(Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome)
The Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. It is the highest ranking of the four major basilicas of Rome, the others being St. Mary Major, St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls.
The church sits on property originally owned by the Laterani family in Rome. The Emperor Constantine gifted the property to the Church in 311 A.D. and the church was dedicated in 324. Over the centuries that followed the structure changed. During the Avignon Papacy, when the Pope was living in France for approximately 60 years, the church was heavily damaged. The current structure was begun in 1646.
On approaching the main entrance to the Lateran Basilica one reads on the top of the façade in Latin: Clemens XII Pont Max Anno V Christo Salvatori in Hon SS Ioan Bapt et Evang which translates “The Supreme Pontiff Clement XII, in the fifth year of his Pontificate, dedicated this building to Christ the Savior, in honor of Saints John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist.” A further inscription on the basilica’s front wall between the main portals reads: “Sacros Lateran Eccles Omnium Vrbus et Orbis Ecclesiarvm Mater et Caput” which translates “Most Holy Lateran Church, mother and head of all the churches in the city and the world.”
The dedication of this sacred place is celebrated on the universal liturgical calendar around the world. The feast day celebrates the visible sign of unity in the Church in the See of Peter, the Pope. The unity or communion we share as Catholics is established by Christ Himself through His passion, death and resurrection.
One of the shepherding roles of the Bishop of Rome is to strengthen and preserve that bond of communion. He is a visible symbol of this union of all the churches in the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church (i.e., the marks of the Church). St. John Lateran is his cathedral or “seat.”
The basilica functions as do all Catholic churches, as a gathering place for the faithful to assemble and celebrate in thanksgiving the salvation we have received in Christ Jesus. This “thanksgiving” celebration is the Mass. We call a church the house of God because He is truly present there. While this does not limit His presence, as He is present in the lives of all believers through the Spirit (see second reading I Cor 3:9 ff) and as Christ tells us He is present when two or three are gathered in His name, a church marks a special, dedicated, consecrated space where we can encounter the Lord. His presence takes further specificity in the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament, the consecrated hosts, which are held in the tabernacle.
The biblical foundation for all our churches is the Temple (and synagogues) of ancient Israel. The Temple in Jerusalem was the focal point of worship for the Israelites. Here the Ark of the Covenant was housed in the innermost sanctuary – the Holy of Holies.
In this Sunday’s Gospel passage we hear one of the accounts of the cleansing of the Temple. A transformation in worship is about to take place; the cleansing points ahead to that transformation. Jesus enters the Temple courtyard and is overcome when he sees the corruption that seems to have gotten to the point of desecration. The selling of items for sacrifice has become a business. All the sales and the commotion detract from an encounter with the Lord as well as profaning the site that represents His dwelling place.
Jesus takes the occasion to forecast a new stage in God’s dwelling among humanity when He answers those objecting to His behavior. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Not understood by those hearing him, the Evangelist tells us the meaning: “But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.” He continues, “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.”
The eucharistic celebration in this building allows us to enter more fully into the mystery of our salvation that began at baptism. The lifegiving waters through which we are united sacramentally to Christ in death well up in us as the fountain of life. Lifegiving water flows from Christ on the cross (signified by the water and blood flowing from His pierced side).
Ezekiel beautifully describes the effect of this life-giving stream in an image of water flowing from the Temple. What starts as a small trickle of water eventually becomes a great river full of life and providing life all around it as well as providing medicine which heals. Hearing this on the feast we are reminded of the life-giving effects of the sacraments of baptism and Eucharist that are now celebrated in Catholic churches all over the world.
The connection among the Lateran Basilica, all the basilicas both major and minor, and all the cathedrals, churches, and chapels, is Christ Jesus Himself. He is not the structure, but the structures represent Him in whom we put our faith. As the faithful gather around the altar to celebrate the Eucharist we are visibly united in the communion of prayer. The Lateran represents the union of all the faithful throughout the world who are members of the one Body of Christ united by one Lord, one faith, one baptism (cf. Ephesians 4:5).
***
Msgr. Joseph Prior is pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish, Penndel, and a former professor of Sacred Scripture and rector of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. Read more reflections by Msgr. Joseph Prior here.
The post Our Connection to Ancient Roman Basilica: Christ Himself appeared first on CatholicPhilly.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.