Today we celebrate the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome on November 9th 324 AD by Pope St. Sylvester. Every Bishop has a cathedral and the Pope's cathedral is the Basilica of St. Johns Lateran, not St. Peter's Basilica. That is why, the Pope's cathedral is called, Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater, et caput which translates to The Mother of all churches in the city and in the world and their head. Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor, donated the Laterani palace to the Pope and the very first church was built on that property and was later called the Basilica of the Saviour. Later on, the church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist and so, today it is called The Basilica of St. Johns Lateran.
If you notice this weekend's readings talk about our bodies being the temple of Jesus Christ and so, it is important that we do not desecrate our bodies through sin.
Another point from this weekend's readings is that we see Jesus getting upset when he saw the temple being used as a 'market place'. So it also reminds us that in every church we enter, we must treat it with absolute reverence since Jesus Christ is present.
We thank God for a feast like today to remind us of the importance and history of our churches and be grateful that we are given these structures so that we, as faithful, can have a place to congregate in the name of Christ. To God be the Glory!
--B. Durham, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment