November 9 - Homily for Today

Today we celebrate the feast of the oldest of the four major basilicas of Rome, St. John Lateran – whose official title is the Patriarchal Basilica of the Most Holy Savior and St. John the Baptist at the Lateran. It stands on the site of an ancient palace on the Celian Hill, which formerly belonged to the Laterani family.

The Lateran Basilica (not St. Peter’s) - originally known as the Church of Savior - is the pope’s cathedral church, in his primary role as Bishop of Rome. It is considered “the mother and head of all churches of Rome and the world.” Five ecumenical councils were held there (in 1123, 1139, 1179, 1215 and 1512-17). The emperor Constantine received the palace as part of his wife’s dowry and then donated it to the Church about the year 312. Thereafter, it was the official residence of the popes until their departure for Avignon, France, in 1309. This feast commemorates the original dedication of the basilica by Pope Sylvester I on November 9, 324.

Any church, cathedral or basilica is meant to be first, last and in all ways, “a house of prayer” – and that according to the desire and formulations of Jesus himself as we see in the gospel passage. They are to be “awesome” places – which stir up a sense of wonder and awe from the most humble and small of expressions to the largest and grandest.

 Above all, the faithful that gather there must reflect on the fact that the building they are in represents themselves as spiritual dwelling places for God – they themselves are God’s building, God’s temple, God’s church, with God dwelling in them in a much deeper way than he ever could in a compilation of stone, mortar and glass – beautiful though they may be.

And all of our church buildings are to represent and lead us to the most supreme awesome throne of God – where we will dwell in our spiritual home forever in Christ as One Body, One Temple, and One Church forever!

The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!