If you were to stop and reflect for a moment concerning Rome and then go onto envision in your mind a Church that is found there your mind would most likely be picturing Saint Peters. After all Saint Peter's Basilica is the largest Church that has ever been built and when we hear of the pope doing something in Rome it normally takes place here. To the surprise of many Saint Peter's is not the cathedral of Rome nor is it the pope's Church. That honor actually goes to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran whose dedication we have the opportunity to celebrate in today's liturgy.
It was in the year 313 that the Edict of Milan secured freedom on the behalf of all Christians. No longer would they have to fear being put to death for their practice of faith and finally they were given the freedom to worship publicly. It was at this time that land was given by Constantine to the Church to build what would become the Cathedral for the Diocese of Rome and thus a symbol of the unity that is expressed in our Catholic faith under the authority of the pope. If one were to look straight up at this Church what they would discover at the top is Christ being flanked by the saints and doctors of the Church as He triumphantly displays the Cross of Redemption to the world. It was Jesus the Saviour that this Church was originally dedicated to because this confirms to the world Christ's superiority over all the pagan gods which were ever worshiped in the city of Rome. The inscription found upon the facade of this Church reads: "Most Holy Lateran Church of All the Churches in the city and the world, the Mother and the Head."
Throughout the course of history this great cathedral has been destroyed on many occasions, but in the end it was always rebuilt to its original splendor. It was ransacked on two occasions, an earthquake nearly destroyed it, two fires nearly brought it down, and when the papacy returned to this location from time spent in France it was found in disrepair. Nevertheless earthquake, fire, vandal, nor time could bring this great Cathedral down. Yes, these many elements brought about setbacks, but these setbacks were always overcome with great faith. In the end no matter the setback that arose in the life of this great Church it was ultimately overcome with the knowledge that Jesus the Saviour triumphs over everything. Our own life is very similar to the life of this Church because no matter the setback, twist, or turn that our life takes we must always remember that it is Jesus the Saviour who triumphs and thus our life in return can always be rebuilt because hope is never lost.
As we take this day to consider the Dedication of Saint John Lateran we are given the opportunity to see how the church building is a symbol representing both the Church and our bodies. Our reading from Ezekiel as well as today's Responsorial Psalm do a good job summing up the role that the temple played for the Jewish people which is equal to the role that the Church plays within our life. In John's Gospel Christ went onto signal the end of having to offer animal sacrifice in atonement for our sins because instead He as God made man had come to triumph upon the cross as the perfect sacrifice. As Saint Paul stated in 1st Corinthians: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit dwells in you?" Through this statement we are each being invited to no longer allow our life to be destroyed through the weight of sin, but instead are being invited to allow our life to be reconstructed through the worship that we give to God within this place of worship which directs our hearts and souls to Him.
What takes place in Saint John Lateran is equal to what takes place in the walls of this church here in Oak Ridge. Christians who were once persecuted flocked to Saint John Lateran to join together in prayer; Christians now persecuted by the weight of sin flock here to join in prayer. Christians flocked to Saint John Lateran to offer sacrifice, and we here and now flock to this church to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass that joins us to Calvary. Christians flocked to Saint John Lateran to participate within the life of the seven sacraments, and we to see this here within the walls of this Church. Here: Man and woman join together in love in Holy Matrimony, new life is celebrated through the Sacrament of Baptism, we who are hungry are fed by the Most Holy Eucharist, the weight and death of sin is absolved through Confession, those in danger of death are anointed with oil to bring spiritual healing to their life, vocations are nourished which lead many souls to desire to answer God's call to become a priest, and people are sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament known as Confirmation. It is here to this church that we flock broken and torn apart, but it is from this church and what we discover within these holy walls that form our life to follow after God and to therefore allow ourself to go on to be a reflection of the Spirit that dwells within us. May we allow Christ the Saviour to come to truly triumph in our life and to therefore allow ourself to become a reflection of what takes place within the walls of this Church and thus to allow ourself to further resemble the temple of God which we have been called to resemble.
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