Hôm nay chúng ta mừng ngày lễ cống hiến của Vương Cung Thánh Đường Thánh Gioan Lateranô (*), Vương cung Thánh đường là Đền thánh lâu đời nhất và là một trong những Vương cung Thánh đường quan trọng nhất của Công giáo ở Rome. Trong thế kỷ thứ tư, hoàng đế Constantine, là hoàng đế Kitô giáo đầu tiên thuộc đế quốc Lamã xây dựng. Trong suốt nhiều thế kỷ, nhà thờ đã bị phá hủy, xây lại, mở rộng và tu bổ nhiều lần. Nhưng Đền thờ luôn luôn được công nhận là nhà thờ chính toà của Giáo phận Roma hay nhà thờ của các giám mục Rôma (đức Giáo Hoàng là Giám Mục của Roma). Thánh Đường này được gọi là ‘Mater Ecclesiae Romae Urbis et Orbis’, Mẹ của tất cả các thánh đường ở Rôma và trên thế giới. Một trong những tính năng nổi bật nhất của Vương Cung Thánh Đường Thánh Gioan Laterano là dòng chữ được tìm thấy khắc trong đền rửa tội của nhà thờ như sau: ". Đây là nguồn mạch sự sống, nhờ đấy mà toàn thế giới được thanh tẩy, qua chính những vết thương trong cuộc khổ nạn của Chúa Kitô" Đó là một lời nhắc nhở hết sức mạnh mẽ cho Giáo Hội tồn tại để thực hiện các công việc của Chúa Kitô trong thế giới này.
REFLECTION
Today we celebrate the dedication of St. John Lateran Basilica, the oldest and one of the most important Christian basilicas in Rome. In the fourth century A.D., Constantine, who was the first Christian Emperor, built a chapel on land that was given to his wife. Throughout the centuries, that chapel has been destroyed, rebuilt, expanded, and renovated numerous times. But it has always been recognized as the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome.
One of the most striking features of the St. John Lateran Basilica is an inscription found in the basilica's baptistery which says: "This is the fountain of life, which cleanses the whole world, taking its course from the wounds of Christ." It is a powerful reminder that the Church exists to carry on the work of Christ in the world.
In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel saw healing water flowing from the Temple and going out in all directions. In one sense, that is us. We are the temples of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus wants to fill us to over flowing. In order to bring Christ to the world, however, we must plunge deeply into the fountain of life ourselves. Personal prayer, the gift of the sacraments, the wisdom of Scripture, the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ, all of these are their own founts of life for us. If Constantine, the most powerful man in the western world at that time, could be converted through the witness of Christians, imagine what our witnessing could do for our neighbors, friends, and co-workers. If we immerse ourselves in Christ, we really can change the world.
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome, November 9
Encountering Christ:
Destroy This Temple and in Three Days I Will Build It Up: The Jews were confused by Jesus’ words, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Herod the Great had just spent forty-six years enlarging and embellishing the Temple, creating a retaining wall over Mount Moriah, the very place of the binding of Isaac by Abraham, when God provided the sacrifice instead of allowing Abraham to sacrifice his only son. The physical building of the Temple had a tumultuous history. Upon Mount Moriah, King Solomon built the first Temple (circa 990–931 B.C.), but it was destroyed in the Babylonian exile around 587 B.C. King Cyrus, king of Persia, permitted the rebuilding in 538 B.C. Yet, it was plundered, desecrated, and finally rededicated during the Hasmonean revolt of the 2nd century B.C. Not long after Jesus’ prophecy, it would again be torn down by the Romans in the year 70 A.D. Only Jesus could restore the temple so that human hands could not tear it down. In his very person, the worship of God would be restored and centralized. Conversing with Christ: Jesus, increase my faith in your presence. Grant me the grace to worship in spirit and truth and to recognize that your grace makes me a temple of the Holy Spirit. Help me also to recognize the gift of the sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist, where I can gather in community for true worship.
REFLECTION
In the Gospel reading, we find a very unusual Jesus. The Gospel usually describes Jesus as a gentle, loving, compassionate, and forgiving person. All of a sudden we see his violent angry outburst in the Gospel reading today. What triggers this violent outburst of anger? The Temple authorities and the Jewish traders were making the Court of the Gentiles into noisy market place, where no man could pray. The noise from the sheep and oxen, the cooing of the doves, the shouts of vendors, the jingle of coins from the vendors - all these combined to make the Court of the Gentiles a place where no man could pray and worship. The conduct of the Temple court shut out the Gentiles from seeking the presence of God. It may be this that was upper-most in the mind of Jesus. Jesus was moved to the depth of his heart, because devout men were being shut out from the presence of God.
Is there in our Church life today - a snobbishness, superiority complex, an exclusiveness, a coldness, a lack of welcome, a tendency to make the congregation into a closed club, an arrogance, a rigidity - which keeps the searching stranger out? Let us remember the wrath of Jesus against those who made it difficult and even impossible for the searching stranger to make contact with God.
9th Nov 2013- John Lateran Church- 31st Sunday in Ordinary Time (C)
St. Paul unequivocally instructs us that we are God’s temple, whose foundation is Christ and where the Spirit of God lives. We share in God's work as brothers and sisters in Christ. Lord, help us to live a life that is holy.
Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. John 2:19–21
We celebrate, today, the Lateran Basilica in Rome, the mother church of the entire Roman Catholic Church. It was given to the Bishop of Rome in the fourth century and remained the pope’s primary residence until the building of St. Peter’s Basilica, at a time when the Lateran Basilica was falling into ruins. However, the Lateran Basilica to this day remains the most important Church in the world, since it is officially the Cathedral Church of Rome.
As we honor this church, we honor more than a building. The Lateran Basilica is a symbol of the one true Church of Jesus Christ. Its interior is beautiful and awe-inspiring so as to point us to the unimaginable beauty of the Church Herself, which is the Mystical Body of Christ.
Today’s Gospel depicts Jesus entering the Temple and driving the money changers out with a whip and the animals they were selling for profit. As He did so, He cried out, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” Psalm 69 is then quoted: Zeal for your house will consume me.
Jesus loves His Church as His own Body—because that is what it is. As His Body, the members of His Church are called and sent to act as His instruments, members of His saving action. Much more than a church building, today we honor the Church Herself—which means we honor you, insofar as you are a member of the Body of Christ. And in light of this Gospel passage for today’s Feast, we are reminded of the zeal that our Lord has for the cleansing of His Church.
How is the Church purified? It is purified by the cleansing of Her members. That means that Jesus desires, with perfect zeal, to drive out every sin from your soul, cleansing the filth that keeps you from fulfilling your essential role as a member of His Body.
Sometimes we become slack in our own commitment to be purified. We can easily become comfortable with the sins we commit, and we can form habits that are hard to break. When this happens, it is useful to ponder this story of the cleansing of the Temple and see it as Jesus’ desire to cleanse our own soul. At times, we need to be shaken up, challenged, confronted and encouraged with the unwavering zeal in the heart of our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon this powerful image of Jesus cleansing the Temple. As you do, apply it to your own life. The people selling and buying in the Temple must have been shocked at Jesus’ zeal and actions. If you have become complacent with your sins, try to allow this holy shock to also wake you up. Allow our Lord’s zeal to affect you, and know that His purifying actions are acts of love by which He desires to free you to become a more fully functioning member of His holy Church.
My zealous Lord, Your heart burns with a deep desire to cleanse me and all Your children from sin. Your zeal reveals Your deep love and Your willingness to do all that You can to make me a fuller member of Your Body, the Church. Open my mind and will, dear Lord, to all that You wish to say to me and give me the grace to respond to Your purifying action in my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Nov 9-2024
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - John 2:13-22
1. Ezekiel and the Vision of the New Temple: The Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome. The yearly remembrance of its dedication in the fourth century A.D. by Pope Sylvester is a sign of union with the See of Peter. The readings chosen for today invite us to contemplate the mystery of the Temple. The First Reading is taken from the prophet Ezekiel, who, at the end of his book, dedicated several chapters to the vision of the restored People of God gathered around a New Temple. In particular, Ezekiel sees a supernatural river of water flowing from the New Temple. This prophecy and vision look back to the four rivers that flowed out of the original Garden of Eden. In fact, the spring in Jerusalem was named the “Gihon,” after one of the four rivers. But Ezekiel’s vision also looks to the future and is fulfilled in the “Church, which is the true Temple from which the Holy Spirit flows forth as a life-giving river under the signs of the sacraments” (Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: Ezekiel, 76).
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I desire to hear your word with an open heart and mind. May it bear the fruit in my soul that you desire. Please increase my faith to see with your eyes, my charity to love with your heart, and my hope to await your action with confidence.
Zeal for the Temple: Throughout his life Jesus displayed a singular connection with and love for the temple. Shortly after his birth, Mary and Joseph presented him in the temple, when, moved by the Spirit, Simeon and Anna prophesied about the child (Luke 2:22-38). Jesus would go annually to the temple with his parents for Passover, and when he was twelve, he remained there three days without his parents’ knowledge to show that he must “be about his Father’s business” (CCC 583). During his public ministry, and especially leading up to his Passion, some of his more significant encounters and discourses were in the temple—such as his defense of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), his “light of the world” discourse (John 8:12), and his healing of the blind man (John 9:1-41). However, most dramatic was when Jesus drove out the money-changers, the animals, and their handlers from the temple with a whip. “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” He would never cease to defend the honor of his Father’s house with zeal.
Nov 9, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran
Opening Prayer: Lord Jesus, increase my faith. Make my heart a temple for your dwelling place.
The Passover: The Passover is one of the most important festivities celebrated in the Jewish tradition. Before the existence of the Temple in Jerusalem, it was primarily celebrated in homes by the sacrifice and smearing of the blood of a lamb on the doorposts and lintels. Following the reign of the wicked King Ahaz, his son (and descendant of David) Hezekiah, at the age of twenty-five, sought a reform. He ordered the cleansing of the Temple and restoration of worship after a period of falling away from God (2 Chronicles 29-35). With this act, the Passover sacrifice became a central act in the Temple (around 715 B.C). About one hundred years later, due to the Babylonian exile, the Passover returned to being celebrated in the home, together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. By Jesus’ time, the two were celebrated together, with the sacrifice of the lamb taking place primarily in the Temple but also in homes due to the exorbitant number of lambs being slaughtered. Jesus “went up to Jerusalem” precisely for this feast, in anticipation of the true sacrifice of the Lamb of God and the institution of the Eucharistic—the offering of his own Body and Blood on the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Resolution: Lord, today, by your grace, I will reflect on how I contribute to making my heart, home, and Church community places of true worship.
Nov 9, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
Opening Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I desire to hear your word with an open heart and mind. May it bear the fruit in my soul that you desire. Please increase my faith to see with your eyes, my charity to love with your heart, and my hope to await your action with confidence.
Zeal for the Temple: Throughout his life Jesus displayed a singular connection with and love for the temple. Shortly after his birth, Mary and Joseph presented him in the temple, when, moved by the Spirit, Simeon and Anna prophesied about the child (Luke 2:22-38). Jesus would go annually to the temple with his parents for Passover, and when he was twelve, he remained there three days without his parents’ knowledge to show that he must “be about his Father’s business” (CCC 583). During his public ministry, and especially leading up to his Passion, some of his more significant encounters and discourses were in the temple—such as his defense of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11), his “light of the world” discourse (John 8:12), and his healing of the blind man (John 9:1-41). However, most dramatic was when Jesus drove out the money-changers, the animals, and their handlers from the temple with a whip. “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” He would never cease to defend the honor of his Father’s house with zeal.
Conversing with Christ: Jesus, I believe that the deepest desire of my heart is to be known and loved for who I am. I marvel at how your gift of a profound unity with you in your mystical body the Church responds to that desire. Help me to live such a union with you and my fellow believers conscientiously and generously. Help me to have the same zeal for your Church that you showed for your Father’s house. May I continue to defend and promote the Church by my words and actions.
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