Information about the Lateran Basilica[1]
Readings for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
On this feast it is my tradition to offer you the reflections of others within the universal Church. Today’s reading commentary comes from Dianne Bergant CSA. Since I will give the homily in my own parish on this feast, the homily will be my own.
Reading 1: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Ezekiel recounts the vision in which he observed a stream of water flowing from the threshold of the temple and growing in force until it is a mighty river. These waters miraculously purify all stagnant waters, allowing living creatures to thrive within them. Not only is this water itself transformative, but the fruits that it produces share in its transforming power. These fruits serve as food; the leaves of the trees possess curative powers. The saving power of God flows from the temple in a series of concentric circles. It is first in the water itself; then in whatever the water touches; and finally in the fruits produced. The power of the presence of God radiates throughout creation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm[4]: Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
Readings for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica[2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
On this feast it is my tradition to offer you the reflections of others within the universal Church. Today’s reading commentary comes from Dianne Bergant CSA. Since I will give the homily in my own parish on this feast, the homily will be my own.
Reading 1: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Ezekiel recounts the vision in which he observed a stream of water flowing from the threshold of the temple and growing in force until it is a mighty river. These waters miraculously purify all stagnant waters, allowing living creatures to thrive within them. Not only is this water itself transformative, but the fruits that it produces share in its transforming power. These fruits serve as food; the leaves of the trees possess curative powers. The saving power of God flows from the temple in a series of concentric circles. It is first in the water itself; then in whatever the water touches; and finally in the fruits produced. The power of the presence of God radiates throughout creation.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm[4]: Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
The psalmist employs various metaphors to encourage trust in God. Mountains, symbols of strength and stability, can still quake and crumble. God, on the other hand, is secure. There is an allusion to Zion, the mountain upon which Jerusalem was built, within which the temple was erected. ‘Most High’ is the name of the god worshipped there when it was a Jebusite city (cf. Gen 14:18-19). ‘Lord of Hosts’, a military title, is a reference to the primordial conflict between the mighty warrior God and the evil waters of chaos. The psalmist calls all to behold the marvels of God, which should instill both gratitude and confidence in their hearts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
For we are God's co-workers;
you are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
Paul characterizes the community at Corinth as the temple of God. Speaking without pride but from the humble acknowledgment of God’s goodness, he declares that by the grace of God he was chosen to be the wise architect responsible for the temple. He laid the foundation, which is Christ. Every other minister builds on Paul’s initial work. He then declares that the Corinthians are this temple. The word that Paul uses for temple (naós) refers to the sanctuary, the ‘holy of holies’. Just as the presence of God made Jerusalem’s temple holy, so the presence of the Spirit of God who dwells in all of the members makes this new temple holy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 2:13-22
Jesus' actions there are acted-out prophecy and his play on words constitutes prophetic forth telling. The temple transactions were legitimate; they were conducted in the appropriate temple area; and they were essential supports of the temple service. The explanation of Jesus’ behavior is found in an allusion from Zechariah (14:21), who said that at the end-time there would be no need for merchants in the house of the Lord. The psalm text says that zeal for the house of God makes the psalmist vulnerable to the scorn and abuse of others (cf. Ps 69:9). By driving the merchants out of the temple precincts, Jesus announces that the time of fulfillment has come. Identifying God as his Father affirms his right to make such a claim and to act in accord with it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
It is pretty unusual to have the normal Sunday liturgy superseded by a Feast of the Universal Church. It generally happens to commemorate something of remarkable importance to the Church. Granted, the last time this happened it was just last Sunday when we celebrated the feast commemorating All the Faithful Departed, remembering all of those who had died and gone before us in faith. Still, that too was an extremely important event in the Church.
I cannot recall (and did not look up) the last time we remembered the dedication of the Lateran Basilica on a Sunday. It is important that we recognize why this feast is so important to us, and the whole Church.
The Basilica of Saint John Lateran was built by the emperor Constantine. Emperor Constantine confiscated the property of the Laterani family and gave it to the Church. On that property was erected the Cathedral of Rome and of the world. Pope Sylvester I dedicated this Cathedral basilica on this date in 324 A.D. The feast on this date is a tradition that has been celebrated since the twelfth century in honor of this “mother” of all churches, and as a sign of devotion and unity with the Chair of Peter. It was originally known as the Church of the Savior and throughout history, it suffered from neglect, natural disasters, and the ravages of war. It served as the center of the Church’s government until Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) transferred the Church’s seat of authority to the Vatican (historically the site of Nero’s circus). Today, the Lateran Basilica continues to be the cathedral of the bishop of Rome (the Pope).
In other words, the Basilica of St. John Lateran is a symbol of our unity; unity of faith, unity of purpose, unity of our devotion to Christ Jesus who is the bridegroom of his bride, the Church. In these troubled economic times it is supremely important that we remember that unity. What is the Church if not the sum total of the faithful? As St. Paul said, we are “God’s building”, representatives of his presence on the earth, and as such we are dispensers of God’s love.
We come together in our houses of worship to experience God’s love for us expressed here most perfectly. Through the sacraments, God’s grace and strength flows from throne of grace, as the vision from the Prophet Ezekiel showed, using the baptismal symbol of water. It touches each of us as individuals and infuses us with a shared purpose, to do the will of Him who saved us.
While the church building is just that, a building, it is also a sacred space. A place, as the Latin inscription above the sanctuary says is “nothing more than the house of God and the gate to heaven.” (Genesis 28:17) Here within these walls generations have been fed with the bread of life, been anointed and consecrated to God’s service, received the healing promise of Christ, professed their faith and love, and heard God’s loving promise of reconciliation.
Within these walls the joy of shared sacramental love his been pledged countless times. And within these walls cries of pain and sorrow, both silent and out loud have been brought here for the consolation and mercy of Christ to embrace.
Yes, we celebrate the dedication of a building today, the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the “mother” of all churches. We give thanks today for the unity it represents and the great task laid upon us in conjunction with all the saints who have gone before us. We thank God for this sacred space, where we encounter Christ most perfectly in the sacraments and see him distinctly in our brothers and sisters who join us in worship. As we remember Pope Sylvester consecrating and dedicating the Lateran Basilica a thousand plus years ago, let us also remember that we were consecrated to God as well, in unity with the Chruch throughout the world.
Pax
[1] The photograph used today of St. John Lateran Basilica has been placed in the public domain
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Commentary on Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9
The psalmist employs various metaphors to encourage trust in God. Mountains, symbols of strength and stability, can still quake and crumble. God, on the other hand, is secure. There is an allusion to Zion, the mountain upon which Jerusalem was built, within which the temple was erected. ‘Most High’ is the name of the god worshipped there when it was a Jebusite city (cf. Gen 14:18-19). ‘Lord of Hosts’, a military title, is a reference to the primordial conflict between the mighty warrior God and the evil waters of chaos. The psalmist calls all to behold the marvels of God, which should instill both gratitude and confidence in their hearts.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17
For we are God's co-workers;
you are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.
Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God’s temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17
Paul characterizes the community at Corinth as the temple of God. Speaking without pride but from the humble acknowledgment of God’s goodness, he declares that by the grace of God he was chosen to be the wise architect responsible for the temple. He laid the foundation, which is Christ. Every other minister builds on Paul’s initial work. He then declares that the Corinthians are this temple. The word that Paul uses for temple (naós) refers to the sanctuary, the ‘holy of holies’. Just as the presence of God made Jerusalem’s temple holy, so the presence of the Spirit of God who dwells in all of the members makes this new temple holy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: John 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
“Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
“What sign can you show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,
and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Jn 2:13-22
Jesus' actions there are acted-out prophecy and his play on words constitutes prophetic forth telling. The temple transactions were legitimate; they were conducted in the appropriate temple area; and they were essential supports of the temple service. The explanation of Jesus’ behavior is found in an allusion from Zechariah (14:21), who said that at the end-time there would be no need for merchants in the house of the Lord. The psalm text says that zeal for the house of God makes the psalmist vulnerable to the scorn and abuse of others (cf. Ps 69:9). By driving the merchants out of the temple precincts, Jesus announces that the time of fulfillment has come. Identifying God as his Father affirms his right to make such a claim and to act in accord with it.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Homily:
It is pretty unusual to have the normal Sunday liturgy superseded by a Feast of the Universal Church. It generally happens to commemorate something of remarkable importance to the Church. Granted, the last time this happened it was just last Sunday when we celebrated the feast commemorating All the Faithful Departed, remembering all of those who had died and gone before us in faith. Still, that too was an extremely important event in the Church.
I cannot recall (and did not look up) the last time we remembered the dedication of the Lateran Basilica on a Sunday. It is important that we recognize why this feast is so important to us, and the whole Church.
The Basilica of Saint John Lateran was built by the emperor Constantine. Emperor Constantine confiscated the property of the Laterani family and gave it to the Church. On that property was erected the Cathedral of Rome and of the world. Pope Sylvester I dedicated this Cathedral basilica on this date in 324 A.D. The feast on this date is a tradition that has been celebrated since the twelfth century in honor of this “mother” of all churches, and as a sign of devotion and unity with the Chair of Peter. It was originally known as the Church of the Savior and throughout history, it suffered from neglect, natural disasters, and the ravages of war. It served as the center of the Church’s government until Pope Innocent III (1160-1216) transferred the Church’s seat of authority to the Vatican (historically the site of Nero’s circus). Today, the Lateran Basilica continues to be the cathedral of the bishop of Rome (the Pope).
In other words, the Basilica of St. John Lateran is a symbol of our unity; unity of faith, unity of purpose, unity of our devotion to Christ Jesus who is the bridegroom of his bride, the Church. In these troubled economic times it is supremely important that we remember that unity. What is the Church if not the sum total of the faithful? As St. Paul said, we are “God’s building”, representatives of his presence on the earth, and as such we are dispensers of God’s love.
We come together in our houses of worship to experience God’s love for us expressed here most perfectly. Through the sacraments, God’s grace and strength flows from throne of grace, as the vision from the Prophet Ezekiel showed, using the baptismal symbol of water. It touches each of us as individuals and infuses us with a shared purpose, to do the will of Him who saved us.
While the church building is just that, a building, it is also a sacred space. A place, as the Latin inscription above the sanctuary says is “nothing more than the house of God and the gate to heaven.” (Genesis 28:17) Here within these walls generations have been fed with the bread of life, been anointed and consecrated to God’s service, received the healing promise of Christ, professed their faith and love, and heard God’s loving promise of reconciliation.
Within these walls the joy of shared sacramental love his been pledged countless times. And within these walls cries of pain and sorrow, both silent and out loud have been brought here for the consolation and mercy of Christ to embrace.
Yes, we celebrate the dedication of a building today, the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the “mother” of all churches. We give thanks today for the unity it represents and the great task laid upon us in conjunction with all the saints who have gone before us. We thank God for this sacred space, where we encounter Christ most perfectly in the sacraments and see him distinctly in our brothers and sisters who join us in worship. As we remember Pope Sylvester consecrating and dedicating the Lateran Basilica a thousand plus years ago, let us also remember that we were consecrated to God as well, in unity with the Chruch throughout the world.
Pax
[1] The photograph used today of St. John Lateran Basilica has been placed in the public domain
[2] ALTRE
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
1 comment:
I really enjoyed your homily today. I could see the Holy Spirit bring forth excitement from you. Between the readings, your homily and the songs, I was hyped to love this holy place that God has given us- in our own location and throughout the world.
May zeal for His house consume us. When we were in Rome to visit Mark, he took us on a pilgrimmage to the four major basilicas and I remember St. John Lateran and all the portraits of the popes around the upper edge of the walls and how the current pope was illuminated. It is awe inspiring how God has chosen to reveal himself in physical ways and how it prepares us for eternity.
Truly the sacraments and all the big moments of our lives (and death) are celebrated in this place, his holy temple, the church. How appropriate in this month of November to remember our mortality and be reminded that our place in this temporal church is but a foreshadowing of our eternal home. Thanks again for your ministry in the Church!
God bless, Mary Ann
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