Gospel in Art: Feast of the Dedication of St John Lateran Basilica

Façade of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, reconstructed on several occasions, Current façade built in 1735 by Alessandro Galilei (1691-1737), © Christian Art

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 9 November 2022
John 2:13-22

Just before the Jewish Passover Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there.

Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple, cattle and sheep as well, scattered the money changers' coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, 'Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father's house into a market.'

Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: Zeal for your house will devour me. The Jews intervened and said, 'What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?' Jesus answered, 'Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?'

But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.

Reflection on the Basilica

Today we celebrate the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran (arch)Basilica in Rome, a feast referred to in older texts as the 'Dedication of the Basilica of the Most Holy Saviour'. It is the oldest and highest ranking of the four major basilicas in Rome, the three others being the Basilica of St Peter, the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls and the Basilica of St Mary Major. The Basilica of St. John Lateran is also the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, which means that the official ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome, is located there.

The original church was built in the time of the emperor Constantine and was consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324 AD. After Constantine's edict of Milan in 313, all Christians were granted freedom to practise their religion. It was the emperor himself who gave the Pope the ancient palace of the Laterani family, hence the name. Initially the observance of this feast was limited to the city of Rome but was extended in 1565 to all the Churches of the Roman rite.

Our Gospel reading today talks about the Temple as well. Sacred edifices are a way of expressing our love, respect and beauty for God and for his Church. Yes, they can be regarded as mere stones and materials creating a beautiful building, but they are much more than that. Our churches, these temples of stone, are a symbol of our living church. Just as each stone contributes to the basilica, so are we, each of us, individually, a building stone for our Christian communities. Our feast day today celebrates that we are each part of God's plan to help build his kingdom in the world, stone by stone.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/

Today's reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/john-2-13-22-2022/