+ Today we celebrate the feast of a church building: a very old and venerable one: one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome: Saint Mary Major / formerly known as St. Mary Major of the Snows. With the Basilica of St. Lawrence outside the Walls, these five churches formed the "patriarchal basilicas" of Rome, associated with the five ancient patriarchal sees of Christendom. The other three papal or major basilicas are St. John Lateran, St. Peter and St. Paul outside the Walls. St. Mary Major is the only Roman basilica that retained the core of its original structure, left intact despite several additional construction projects and damage from the earthquake of 1348. The name of the church reflect two ideas of greatness ("major"), that of a major (or papal) basilica and that of the largest (major) church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was formerly called "Our Lady of the Snows" as legend has it that the Blessed Mother left her footprints on the site during an unexpected August snowstorm in Rome.
Church buildings are very important images and symbols in Christendom: they are meant to reflect, whether they are the grandest of basilicas, to the tiniest of chapels, the holy ground and the awesome environs of the very "throne of God" itself, from which God administers his love and mercy and compassion and forgiveness and healing and blessings upon his beloved people; and it is also the focal point of the end of our journey on earth: the very bright light at the end of the tunnel of life: that leads to endless day and eternal glory and a never-ending experience of joy and happiness with God, with all the saints and all those beloved whom we know who have gone before us! "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race!" as the Book of Revelation put it today. And of course he first came to dwell as one of us in the womb of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary. And when we receive this Son of hers and God the Father in Holy Communion he comes to dwell in our own hearts to encourage us and gently lead us through one more day of praising him, and glorifying the Father in all our thoughts, words, and deeds: deeds emanating from the blueprint of the Beatitudes he taught us on the mountainside!
Yes, the gospel passage today, though very short, says it all: more important even than the womb of the virgin which housed Jesus for nine months, is the heart and life of the beloved and faithful disciple who not only adores and enjoys his company, but who also does the will of the Father, empowered by the Holy Spirit, being instructed moment by moment by Jesus himself!
Blessed, indeed, are those who hear the word of God and observe it!
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