Feast of the Dedication of the Latern Basilica in Rome: A Church for All

John2: 13-22

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110925.cfm

O God, who were pleased to call your Church the Bride,

grant that the people that serves your name

may revere you, love you and follow you.

and may be led by you

to attain your promises in heaven.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity

of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. 

(Collect of Mass- Roman Missal)

This Sunday we celebrate the Feast of the Cathedral Church in the Archdiocese of Rome - the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome who just happens to be Pope Leo XIV currently. It always falls on November 9^th and so it does so on a Sunday this year.  The Church feels it is important enough to interrupt the usual flow of the Ordinary time Masses, as we had last Sunday with All Souls Day.

 All priests appointed as Bishop's in a particular Diocese have a Cathedral Church in the Diocese of which he is the Pastor of that Cathedral and by association, that Cathedral becomes not only the Church of the local Bishop but also becomes the Church, the gathering area for worship for all Catholics in that Diocese. Locally, that is significant since the Bishop is our Chief Shepherd, he represents leadership over all Catholics and his Cathedral then becomes symbolic of the local Church, especially with his priests who promise “obedience and respect” on the day of their ordination.   

Now, imagine that on a global scale.  If the local Bishop happens to be the Universal Pastor of the Church, wouldn't his Cathedral be symbolic for all Catholics around the world as it is in each Diocese for those Catholics.  He is Chief Sheperd of the Global Catholic Church, of which there are more than 1 billion members, and we join with him as the Body of Christ gathered in prayer and worship.  It's a powerful vision and one that draws us together as beloved sons and daughters of Christ, for whom the Pope is the Vicar of Christ on earth. 

Well, that Cathedral Church for Pope Leo is not St. Peter Basilica in the Vatican but rather one of the four major Basilicas in the ancient city of Rome: Named after Christ the Savior and two co-patrons: St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist (the Gospel writer and Apostle).

Our beautiful first reading from Ezekiel present the image of water flowing from the Temple, THE place of worship for centuries for the ancient Jews.  Jesus himself worshiped here and was presented as an infant to the Lord by Joseph and Mary.

The image has water flowing and flooding and bearing fruit wherever it goes.  New life symbolic of grace coming from right worship.  What a rich image of the sacred space of a Church where we are all invited to receive not only the grace of the sacraments, the living encounter with Christ in the Eucharist, and are called to become a holy people to the Lord.

It is no wonder, then, that our Gospel from John is the scene of Jesus cleansing of the sacred space that had been violated by merchants who turned holy things into objects of cheating, over pricing, and violating sacred worship by their profane destruction of the sacred Temple.  As Jesus in is fury said, “. . . stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” If you’ve ever seen the Chosen and their depiction of this scene, you come to understand the just anger that Jesus showed at this time.

This Basilica of St. John Lateran, then, is the oldest of all the four major Basilica’s in Rome, at least 16 centuries and is given the title: “Mother Church of all Christendom,” quite the honor. Twenty-eight Pope’s are buried there, for a thousand years, it was the seat of Church government until the Pope moved that to the Vatican in the 13^th century. It has been attacked, vandalized, burned twice, a place of baptisms for all Romans for a thousand years.  So, these facts, and there are others, prove to us and profound symbolism of this building for all Catholic Christians. 

Thus, this building reminds us of what our parish Churches are, sacred ground.  A place, a holy place set aside and dedicated, for an encounter with the living God as we do during the liturgy and the celebration of other sacraments.

It creates a communion of persons, the Body of Christ, a place of unity when all gather to meet the living God on holy ground. 

So it is far more than just walls, adorned with beauty but a living testimony to the living God that identifies his people and is the ultimate one who makes that space holy: Jesus Christ our Savior. 

Let us create a sacred space to meet the Church.  Our parish churches that should be cared for and supported, our homes where the family, the “domestic Church” gathers.