Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

It may seem odd to Catholics that the Church reserves a date in the calendar to honor a Basilica, albeit a beautiful structure. Bringing meaning to the feast requires a more profound understanding of the nature of the Church.

St. John Lateran is best known as the Cathedral of the Pope, the bishop of Rome. As the cathedral of the Pope, it represents the universality of the Catholic faith. The symbolism of the basilica also includes the basic precepts of the faith. God wishes salvation for all people, Gentile or Jew, and he provided for his will through the suffering of his Son, Jesus, and his later Resurrection.

In providing for salvation throughout the ages and to all generations, God chose a vehicle to effectuate the ongoing offer through His Church, and Jesus is its head. The dedication of St. John Lateran implies the visual of a physical building representing the spiritual reality behind it. It is similar to a sacrament, which is an outward sign, instituted by Christ through which grace is channeled for the inward sanctification of the soul. And sanctification happens through Jesus’s Church.

Our reading for this Sunday is the scriptural basis for this claim. Upon entering the Temple, Jesus was angered by the merchants who were using the Temple’s space for commerce rather than for worship.  When those who opposed Jesus’ condemnation demanded a sign of his authority, Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” Incredulous of his response, they told him, the temple has been under construction for forty-six years. It was only after the resurrection that his disciples remembered this exchange and began to understand Jesus was referring to his body as the Temple. It was reinforced by St. Paul, who specifically told the Ephesians members of the Church are fellow citizens of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus himself as the cornerstone.

St. Augustine, in one of his sermons, provides an analogy of the spiritual nature of the Church and her members as a means for further reflection. He begins by drawing our attention to the similarity between the physical building of a church and the methods used in spiritual development.  When a person first comes to believe they are like the timber and stone taken from the woods and mountains. Through baptism, a believer is shaped, leveled, and smoothed by the craftsman.

The individual, once ready to become part of the Church’s spiritual structure, needs to be seamlessly incorporated into its construction. St. Augustine fittingly describes the analogous timber and stone as held together by Christ and charity, or love. Jesus says, “A new commandment I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another.”

As baptized persons and convinced to follow Jesus’ commandment of love, we are members of the Church instituted by Christ for our salvation. Importantly, the salvation of our souls should only be part of our responsibility. Loving our neighbors is part of our efforts beyond our own destiny and should be directed daily to helping fulfill the Church’s mission of saving every soul.

From an obligation, it should be our desire. In celebrating the dedication, we are celebrating the gift God has given to us, to members of his Church on earth, and, God willing, to members of the communion of saints in heaven.