This weekend in place of the Thirty-Second Sunday of Ordinary Time, we celebrate the Lateran Basilica. What is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, and why are we celebrating it?
The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, is the Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World), and is commonly known as the Lateran Basilica or Saint John Lateran, and is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, Italy. It serves as the seat of the bishop of Rome, the pope. The only “archbasilica” in the world, it lies outside of Vatican City proper, and is located approximately two and a half miles northwest of the city. In our Missalette we are told it was built in 324 CE soon after the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity. Today we celebrate the dedication of this cathedral/basilica.
We are reminded today that we also are living tabernacles as we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul tells us (and the church at Corinth) that we are God’s building, and our foundation is Jesus Christ. So, today’s readings are full of images of temples and buildings. Since the Lateran Basilica is the Mother Church for us, we celebrate it as we remember our bodies are the building blocks for the Church in the world.
Jesus goes into the temple in the Gospel today and overturns the tables of those profiting from the practice of sacrificing animals to God—they were turning the temple into a marketplace and desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem. He also tells them that the Temple of His body would be raised after three days—and they assume He is talking about the temple of Jerusalem, not Himself. Later, after the resurrection they remember what He said about being raised and realize He was talking about His body. Like Jesus, our bodies/spirits will be raised also, and so we must live with the respect for who and what we are as Christians.
Today, as we honor our Mother Church, we are mindful of ourselves and the temples that we all are. Today our psalm says: “The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.” We are the city of God; and the river with which we are gladdened is the Holy Spirit which dwells and flows within us. This is a great reason to celebrate our Mother Church today!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran (officially the Major Papal, Patriarchal and Roman Archbasilica, is the Mother and Head of All Churches in Rome and in the World), and is commonly known as the Lateran Basilica or Saint John Lateran, and is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, Italy. It serves as the seat of the bishop of Rome, the pope. The only “archbasilica” in the world, it lies outside of Vatican City proper, and is located approximately two and a half miles northwest of the city. In our Missalette we are told it was built in 324 CE soon after the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity. Today we celebrate the dedication of this cathedral/basilica.
We are reminded today that we also are living tabernacles as we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul tells us (and the church at Corinth) that we are God’s building, and our foundation is Jesus Christ. So, today’s readings are full of images of temples and buildings. Since the Lateran Basilica is the Mother Church for us, we celebrate it as we remember our bodies are the building blocks for the Church in the world.
Jesus goes into the temple in the Gospel today and overturns the tables of those profiting from the practice of sacrificing animals to God—they were turning the temple into a marketplace and desecrating the Temple in Jerusalem. He also tells them that the Temple of His body would be raised after three days—and they assume He is talking about the temple of Jerusalem, not Himself. Later, after the resurrection they remember what He said about being raised and realize He was talking about His body. Like Jesus, our bodies/spirits will be raised also, and so we must live with the respect for who and what we are as Christians.
Today, as we honor our Mother Church, we are mindful of ourselves and the temples that we all are. Today our psalm says: “The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High.” We are the city of God; and the river with which we are gladdened is the Holy Spirit which dwells and flows within us. This is a great reason to celebrate our Mother Church today!
Keep singing!
Elizabeth Dyc
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