a stream that eventually became a might river and brought freshness wherever it flowed. Writing in his prophecy, he describes it vividly : “I arrived at the place and saw a great number of trees on each side of the river....and where it emptied into the sea, there the water became fresh. Swarms of living creatures live wherever the river flows. Fishermen stand along the shore. from Engedi to Eglaim there were places for spreading nets. Fruit trees of all kinds grow on both sides of the river. Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. The fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing. (Ezekiel Chap 37)

What a vision! Here, where we live in Parque das Nações, there are fisherman dangling their lines in the murky tired waters of the Tejo. Every morning they stand by the riverside walk, and you can watch them from our balcony. And they do catch the odd fish. But imagine the life that could come if the water is cleansed, refreshed and invigorated. That’s what Christ in His mercy promises for this wonderful city of ours!