32nd Sunday of Ordinary TimeGathering in and Gathering around…As ONEEz47:1-2, 8-9, 12;
1Cor3:9-11, 16-17;
Jn2:13-22Dear Sisters, Brothers and Children, we rejoice when we gather in the house of the Lord. We witness to the rest of the world that we are one in faith, in spirit and in the Lord in our every Sunday Eucharist. We are reminded to carry on the equality and participating that we share around the Eucharistic Altar of the Lord. We acknowledge our Church as the living place of the Lord, the place of our renewal of life, and the place of encountering union with the Lord. Each parish church is our identity, our source of life and our oneness with the whole Church. We shall continue to gather, encounter and experience in the house of the Lord.
Christians were forced to leave from the cities of Iraq and Syria. The ancient Churches were destroyed by the extremist group. Mosul is the second largest city where Christians were wiped out. ISIS demolished an historical church of 1800 years old. Destroying the church is destroying the Christians, putting an end to the Christian faith.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York plans to merge more than 112 parishes into 55 new parishes this year, leading to the closure of as many as 33 churches. People are saddened to witness the closing down of so many numbers of Catholic Parish Churches in this diocese.
People are destroying the house of the Lord in some countries, so the faithful stop going to the dwelling place of God; this is happening in this country and in Europe. Their argument is “I can experience and pray to God in my house, why should I go to church for it; it has become the place of scandal”; “I can participate in any worship service in any hall; we all believe in one Jesus. Church is a structure with limitations.”
The Feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica invites us to realize the greatness and important value of coming to gather in the church. Why do we celebrate this feast? What message do we receive from this feast? We celebrate this feast because St. John Lateran Basilica is the head and the mother of all churches in the world. Yes it is not St. Peter’s Basilica. On the façade of the basilica there is an inscription in Latin which reads, “The mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world.” Every bishop has a cathedral and the Pope’s cathedral is the Basilica of St. John Lateran--not the Basilica of St. Peter.
You may ask, “Why is the Basilica of St. John Lateran the Pope’s cathedral and not St. Peter’s?” History unfolds the truth, that the growing Christianity during early centuries was banned in Rome. People faced martyrdom and built the Christian community with their blood. When Emperor Constantine decided to receive Baptism after his conversion, he proclaimed Christianity as the official religion in 313 AD. The Roman practice of false gods and rituals were removed. People began to express their faith in public. Laterani was a wealthy family who offered this palace to Emperor Constantine, who then gave it to Pope after his conversion to Christianity. This palace was developed into Lateran Church, being dedicated on 9th November, 324, later acknowledged as the Cathedral of the Pope. Initially it was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, later to St. John the Evangelist. Eventually the name of St. John Lateran remained. When the papacy transferred to Avignon for a century, then the condition of the Lateran deteriorated due to attacks, vandals, earthquake and fire. When the Pope returned he started occupying St. Peter’s Basilica where the Holy Father celebrates special days of Eucharist.
It is the mother and head of all the Catholic Churches in the world because; several important relics are kept within the Lateran Basilica. The wooden altar on which St. Peter celebrated Mass while in Rome is believed to be inside the main altar. The heads of Saints Peter and Paul were once believed to be inside busts above the main altar. Part of the table on which the Last Supper was celebrated is said to be behind a bronze depiction of the Last Supper. At one time the basilica also contained the Holy Stairs on which Jesus is said to have walked during his trial in the house of Pontius Pilate. The stairs are marble and are now covered with wood to protect them. They are currently located in the former Lateran Palace. Pilgrims ascend them on their knees, contemplating Jesus’ Passion. As they ascend, drops of blood may be seen on the marble stairs beneath protective glass. The stairs were brought to Rome by Constantine’s mother, Saint Helena.
The Chair of St. Peter is preserved here from where the Pope, the vicar Christ, and successor of St. Peter leads the Church, thus do we accept his authority, in him we identify our faith, and we are part of that mother Church. All the readings speak about the temple today. The Prophet Ezekiel motivated the people to restore the Jerusalem temple and their life. St. Paul reminds that Christ is the foundation of our temple. John offers how Jesus cleansed the temple from inequality, arrogance, and false sacrifice, into a dwelling place of God.
Yes, this Feast of Dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica tells us that our parish churches are the dwelling place of God. Vat II says, our churches should be filled with signs and symbols of heavenly reality. The presence of saints and arts in stained glass may enable us to sing Holy… Holy…with the heavenly experience of Our Eucharistic Lord and community.
Secondly, this feast reminds us that when we gather in and around the altar of our parish churches, to break, share and are spiritually nourished, we are part of the Mother and head of all Churches. We are part of one Body of Jesus Christ, we profess one faith, we belong to one Church and we follow one head, the Vicar of Christ, Holy Father Pope Francis. This feeling of oneness, togetherness and sense of belonging are not possible in any space except in our Church with the Eucharistic table.
When people asked Mother Teresa how many convents she had, she answered “We have 584 tabernacles.” This shows how she perceived each community of sisters as the dwelling place of God and how they witness that they celebrate their sense of belonging to Mother Church. Shall we make our family as the dwelling place of God? Shall we gather in our parish churches with the sense of pride and belongingness to Mother Church?
“Your house is a house of prayer, and your presence makes it a place of blessing”, then our every Sunday celebration will be a heavenly experience-Amen.
|
