FEAST OF THE DEDICATION
OF THE
LATERAN BASILICA
The Basilica of St. John Lateran, dating
from the early 4th century, and not St.
Peter’s, is the official seat of the Bishop
of Rome, and so is the Pope’s church. It
is known as the ‘Mother and Head of all
the churches of the City and the World’.
The title signifies that it is the symbolic
mother church for all Roman Catholic
faithful worldwide and a symbol of unity
with the Bishop of Rome. The meeting
place between God and His people was
always holy ground. It still is. While it
is true that God can be encountered in
the ‘book of creation’ and in the faces
of people, we should have a heightened
sense of awareness, reverence, dignity
and respect for His special presence
in His house. Is beannaithe Tigh Dé.
‘The House of God is not a place
where people meet in a trivial spirit of
festivity. There should be religious awe
at being face to face with God’. (Cardinal
Robert Sarah). In todays Gospel extract
Jesus shows rare and intense anger
when He sees His Father’s House being
disrespected. When Jesus shows anger we
need to take notice.
