Nov 9 – Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is the cathedral of the church of Rome and the official ecclesiastical seat of the Bishop of Rome, who is the Pope. It is officially named ‘Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist at the Lateran’.
It is the oldest and ranks first (being the cathedral of Rome) among the four major basilicas of Rome, and holds the title of ecumenical mother church (mother church of the whole inhabited world). An inscription on the façade, Christo Salvatore, dedicates the Lateran as the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, for the cathedrals of all patriarchs are dedicated to Christ Himself. As the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, containing the papal throne, it ranks above all other churches, even above St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
- Wikipedia
Eze 47:1-2, 8-9, 12
Jn 2:13-22
“Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Even as a Catholic for 26 years, nobody ever explained to me what are feast days and why a day is dedicated to the Lateran Basilica, also known as Cathedral of the Most Holy Savior and of Saints John the Baptist and John the Evangelist in the Lateran, also called Saint John Lateran, one of the four major basilicas in Rome. The significance of Saint John Lateran is that it is not only the official cathedral of Rome, it is also the mother church of the Archdiocese of Rome and of the world. As I reflect on the connection of this dedication to our mother church to today’s scripture readings, I can now understand why Jesus was so upset with the people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers in the temple. He told them to, “Take this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:16)
In the first reading, “The angel brought me to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream came out from under the temple threshold and flowed… Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live.” (Ezekiel 47:8-9) Then in Psalm 45, it is said that “The waters of a river give joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells, God is within, it cannot be shaken; God will help it at the dawning of the day.” This temple is a sacred place of worship, but symbolically, it is also our body for, “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19) How is our body linked to the temple or church? Think big picture. Jesus came to tear down the temple and then rebuilt it in three days. He came to erase our original sins, to bring hope and salvation so that we can all be reunited in God’s kingdom. As Catholics, we recognise that when we pass from this earth, our flesh will die but we will be given a new, resurrected body when we return to our eternal home in heaven. Meanwhile, as we continue to dwell on earth, we must continue to honour God by honouring our bodies.
When we think church, it’s not just about us going for mass, or about the people and the church. It comes right down to who we are as a person, what we do as a Christian, and as part of the body of one church. This idea came one day that taking care of my health (my body) is not just for my own good — it is a way of honouring God, to respect and treasure what God has given us. How often do we abuse our body (like overworking and forgetting to eat properly), forgetting to treat it right the way God had intended? Every time I choose to eat instant noodles, I get this nagging feeling of guilt that I should make better food choices. I do try, most of the time. But I consider those cheat days when I give in to my unhealthy cravings. Living irresponsibly, giving in to sinful ways, are like those people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers in the temple. Living healthily and responsibly means making more conscious choices to do the right thing, to go for confessions regularly, to go before the blessed sacrament more, to cleanse our body and spirit. When we always put God at the end of that equation, only then will we do right most of the time. If we love God, love what he has given us, then we will treasure our body much more. The river and living water (the Holy Spirit) in us will flow, and there will be life.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Cynthia Chew)
Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to make responsible and right choices every day, in order to honour you with our bodies. May we always remember that we are one body of Christ, one Church.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Abba Father, for giving us this most precious life. May we not forget to treasure all that you have given us.
OXYGEN 
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