Reflections from Pompeii
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2026 Blog #28
August 10, 2026
Reflections from Pompei
As you read this, I’m in the town of Pompeii in southern Italy. I’m here in Italy for the wedding of an old friend who is having a location wedding here. Of course, I won’t only be attending the wedding. I also am planning to travel to Rome and Assisi and touring the ruins of Pompeii. I have dreamed of seeing the ruins of Pompeii since I was a small boy in grammar school.
I first learned about Pompeii when looking through a copy of National Geographic in my grandmother’s house. She had a subscription to that magazine for as long as I can remember. I always was intrigued by seeing pictures of different worlds and cultures than I could possibly see from Jersey City. Something struck me about Pompeii and the pictures of objects and human beings being frozen in time by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.
I recently read a book about the history of Pompeii. It describes new major, excavation in Pompeii since I saw the first pictures in National Geographic. New buildings, new objects, and the shapes of deceased humans that are preserved in ash, have been unearthed since my interest in Pompeii was first awakened. I’m looking forward to seeing these ruins tomorrow, in person, up close and personal. I’d like to see for myself what I have only seen in magazine pictures.
There is an important lesson that these ruins can teach us. Life is short and death can come unexpectedly and swiftly. It is estimated that Mt. Vesuvius erupted for twelve hours on August 24 in the year 79 before Pompeii was hit by a cataclysm and destroyed the city and all that was in it. People lived normal lives before the eruption. They went about their daily activities unaware that this would be their last day of life.
This is a warning to all of us who are alive. We don’t know how many days of life we have. Life is fragile. I can think of two recent examples of this principle. Each involve me and a family member.
A little more than six years ago, my sister put on her nursing uniform, placed her identification tag on her uniform and prepared for work. In a split second, she suffered a fatal heart attack and, literally, dropped dead on the floor. She died with her uniform on, ready for work, but she had gone to work for the last time. Here life ceased in a split second, and she never knew that this day would be her last day on earth.
A little more than one year ago I felt fine at 9:00 am. By 10:00 am I was in pain and planning a trip to the hospital. That began a one-year medical saga that included four minor procedures, two major surgeries and two dangerous UTIs. During this year, I wasn’t sure that I would survive. A few times, I was close to the point of death. Fortunately, good prayers and fine medical procedures kept me from dying. Yet, I am now aware how quickly an illness can arrive. I was fine at 9:00 am and quite ill one hour later. Life is short and illness and death can strike suddenly and without warning. Let that be a warning for all of us.
Each day we live could be our last day on earth. Let us live as if we are living our last day.
If we are angry at someone, let us work on reconciliation.
If we hold regrets, my we have the grace to let them go.
If we hold grudges, let us be forgiving. Holding grudges only hurts us, not those we hold grudges against.
If we are out of the habit of doing good works, let us begin to do goods works each day.
Each day could be our last. Let us make this day full of goodness, good thoughts, and good works in God’s name.
#ReformedChurchInAmerica #BergenCountyNJ
#www.PastorMarkAuthor.com #www.revmarkwilliamennis.com
#GlenRock,NJ #CommunityChurchofGlenRock
#Italy #Pompeii