Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
(Ezekiel 47:1-2.8-9.12; I Corinthians 3:9c-11.16-17; John 2:13-22)
Today’s feast celebrates the dedication of the Lateran
Basilica. Many wonder, what is so great
about that? It is one of the four magnificent
churches in Rome and the locale of five general councils of the Church, the
most important one being the fourth in 1215.
That council called for bishops
to appoint preachers and to support them in their work. The mandate paved the way for the
establishment of the Dominican Order a year later.
More importantly, the Lateran Cathedral is the church of
the bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ.
As such, it serves as the symbol of all Christian churches. In other words, today we raise up for
consideration all the churches in the world.
A church is the preferred meeting place of the human person with
God. As we enter a church, we make a blessing
with holy water. This is a way of cleansing
ourselves from the mess we sometimes make in the world so that we may communicate
with God.
The deepest meaning for a church is actually Christ
himself. The church is the body of
Christ as Jesus implies in today’s gospel.
Here we feel his warm embrace.
For this reason a church has been considered as a sanctuary where
sinners and even criminals might find refuge.
Today we celebrate not so much a building but Jesus Christ. We give God thanks for the love Christ has
shown us and for the peace he imparts to us.
