THE DEDICATION OF THE LATERAN BASILICA
Each year, on 9 November, the Catholic Church celebrates the Dedication of the Basilica of St John Lateran. This event commemorates the consecration of the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome. Known as “Mother and Head of all the Churches of the City and the World”, St John Lateran holds a unique place in the history and liturgy of the Church. Although the basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the Holy Father as Bishop of Rome, today’s liturgy focuses not on the Petrine ministry but on the place of God’s house, the temple. In the First Reading – Ezekiel tells us From the temple, water flows eastward, bringing life and freshness to everything it touches, with fruit trees along its banks providing food and healing. In the Second Reading we are told that we are God’s building, with Jesus as the foundation. Each must build carefully, for we are temples of the Holy Spirit, sacred and protected by God.
The Gospel from John tells us that Near Passover, Jesus visits the in Jerusalem, expelling merchants and overturning money-changers’ tables, condemning the commercialization of the sacred space. Challenged by the Jews for a sign to justify his actions, he mentions rebuilding the temple in three days, a reference to his resurrection understood later by his disciples. The feast of the Dedication of St John Lateran symbolises the unity of the universal Church and the spiritual leadership of the Pope. This celebration calls all of us to reflect on our own role as “living stones” in the spiritual temple of God. We no longer look upon stone edifices to see God’s presence on earth, but we look on the broken body of Jesus on the cross. He is both the high priest and the offering acceptable to God. Paul’s message continues this truth. We are living stones forming a building. God’s presence according to Paul is through us. We are built on the foundation of Jesus’ message but we must be careful in the way we build. As we live out our lives we grow individually energized either by the Spirit of God or by the spirit of the world. The Spirit of God unites, forms us into a single building. The spirit of the world destroys unity and forms warring factions where each side competes with the vother for power, wealth, influence and pleasure. So we must be careful how we build our life. We are the presence of God to one another through the Spirit that dwells in us and energizes and directs us. So, why do we celebrate the dedication of a Church building in Rome?
St. John Lateran basilica becomes a sign and a symbol for us. It is a sign of God’s presence in the world. It is high on a hill that is visible for all to see and for all to take hope from its strength. It is a symbol of those who believe and work to grow in faith hope, love and concern for God’s creation, and all those who are within it. It rejects no one, opening its arms to embrace not only the privileged but also the ordinary people. Even the ones ignored and forgotten are welcomed and find a place where they might be healed and find life. The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica inspires us to embrace the call to be a living temple of God. Just as the Basilica in Rome is a physical representation of the Church, we are called to be living stones, united in faith and working together to build up the Kingdom of God through his Church. Each person has a unique role to play in the Church and that their contributions, no matter how small, are essential to the overall mission of spreading the Gospel in the world today. May the feast we celebrate this weekend inspire us to cherish our heritage, embrace our mission, and strive to make the Church a true sign of God’s presence, hope, and unity for all the people wherever we are in the world.
Fullerton T 