Homily For The Feast Of The Consecration Of Lateran Basilica, Year C.

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Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9,12; Psalm 46:2-3.5-6, 8-9; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; John 2:13-22.

“ONE CHURCH; ONE BAPTISM; ONE MISSION!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·       Today, the universal church celebrates the feast of the dedication of John Lateran Basilica, Rome. This church is referred to as the “mother of all churches”. This Church houses the seat of the Pope as the Bishop of the Diocese of Rome.

·       Pope Leo XIV is the head of the over 1.5 billion Catholics around the world. St. Peter's Basilica remains the administrative headquarters of the Catholic Church worldwide, while John Lateran Basilica is the seat of power (service) of the Pope as the head of the Diocese of Rome.

·       What we celebrate today is not just a physical building but the symbol of the unity of Catholics worldwide to the church of Rome. We celebrate our unity with the successor of Peter, Pope Leo XV, as the head of the church. From this church and the authority of the Pope, do Bishops around the world receive their authority to share in the apostolic mission.

·       In the first reading of the (Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9,12), the Prophet Ezekiel envision a temple threshold from where water flowed from the altar through different tributaries. Wherever this water flowed, great things happened - healing, new life sprang up, freshness, and all kinds of good trees and fruit sprang up.

·       These attributes of the water that flowed from the temple threshold, reinforce the mission of the church to bring healing, reconciliation, light and new life to our troubled world. Thankfully, the Catholic church has been at the forefront of these missions all over the world. Today's feast calls us to more actions and renewed encouragement.

·       St. Paul in the second reading (1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17), reminds us that we are beneficiaries of the solid foundations laid with the blood and sweat of our ancestors in the faith. He charges us to continue to build nicely on this Apostolic foundation and hand on the faith to generations after us.

·       St. Paul also reminds us that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. We must continue to renew our lives in the spirit and purify ourselves from any kind of impurities so that we can constantly offer and be an acceptable sacrifice to God.

·       Jesus in the gospel reading (John 2:13-22) leads the charge for the need to be constantly purified. Jesus went into the temple to chase those who had turned the temple into a marketplace. To chase those who have filled the temple with sin rather than maintaining it as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

·       Today's celebration calls us to look into the temple of our own self, and we reflect on the history and the beauty of the Basilica of St. John Lateran. Are there areas of my life that need purification? Today is the right time to do that.

·       It is only from a holy temple that a proper sacrifice and worship go to God. Let us come to God today purified and beautified so that the waters of the river that flow from us may give joy to God's city and heal our world.

·       May the good Lord bless his word in our hearts through Christ our Lord, Amen.

·       Happy Sunday!!!

 

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