Today we celebrate the feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome.
Being the cathedral of the Roman Pontiff, it is also, in a sense, our cathedral too as Christians united with him through the bond of communion. The fact that we celebrate this dedication signifies the importance of the See of Rome for the universal Church. But this is not a celebration of thanksgiving for the See of Rome itself, but a celebration of the dedication of its cathedral, made by human hands and comprised of various materials. Man has spent not only money, but also time and energy in designing and constructing the building, as well as all the decorations which adorn it, inside and out. The construction and beautifying of a cathedral involves the whole man: his mind, his will, his physical labour. Setting aside the aesthetic qualities and values of the Lateran, it is a reminder of the importance of our church buildings for the life of the Christian community, most particularly with regard to the worship it offers. As the Alleluia refrain from today’s Mass says: “I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, for my name to be there forever.”
We give thanks particularly for those involved in the construction and continued maintenance of the Lateran Basilica, and pray that the Holy Father may truly imitate the Lord whom he is called to visibly represent to the universal Church throughout the world.
Br Joseph Bailham O.P.