Written by Sr. Rosemary Finnegan, O.P.
Readings from: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/110921.cfm
When I tagged along with our choir years ago on their pilgrimage to Rome, we had the unique privilege of actually visiting St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome. It’s a magnificent church with an incredible history. The words carved on its front declare it as “the mother of all churches in Rome and of the world.” It is the oldest church in Rome and the oldest Basilica in the western world. To this day it remains the episcopal seat of the Pope and the cathedral of Rome’s Diocese.
Emperor Constantine built this church in the 3rd century and it was consecrated in 324. The name “Lateran” was Constantine’s wife’s maiden name, and it was her family who donated the land for this church. St. John the Baptist is its patron saint; thus, the name “St. John Lateran”. Since the 3rd century, it has been rebuilt 4 or 5 times because of earthquakes, fires, and vandalism. Today it is a mammoth building with massive statues that line the main aisle. Walking among them makes one feel very, very small.
To celebrate the dedication of the Basilica today is to celebrate the universal church, and our common call to mission. It reminds us to reflect not only on what our church buildings mean to us as holy places and sacred spaces, but to also recall their role in society in the past.
- They were beacons on a hilltop
- Centers of learning
- Places of refuge
- They were places where people gathered to enjoy performing arts, great meals, and social functions.
Now churches have to compete with arenas and theaters, but arenas and theaters don’t feed the hungry, clothe the needy, or visit the sick.
When the Cathedral of Chartres was built, its floor was intentionally constructed to slope downward. This was because the poor slept there at night, and in the morning the sanctuary could be cleaned and washed more easily. Hospitality was the key ingredient then and should remain so today in our church. That is why our own Family Life Center, as an extension of our church building, welcomes the homeless, collects food for the hungry, and provides for many other outreach programs. Those activities are not just nice things to do; it’s our mission.
Our church buildings should be metaphors of who we are and what we do. As it says in the second reading, we are temples of God, so as our stained-glass windows reflect the light, so should we. As our baptistry waters pulsate with life, so should we. As our altar signifies Christ’s presence, so should we. Our churches symbolize our call to Jesus’ mission and have no meaning unless we, the members, point toward, and serve, the Body of Christ. As we celebrate this feast today, we should also look in the mirror and celebrate that holy temple, too.
