The Basilica of the Lateran (and not Saint Peter’s) is the Cathedral Church of the diocese of Rome; the Pope is its bishop. It gets its name from the domain of the Laterani family on the Celian Hill, which passed into the hands of Fausta, the wife of Constantine I.
The Edict of Milan (313) put an end to the period of persecutions and made Christianity a kind of state religion. The Christians then began the restoration of their revered places of worship and also built new ones, often with the help of imperial largesse. Emperor Constantine (d 337) gave the palace of the Lateran to the Church, and on the site of the former barracks of the imperial guard he built a Basilica that Pope Sylvester I (314-335) dedicated to the Holy Saviour on November 9th, 324. Damaged during several earthquakes—in the fourth century and especially in the tenth— it was almost entirely rebuilt by Sergius III (904-911). The domain of the Lateran was devastated by fire in 1308 and again in 1361. The Basilica was severely damaged. Consecrated by Pope Benedict XIII in 1726 it was under constant reconstruction and restoration, the last time in 1938, when the flooring was redone.
Even before the construction of the Basilica, a baptistry had been built on the ruins of ancient volcanic springs. Rebuilt by Sixtus III (432-440), its patron was Saint John the Baptist, who from the twelfth century on was the second titular patron saint of the Basilica. Afterward Saint John the Evangelist was associated with the Basilica, which is the reason it is often call “St. John Lateran.” As for the palace, it was the residence of the Bishop of Rome continuously until 1304. In that year Pope Benedict XI was forced to leave Rome by dangerous acts of sedition that threatened his safety. His successors took up residence in Avignon until 1377. During this entire period the Palace of the Lateran lay abandoned, and Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455) transferred the general offices of the Church to the Vatican. But the Basilica of the Lateran has always remained the cathedral of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. This is the origin of the importance accorded to the annual celebration of its dedication.
In every diocese the cathedral is the symbol of the unity of the local Church gathered around its Bishop, its defender, and through him their unity with the other Churches that form the Catholica. This is why the anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral is celebrated as a solemn feast day throughout each diocese. But the Bishop who has the seat in Rome has the ministry of the charity and unity of the entire Church, as well as that of his own diocese. His Cathedral, therefore, is a symbol of much more than the Church of Rome. Celebrating the anniversary of the Cathedral that is the mother of all others founded down through the ages is to celebrate the Lord, who founded his Church in order to gather together in unity, under the crozier of Peter and his successors, all the children of God, wherever they may be. Such is the history and importance of today’s feast.
All three readings today speak about the Temple of God, where the source of living water gushes forth from the sanctuary. As a priest Ezekiel’s whole life was bound to the Temple. Deeply imbued with the sense of the holiness of God, he was zealous for the respect due to this sacred place of God’s presence and for the purity of the cult that was centered in it. When the sanctuary of the Lord was profaned by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC he was deeply distressed. However, Ezekiel was taken in a vision to the top of a mountain and shown, from which he contemplated Jerusalem being rebuilt. A mysterious surveyor appears to the prophet, he shows him around the Temple giving the measurements in detail and dictating to him the precise rituals that are to be followed. At the end of this guided tour the prophet is led back to the entrance of the Temple, and there he has an extraordinary vision: “Waters flowing out from beneath the threshold of the Temple toward the East.” — “increasing in volume making salt waters fresh allowing animals to live and multiply — making the earth so fertile that wonderful fruit trees grow on its banks. — The stream becomes a mighty river flowing down to the Dead Sea.
The vision, taken in context expresses better than many a discourse addressed to reason the true significance of the Temple, and after it our own Churches. The profanation of any sanctuary causes great distress to all believers. But the presence of God in the midst of his people does not depend on the existence of a sanctuary. When they cannot go to his House, he comes to them in their desert exile.
In Saint Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians, he says “Brothers and sisters: You are God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no-one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ.”
“Do you not know that you are God’s Temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
And in his letter to the Ephesians: [You are] members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a Temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”
The apostle considers the consequences of this teaching on several levels (the unity of the community; the moral conduct of a Christian; the various gifts and functions in the Church; the conduct and zeal of the apostles) He concludes that God is the master builder, he designs, plans, and directs the work. He is the only one to have at his disposal all the means—the graces—to allow his project to be carried out. And finally he chooses his workers, he gives each one his task, according to his possibilities and the gifts he has received.
Turning now to our Third Reading, The Gospel according to Saint John we see our Lord showing exceptional Zeal for his Father’s House. All four evangelists have recorded Jesus’ astounding action of one day at the Temple of Jerusalem. He made himself a whip out of some rope, and he drove out of the holy precincts the buyers and sellers and the money changers, turning over their tables. Such was the importance of his Father’s house that Jesus (the incarnate Son of God) reacts in an extraordinary way, our peaceful Shepherd now being devoured by anger and zeal for what was happening in the House of God. His Father’s House had been turned into a marketplace. However, this reaction of Jesus shouldn’t surprise us, here Jesus shows an extraordinary manifestation of the authority that he assumes over everything, even and especially over the Temple, his Father’s House. Here, John emphasises the importance of the revelation that this episode brings. It is in fact a “sign” and not just an interesting shocking story. By the same token, this page of the Gospel throws considerable light on the mystery celebrated on the feast day we are celebrating.
“Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” This seemingly unimportant detail at once suggests to the reader who is familiar with John’s writings the paschal import of the “sign” that Jesus will carry out in the Temple, and, in a more general way, its relationship— which becomes explicit in the rest of the episode—with his last pasch. This story must be understood as it is written, in the light of Easter faith. It is important also to be aware of the great respect, the veneration even, that Jesus felt for the Temple. His invective against the purely formal worship of some of those present bears witness to this, as does his faithful attendance at the Temple of Jerusalem for the great pilgrimage feasts. The Temple was also the locus of many of his great teachings. His behaviour with the dealers and money changers showed his devotion to this Holy place. The disciples do not seem astonished at this virulent action of Jesus, devoured with zeal for the honour of God. As scripture says: “Because zeal for your house consumes me.) (Ps 69-10) Jesus’ action calls into question his authority, from the Pharisees, the right he had to behave in such a way. “What sign can you show us for doing this?” “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Pharisees were astounded at his answer, the Temple had taken many years to build, who could rebuild it in three days after its destruction? Who indeed? Obviously, Jesus was not claiming that in three days he could materially reconstruct the vast architectural complex of the Temple of Jerusalem (although as God it would not have been impossible for him) rather, he was talking about a much greater miracle, the Temple of his body which would be destroyed and would rise again on Easter Sunday. The meaning of Jesus’ words was not clear to the disciples until they recalled them in the light of his resurrection. Jesus had made a promise before leaving this world to go to the Father: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Being the only begotten Son of God, the Father and the Spirit dwell in Jesus as God has never dwelt in any of the holiest sanctuaries. In the heavenly city there is no Temple, for “its Temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.” But the Body of Christ as Saint Paul describes us, is also the Church headed by the risen Lord: “Like living stones let yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.” This Temple is from now on the place of the divine presence and of the gathering of believers who worship God in spirit and in truth.
The Basilica of the Lateran is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome (as we have already said) and the Pope is its Bishop. The celebration of the anniversary of its dedication expresses the communion of each Church and local community with the Church founded by Christ and continued by the apostles Peter and Paul, with the Pope as the head of the college of bishops, which presides over the charity of all the churches throughout the world. It is a feast day of the Lord who is the cornerstone that creates unity out of the diversity of materials.
“Beloved brethren, today we celebrate in joy the anniversary of this Church, with the grace of Christ. But it is we who must be the Temple of God, his true and living Temple….. Therefore, if we want to celebrate with joy the anniversary of a Church, we must not destroy within ourselves, with bad actions, these living Temples of God. And I say this so that all of you may understand: Every time we come into Church, we must prepare our souls, so that they may be as beautiful as we want our Church to be.
Do you want to find a shining Basilica? Then do not soil your soul with the uncleanness of sin. If you want the Basilica to be brightly lit, which God also wants it to be, then may the light of good works shine in you, and the one who is in heaven will be glorified. Just as you enter into your Church, so also does God enter into your souls, as he himself said ‘I will live with them and move among them.
(2 Cor 6-16)
HAPPY FEAST!
