JOHN 2:13-22
THIS WEEKEND WE CELEBRATE
A CHURCH, RATHER THAN A PERSON. THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN IS
THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF THE BISHOP OF ROME. I THINK MOST OF US WOULD
HAVE GUESSED THAT SAINT PETER'S WOULD BE THAT CHURCH, BUT WE WOULD BE
WRONG. THE CHURCH IS ON LAND THAT ONCE HELD THE PALACE OF THE
LATERANI FAMILY, WHO WERE VERY PROMINENT IN ANCIENT ROME. ONE OF THE
LATERANI FELL OUT OF FAVOR WITH THE EMPEROR, AND THE LAND WAS
CONFISCATED. THE ORIGINAL CHURCH WAS BUILT BY THE EMPEROR
CONSTANTINE IN THE FOURTH CENTURY, AFTER CHRISTIANITY BECAME
LEGALIZED. THE CURRENT CHURCH IS THE FIFTH ONE BUILT ON THAT SITE.
SO WHY SHOULD WE CELEBRATE THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ROME? AFTER ALL
THEY DON'T CELEBRATE THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF SPRINGFIELD. THE
CATHEDRAL OF SAINT JOHN LATERAN IS CALLED “THE MOTHER CHURCH OF
ROME AND THE WORLD”, AND THE ORIGINAL MAY VERY WELL HAVE BEEN THE
FIRST SIGNIFICANT CHURCH IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE. THE JEWS HAD THEIR
TEMPLE, AND ALL THROUGH THE EMPIRE THERE WERE SYNAGOGUES, USUALLY NOT
VERY IMPRESSIVE BUILDINGS CHRISTIANS COULD NOT ERECT STRUCTURES FOR
WORSHIP; IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW. SO MOST OF THE TIME THEY WORSHIPED
IN HOMES, OR IN CATACOMBS, OR IN OTHER SECRETIVE PLACES. IMAGINE THE
JOY WHEN THE CATHEDRAL WAS FIRST ERECTED.
SO ONE OF THE REASONS TO
CELEBRATE IS THAT THIS CHURCH IS A SYMBOL OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS
EMERGING OUT OF THE DARKNESS, BRINGING LIGHT TO THE NATIONS.
THE GOSPEL READING SHOWS
HOW SENSITIVE JESUS WAS TO THE SACRED NATURE OF THE TEMPLE, THE PLACE
OF WORSHIP FOR THE JEWS. THE MONEY CHANGERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO SOLD
ANIMALS WERE ACTUALLY CONDONED AND EVEN ENCOURAGED TO SET UP SHOP IN
THE OUTER COURTYARD. IF YOU WANTED TO OFFER SACRIFICE THE ANIMAL HAD
TO BE PERFECT, BY JEWISH LAW HANDED DOWN FROM MOSES; AND BECAUSE YOU
WERE IN THE TEMPLE AREA YOU COULD ONLY PURCHASE THE SACRIFICIAL
ANIMAL WITH UNTAINTED MONEY. WHEN JESUS DROVE THE MONEY CHANGERS AND
THE ANIMAL SELLERS OUT OF THE TEMPLE, IT WAS A REAL SURPRISE TO PIOUS
JEWS, ALMOST A BLASPHEMY. BUT JESUS SEES WHAT IS GOING ON AS
PROFANING THE SACRED. SO A SECOND REASON TO CELEBRATE THE MOTHER
CHURCH OF THE WORLD IS TO REMIND OURSELVES THAT THERE ARE SACRED
PLACES, THIS CHURCH BEING ONE, AND IF WE HAVE EVEN A LITTLE OF JESUS'
ZEAL, WE WILL GUARD THE SACREDNESS OF THIS SPACE; WE WILL REMEMBER
THAT JESUS IS PRESENT BODY AND BLOOD, SOUL AND DIVINITY; AND WE WILL
ATTEND HOLY MASS WITH THE GREATEST REVERENCE.
ANOTHER SACRED SPACE, OF
COURSE, IS THE BODY EACH OF US HAS BEEN GIVEN. SAINT PAUL TELLS US
THAT WE ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND IF WE ARE TO GUARD THE
SACREDNESS OF OUR CHURCH, SHOULD WE NOT BE EVEN MORE EAGER TO GUARD
OUR OWN SACREDNESS? THIS MEANS THAT WE ATTEND TO OUR BODY AS WELL AS
TO OUR SOUL. THERE IS A WONDERFUL BOOK COMING OUT CALLED “THE
THEOLOGY OF THE TABLE,” IN WHICH THE AUTHOR SAYS THAT A TWENTY YEAR
OLD NEEDS TO THINK LOVINGLY OF THE 70 YEAR OLD HE WILL BECOME
SOMEDAY WHENEVER HE EATS OR DRINKS. AND WE COULD ADD, WHENEVER HE
PUTS ANYTHING IN HIS MIND AS WELL. SO A THIRD REASON TO CELEBRATE
THE MOTHER CHURCH IS TO REMIND US THAT WE ARE SACRED BEINGS
OURSELVES.
THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF
SAINT JOHN LATERAN HAS A BEAUTIFUL INTERIOR. I'VE NEVER BEEN THERE,
BUT YOU CAN GOOGLE IT AND SEE SEVERAL IMAGES SHOWING THE MAGNIFICENT
STATUES AND STAINED GLASS WINDOWS. YOU CAN SEE HOW THE PEOPLE WHO
BUILT IT POURED EVERYTHING INTO MAKING IT BEAUTIFUL. I DOUBT YOU
COULD GET ANYONE TO DO THIS ANYMORE; THE COST WOULD BE BEYOND THE
REACH OF EVEN A LARGE DIOCESE. BUT IN THOSE DAYS THE PEOPLE
CONSIDERED THE HOUSE OF GOD TO BE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN THEIR OWN
DWELLINGS, AND ACTED ACCORDINGLY. YOU CAN SEE THE SAME SORT OF THING
IN SOME OF THE OLDER ETHNIC CHURCHES AROUND HERE. SO ANOTHER REASON
TO CELEBRATE THE CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF ROME IS TO REMEMBER THAT TO GOD
BELONGS OUR FIRST FRUITS; WHEN WE GIVE TO GOD OUR GIVING SHOULD NOT
BE WHAT IS LEFT OVER AFTER WE ATTEND TO OUR NEEDS AND WANTS; OUR GIFT
TO GOD SHOULD BE THE FIRST CLAIM ON WHAT WE HAVE.
EVERY CATHOLIC CHURCH IS
A BRIDGE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH. JESUS DWELLS WITH US JUST AS HE
DOES WITH THE FATHER IN HEAVEN. AND WHENEVER WE HAVE A EUCHARISTIC
CELEBRATION, HEAVEN TOUCHES EARTH. THE BREAD AND WINE BECOME THE
PERSON OF JESUS; WITH JESUS HAVING BEEN GIVEN TO US, WE NOW HAVE THE
MEANS TO APPROACH THE GREAT BANQUET TO WHICH WE HAVE BEEN INVITED.
AND WE TASTE THAT BANQUET AS WELL, WHEN WE RECEIVE THE EUCHARIST.
AND AS WE RECEIVE JESUS, WHO CAN NEVER AGAIN BE DIVIDED, WHO FOREVER
REMAINS ONE, WE JOIN WITH ALL THE OTHER CHRISTIANS IN TIME AND SPACE
WHO HAVE ALSO EATEN AND DRUNK THE SACRED MEAL.
IN EZEKIEL'S VISION THE
TEMPLE BECOMES THE SOURCE OF LIFE FOR ALL THE WORLD. THE LIFE GIVING
WATERS MAKE THE SALT SEA FRESH, AND NOURISH THE PLANTS THAT IN TURN
NOURISH THE ANIMAL LIFE. THAT'S WHAT WE SHOULD LONG FOR, SHOULD WORK
FOR. THAT OUR TEMPLE, OUR SAINT MARY'S CHURCH, BECOMES THE SOURCE OF
LIVING WATER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE WITHIN THE PARISH BOUNDARIES,
CATHOLICS AND NON-CATHOLICS ALIKE. AND YOU AND I ARE THE ONES WHO
BEAR THE LIVING WATER. WE COME TO THE CHURCH AND DRAW STRENGTH AND
LIFE FROM THE EUCHARIST, AND CARRY IT OUT INTO THE WORLD. THE MORE
WE SHARE THESE GRACES THE MORE GRACES ARE GIVEN TO US.
THE CHURCH OF SAINT JOHN
LATERAN IS THE MOTHER CHURCH OF CATHOLICISM. IT IS THE CHURCH OF
POPE FRANCIS, THE BISHOP OF ROME, WHO IS THE SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS
OF GOD. IT IS A SYMBOL AND SOURCE OF THE ONENESS, THE UNIVERSALITY,
THE APOSTOLIC FOUNDATION, AND THE HOLINESS THAT MARK THE TRUE CHURCH
O JESUS CHRIST. IT'S EXCITING TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH. IT'S
WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT GOD EXPECTS GREAT THINGS FROM US – NOT
BECAUSE WE ARE CAPABLE OF GREAT THINGS, BUT BECAUSE IF WE LET HIM HE
WILL WORK GREAT THINGS THROUGH US. THE CHURCH OF THE BISHOP OF ROME
AND INDEED ALL CATHOLIC CHURCHES ARE SIGNS THAT GOD IS BRINGING
ABOUT A NEW CREATION EVEN NOW, AND THAT AT THE END OF TIME, THERE
WILL NO LONGER BE CHURCHES, BECAUSE THE WHOLE WORLD WILL BE A HOLY
PLACE, WHERE THERE IS NO NEED OF LAMPS OR SUNLIGHT, BECAUSE GOD
HIMSELF WILL BE OUR LIGHT.
