The Mother and Mistress of all Churches

Readings: 1^st: Ez 47:1-2. 8-12; Ps: 45; 2^nd: 1 Cor 3, 11. 16-17; Gos: Jn 2:13-22

This brief reflection was written by Fr. Njoku Canice Chukwuemeka, C.S.Sp., DMin, a Catholic Priest and a member of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans). He is a missionary in Puerto Rico. He is Director of Santuario del Espiritu Santo, Dorado, and the Major Superior of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit (Spiritans), Circumscription of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Fr. Canice is a member of the Academy of Homiletics. For more details and comments, contact him at: canice_c_njoku@yahoo.com, canicechukwuemeka@gmail.com.

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On this thirtieth Sunday of Ordinary Time, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

I would like to begin this brief homily with these significant and interesting words of Pope Benedict XVI: “The beauty and harmony of Churches, destined to render praise to God, invites us, limited beings and sinners, to form a ‘cosmos,’ a well-ordered edifice, in communion with Jesus, who is the true Holy of Holies…Every community, therefore, has the duty to take special care of its own sacred buildings, which are a precious religious and historical patrimony.” (Nov 9, 2008, Feast of Lateran Basilica).

This Basilica was built by Constantine and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324. This feast was first observed in Rome, but later, it was extended to the universal Latin Church. There are two important points about today’s celebration. First, the physical building, as well as our bodies, is God’s dwelling place. Second, both the physical church building and we are evidence and the manifestation of God’s presence on earth. So, we must keep them holy and sacred.

Rather than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Pope’s church as the Bishop of the archdiocese of Rome is the Lateran Basilica, which bears on its facade: “omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput” (the mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world).

In our first reading, the vision of the prophet Ezekiel about the temple of Jerusalem is presented to us most articulately and dramatically. This reminds us of God’s ever-abiding presence within his temple.

As a sign of God’s presence among his people, the Temple or “Church” is a place from where the river of God’s joy flows towards us. That is, to nourish and satisfy us. It is a place of refuge where we find eternal bliss. It is a place where our spiritual hunger and thirst are satisfied, and most importantly, it is a place of healing where we find Jesus, our balm of Gilead (Jer 8:22) that heals our wounded souls.

In the second reading, Paul takes us to the next and very important dimension of the temple of God and that is us: “You are God’s building…did you not realize that you are God’s temple and the Holy Spirit of God was living among you?” This is straight and direct to the point, and this is what we are.

We are the seat of God’s government because our hearts are the innermost sanctuaries of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us of God’s special presence within us. We are God’s living and mobile temple. Therefore, there is a special call today to keep this temple holy, pure, and sacred, because God does not dwell in a flirty temple. If our temple remains sacred, his spirit will continue to dwell therein.

In the gospel, Jesus’ action in the temple brings us to the climax and significance of today’s celebration. He reminds us of how we ought to treat and reverence God’s temple. John summarizes Jesus’ action and words thus: “Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will rebuild it…but he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body.” 

Hence today’s celebration reminds us that our bodies as God’s temple were purchased through the water of baptism, and consecrated through the sacred oil of Chrism and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whereas the physical church is also consecrated by both the presence of the Trinitarian God and the presence of “God’s priestly, holy and chosen people” (1 Peter 2:9).

Therefore, as we commemorate the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, let us joyfully acclaim with the psalmist: “The water of the river gives joy to God’s city, the holy place where the Most High dwells.”

Peace be with you all.

Maranatha!