Deacon Ron's Homily: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome - A holy church – a holy people

Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.

You may be wondering  - 'why do we celebrate this building?'

Before I answer that, let's look at the history of the feast and of the building.

This feast has been celebrated since the 12th century.

It's not often that we celebrate this feast on a Sunday because it’s always celebrated on November 9th.

When November 9th is on a Sunday, it takes precedence and is celebrated throughout the world.

Some of you may have toured this beautiful basilica while on vacation or pilgrimage to Rome.

It's a beautiful and sacred building that has a fascinating history.

Some facts:

The emperor Constantine, who legalized Christianity, gave the palace and its lands to the church in 311.

It is also known as the Basilica of St. John Lateran.

The basilica is built next to the palace of the Laterani family, which is how St.

John seemingly got a surname.

There really isn't a person named John Lateran.

The basilica celebrates both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.

It is also dedicated to Christ our Savior.

It's full official title is “The Archbasilica of the Most Holy Savior and Saints John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran.”

Did you know that the Lateran Basilica is the cathedral church of the bishop of Rome?

It's the pope's cathedral, not St. Peter's as many people assume.

A church council was first held at the Lateran in 313.

Over the years, the Lateran has been damaged by earthquakes, attacked and ransacked by Vandals, and destroyed by fire twice.

After each of these incidents, the Lateran was rebuilt and refurbished.

The Lateran basilica is considered the mother church of all Catholic churches

around the world.

So what we are really celebrating is not the building but our identity as a worldwide church and our union with the Church of Rome.

Remember, we are Roman Catholic and the word 'catholic' means universal.  

Today is a day to remind ourselves that we are part of something much bigger than our own parish.

Last weekend’s celebrations of All Saints and All Souls reminded us that our family extends through time.

Today's feast reminds us that we extend geographically around the world .

My friends, we are all connected, centered around Christ and the successor of St. Peter, the Pope.

We are truly a universal church.   

This brings to mind some masses that I attended in different countries and among different cultures.

I have been to mass in Vienna where the mass was celebrated in German.

I have been to mass in Mexico where the mass was celebrated in Spanish.

Once I attended a Vietnamese mass in Anaheim CA.  The mass was celebrated in Vietnamese and the church was filled to capacity.

At each of these masses, I couldn’t understand the other languages, but I knew the order of the mass and I didn’t feel out of place.

Although I was an outsider, I felt as though I was part of their community, and I was.

Yes, we were different and spoke different languages, but we shared our faith in Jesus Christ and the Roman Catholic Church.

Worshiping and praying together in this common brotherhood and sisterhood was awesome.

I loved the experience and I love the fact that we are a universal church.

Knowing that despite all of our differences, the universal Church brings us together as the Body of Christ here on earth.       <pause>

Like many of you, I also love visiting different church buildings, the old and the new.  

I remember the mass at St. Stephensdom in Vienna which was built in the 12^th c.

What a sight it was to behold!

The architecture, the stained glass, the statues, and the altar all give me a sense of God’s presence in a special way.  

The many churches that all of us have seen are sacred and holy places.

These beautiful buildings are gathering places for the faithful to worship God and to encounter Christ in sacrament, in prayer, and in each other.

But they are just buildings - for 'Church' is really the people.

The great spiritual writer, Fr. Henri Nouwen had this to say about Church:

"The Church is the people of God.  The Latin word for "church," ecclesia, comes from the Greek ek, which means "out," and kaleo, which means "to call."  The Church is the people of God called out of slavery to freedom, sin to salvation, despair to hope, darkness to light, an existence centered on death to an existence focused on life.  When we think of Church we have to think of a body of people, travelling together.  We have to envision women, men, and children of all ages, races, and societies supporting one another on their long and often tiresome journeys to their final home."

My friends, church is all of us here at SSFC and all of the faithful around the world.

That’s wonderful knowing that we are church and that we are all on a journey connected through Jesus Christ.

Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians reminds us that we Christians are sacred and holy.

“You are God’s building.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
… for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.”

And it is the holiness and sacredness of the gathered faithful that makes the church ‘buildings’ holy and sacred places.

This feast day reminds us that we are called to be a holy people who gather together in community, here and around the world, to worship God and to live the gospel message.

In a few minutes, as we approach the altar to receive our Lord in Holy Communion, let's ask for God's grace to help us become a more holy people and make this space a more holy space.

May we strive for that each and every day.     God bless!