BACKGROUND:
Today the liturgy celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, called “mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world.” In fact, this basilica was the first to be built after Emperor Constantine’s edict, in 313, granted Christians freedom to practice their religion.
The emperor himself gave Pope Miltiades the ancient palace of the Laterani family, and the basilica, the baptistery, and the patriarchate, that is, the Bishop of Rome’s residence — where the Popes lived until the Avignon period — were all built there. The basilica’s dedication was celebrated by Pope Sylvester around 324 and was named Most Holy Savior; only after the 6th century were the names of St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist added, and now is typically denominated by these latter.
Initially the observance of this feast was confined to the city of Rome; then, beginning in 1565, it was extended to all the Churches of the Roman rite. The honoring of this sacred edifice was a way of expressing love and veneration for the Roman Church, which, as St. Ignatius of Antioch says, “presides in charity” over the whole Catholic communion (Letter to the Romans, 1:1).
Dear friends, today’s feast celebrates a mystery that is always relevant: God’s desire to build a spiritual temple in the world, a community that worships him in spirit and truth (cf. John 4:23-24). But this observance also reminds us of the importance of the material buildings in which the community gathers to celebrate the praises of God. Every community therefore has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony. For this we call upon the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that she help us to become, like her, the “house of God,” living temple of his love.
— Benedict XVI, Angelus Address, November 9, 2008
Reading 1 - Ezekial 47:1-2, 8-9, 112
The angel brought me
back to the
entrance of the temple,
and I saw water
flowing out
from beneath the
threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of
the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed
down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside
by the north gate,
and around to the
outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water
trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
“This water flows
into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into
the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river
flows,
every sort of
living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be
abundant fish,
for wherever this
water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of
the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall
not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they
shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be
watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall
serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”
Where the water flows - every sort of living creature that can multiply shall life, fruit tress of every kind shall grow and bear fruit which will serve for food and their leaves for medicine....
Just imagine....We the living Church - filled by living Water (Jesus) - will bear fruit to those in our midst! How beautiful an image is that! We can do nothing without the living water of Christ! Our roots will continue to grow deep - while sitting by the river, fed by this Living Water...... I just love this image!
Responsorial Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6-, 8-9
R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge
and our strength,
an ever-present
help in distress.
Therefore, we fear
not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains
plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream
whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling
of the Most High.
God is in its
midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at
the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts
is with us;
our stronghold is
the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the
deeds of the LORD,
the astounding
things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of
God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our REFUGE and our Strength! We fear NOT! The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. What have we to fear???? The waters of the river gladden the city of God - If we stay where we can be filled with this Living Water....What have we to fear??? Nothing! We will be refreshed and renewed and ready to produce fruit! We need water for life... We know that, especially here in California - as we face drought and rationing of water....it becomes even more precious for us! Think of life without God! I cannot even imagine what emptiness and despair that would bring. I want to sit by that River and be filled with Living Water!
2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 3:9C-11, 16-17
Brothers and sisters:
You are God’s
building.
According to the
grace of God given to me,
like a wise master
builder I laid a foundation,
and another is
building upon it.
But each one must
be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay
a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus
Christ.
Do you not know
that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit
of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys
God’s temple,
God will destroy
that person;
for the temple of
God, which you are, is holy.
Gospel John 2:13-22
Since the Passover of the Jews
was near,
Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.
He found in the
temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the
money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out
of cords and drove them all
out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the
coins of the money-changers
and overturned
their tables, and to those who
sold doves he said,
“Take these out of
here, and stop making my
Father’s house a marketplace.”
His disciples
recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews
answered and said to him,
“What sign can you
show us for doing this?”
Jesus answered and
said to them,
“Destroy this
temple and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews said,
“This temple has
been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise
it up in three days?”
But he was speaking
about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he
was raised from the dead,
his disciples
remembered that he had said this,
and they came to
believe the Scripture and the word Jesus
had spoken.
Zeal for your house will consume me. Zeal for our faith. How zealous are we for our faith? I think about this in terms of the 2nd reading and my body, a temple of God and my life and all that I am involved in - how I represent God in who I am and what I do.
As I grow older (and wiser???) it seems easier to do....but still - it is so easy to fall into laziness and comforts of this world instead of Zeal for God's house and God's people. Living Water is the answer....More of Jesus, my living water....My prayer: Lord, God! Help me be filled with your Living Water so that I have Zeal for your House!
Amen!
Have a blessed week!
Nancy
