Sunday - Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica

Gospel – John 2:13-22

Constancy!

The Western Wall, Jerusalem

We celebrate today the Feast of the Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome.  Dedicated in 324 AD, the Basilica is the cathedral of Rome, the official seat of the Bishop of Rome and the mother of all churches throughout the world. It is the first public building granted to Christians as a worship site by Constantine.  It is quite unusual that we have a feast day honoring an object, as opposed to a person.  I can only think of one other – Feast of the Chair of St. Peter.

Today’s Gospel reflects on another religious object – the Temple in Jerusalem.   It was the center of Jewish life at the time of Jesus; it was a place to gather and worship for all major feasts and celebrations.  The very life of a Jew revolved around this magnificent house of prayer and sacrifice.  From birth to coming of age to remembrance of Passover to celebrations of harvest and Days of Atonement, it drew the people together as one and reminded them of God’s constant love and protection.  Even today, while the Temple no longer exists, people still gather at the Western Wall, the base of the Temple Mount, to offer prayers both silent and written.  The Temple is gone; the Jewish faith remains!

St. John Lateran Basilica stands today as a symbol of the living Church, the Christian community.  It is a reminder that our faith is universal and our Church exists across time and in all places.  It stands as our spiritual home, a place where our spiritual family gathers to worship, to pray, to partake in the sacraments and to encounter the love of God.

And for us, while many things change, while the church we grew up in has either closed or no longer exists, one key element remains constant!  Our faith remains the same.  We are still Christian!  We are still Catholic!  Jesus is still our Savior and the Son of God!  No matter where it is celebrated, the Eucharist is still the Eucharist!  Yes, the incidentals are important and comforting but they are still just incidentals!  Our faith remains!  What draws us together for Eucharist is the same!

Consider the history of St. John Lateran. Consider all the wars and fires and social upheaval that it has witnessed.  And it has not only witnessed them but has SURVIVED!  Perhaps that is our lesson for today- we will survive, the Church will survive, our faith will survive.  This is a difficult time we live in, a time of fear and hardship for so many.  But God has not abandoned us.  In fact, He reminds us daily that each one of us is a Temple of God and the Spirit dwells within us. 

Great Spirit, keep my faith strong; help me to walk in prayer and in faith!

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