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
1 Cor 3:9-11,16-17
Jn 2:13-22
You are God’s building…Everyone doing the building must work carefully. For the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ.
Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, a feast of great significance to the Catholic Church. Several years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit this Basilica, although I did not fully understand its significance then. While the Lateran Basilica and its surrounding piazza may appear modest in comparison to St Peter’s Basilica, it is, in fact, the Cathedral of Rome and the official seat of the Pope as Bishop of Rome. It is regarded as the Mother Church of the entire Catholic Church.
Today’s first reading speaks of us as the temple of God.
Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you?
As a young Catholic, I was amazed by the thought that I was considered a temple of God. At the same time, it frightened me a little to think that what I did to my physical body was also how I was treating God’s temple. It was much simpler when I could look after myself (or not), eat and drink whatever I wanted, exercise (or not), and make choices about my physical and emotional well-being without having to answer to anyone but myself. But with this understanding, it was suddenly a whole new ballgame!
Over the years, I have come to realise that being God’s temple is about so much more than taking care of our physical bodies or simply trying to live a good and proper life. It is about recognising that God chooses to dwell within us. And if He dwells within us, how do we make room for Him? What do we allow to occupy our hearts? What are we building our lives upon?
St Paul’s reminder that Jesus Christ is our foundation is particularly meaningful. We spend so much of our lives building – our careers, families, relationships, financial security and identities. Some of these foundations may serve us well for a season, but not all of them are lasting. Perhaps, as we grow older, we begin to understand more clearly that what ultimately matters is not how much we have built or accumulated, but whether we have built our lives on Christ.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus drives the merchants out of the temple, declaring that His Father’s house should not be turned into a marketplace. I wonder how often our own temples become crowded with things that leave little room for God. Our worries, ambitions, disappointments, expectations and even the busyness of everyday life can sometimes take centre stage. Perhaps we, too, need to allow Jesus to enter and clear out what no longer belongs there.
The alternative first reading from Ezekiel offers another beautiful image. Water flows from the temple, bringing life wherever it goes. Even the barren and lifeless waters of the Dead Sea are made fresh. What a wonderful reminder that God’s presence is not meant to be contained within us. It is meant to flow through us, bringing healing, hope and life to others.
Today, as I find myself in the sunset of life, I look back and realise that my understanding of what it means to be God’s temple has changed. Life has taken me through different seasons, unexpected turns and new beginnings. I have come to appreciate that this journey is not about having everything figured out, nor is it about having built a perfect temple. It is about continuing to make room for God, allowing Him to shape, refine, and work through me.
Perhaps this is also what this season of life is inviting me to do — to let go of what is no longer necessary, to be more intentional about what I hold on to, and to be more open to where God might still be leading me.
After all, the sunset is not simply an ending. It can be a beautiful season of reflection, gratitude and renewed purpose.
And perhaps the question I should be asking myself is no longer just, “Am I taking good care of God’s temple?” but rather, “Am I allowing God to make His home in me, and am I allowing His living water to flow through me to others?”
For as long as He continues to dwell within me, there is still life to be lived, love to be shared and work for Him to do.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Geraldine Nah)
Prayer: Lord, help me to continue building my life on the foundation You have laid for me. I know I am not perfect, but I pray that I never stop growing in faith and allowing You to shape me. May I see each new day as an opportunity to make room for You in my life, and to let Your living waters flow through me, bringing hope, love and life to others. May I always be a dwelling place worthy of Your presence.
Thanksgiving: Thank You, Lord, for continuing to enlighten me as I journey through life and grow older. Thank You for walking alongside me through every season, for the wisdom that comes with time, and for opening my heart to new and meaningful purpose. May I never cease to be renewed by Your grace, and may Your living waters continue to flow through me, so that I may be a source of love, hope and healing to others. Amen.
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