November 9, 2014

Lateran Basilica Dedication

November 9, 2014:  Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Lateran basilica's papal cathedra
Basilica's façade

Listen

For 1st reading and psalm
For 2nd reading / today's feast
From Handel's Messiah (for gospel's temple purification)
More on Ed Bolduc's Setting the tone blog including songs by Angotti, Angrisano, Baloche, Bolduc, Hart...
Look
  • 'Fish' tie pin:  Where the river flows, it teems with every living creature; fish will abound... (1st reading)
  • 'Angel' pin:  The angel brought me to the temple entrance (1st reading)
  • Blue shirt:  flowing water (1st reading, psalm)
  • 'Buildings with people' tie:  church dedication, "You are God's building" (2nd reading)
  • 'Rock' tie pin:  Christ, cornerstone/foundation of the Church (2nd reading)
  • 'No excuses sign' button:  "What sign can you show?" (gospel)
Pope Francis Angelus

Where there are walls, there are closed hearts. We need bridges, not walls!  The Berlin Wall fell suddenly [25 years ago today], but the efforts of many (including Pope St. John Paul II) who fought, prayed, suffered, and sacrificed for it made it possible.  May everyone spread a culture of encounter and bring down walls that divide the world.  May there be no more killing and persecution of the innocent.
The Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of Rome, the "mother of all churches."  When we celebrate a church dedication, we recall that temples made of bricks are signs of a Church alive and active, a "spiritual temple" of people sanctified by Christ's blood.  The Spirit asks each of us to take a journey of Christian witness.  May the communion of the Churches encourage us to build bridges of understanding, dialogue, and reconciliation.
Read

  • Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12  Water flows out of the temple.  Where the river flows, creatures live, the sea is made fresh, and fruit trees grow and bear fruit.
  • Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9  "The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!"  God is our refuge and help; we're not afraid.  The Lord our stronghold is with us.  Behold God's astounding deeds!
    Wordle: Readings 11-9-14
  • 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17  You're God’s building.  I laid a foundation, and another is building on it.  Be careful how you build; don't lay a foundation other than Christ.  You're God's holy temple, and God's Spirit dwells in you.  If you destroy it, God will destroy you.

  • Jn 2:13-22  Jesus, finding animal-sellers and money-changers and in the temple, drove them out with a whip, spilled the coins, and overturned the tables:  “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.”  Jews / Jesus:  “What sign can you show?” / “Destroy this temple and in three days I'll raise it.” / “It took 46 years, and you need only 3 days?”  But he was speaking about his Body.  When he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered this and came to believe...
Reflect
    • Creighton:  Paul:  God dwells not primarily in building but people.  Paul was chosen as master builder to preach Christ the foundation.  The community becomes God's building, sharing in Christ's holiness.  Gospel:  “I'll raise up the Temple.”  Jesus risen ends the order of temple worship.  As water from the temple revived plant and animal life, God’s Spirit transforms every area of life.
    • One Bread One Body:  "Inspect your church's foundation":  Jesus began the Church with apostles who in turn formed small communities.  Some 300 years later, the Lateran basilica was dedicated.  We have many church buildings but broken community.  We need to let the Spirit renew Christian community among us.
    • Passionist:  When unfaithful Israel was in exile, they longed to be in the courts of the Lord, but God had left the temple!  Ezekiel prophesies a new temple and new Jerusalem with lifegiving water flowing from it.  All are now invited to the Cathedral of Rome, the Church of Pope Francis, a place of welcome and peace with doors opened out into the world.  Its baptismal font inscription:  "No barrier between those reborn and made one by the one font, the one Spirit, and the one faith..."
    • DailyScripture.net:  What keeps us from God's presence?  Jesus' cleansing of the temple is a sign that he wants to cleanse us to make us living temples of his Spirit.  Malachi prophesied the Lord would come to his Temple to "purify and refine" (Mal 3:1-4).  The disciples saw Jesus as the Messiah who burned with zeal for God's house (Ps 69:10).  Do I burn with zeal?
    • Universalis:  Constantine built the Lateran basilica, “mother and head of all the churches of the World,” on Lateran Hill.
      Posted by at

      No comments:

      Post a Comment

      Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)