Today, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome. The Lateran Basilica is the oldest and highest-ranking of the four major Basilicae in Rome (Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter's, Saint Mary Major and Saint Paul Outside the Walls).
The Basilica of Saint John Lateran is the cathedral of the diocese of Rome, the official ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome, not Saint Peter's Basilica as so many mistakenly believe. The Basilica is also called the Church of Holy Saviour or the Church of Saint John the Baptist. In ancient Rome this was the church where everyone was baptized. It is the oldest church in the West, built in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine and consecrated by Pope Sylvester in 324 AD. This feast became a universal celebration in honour of the Archbasilica, the ecclesiastical mother church, called the mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world (omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput), as a sign of love for and union with the See of Peter.
The gospel passage for today's liturgy presents Jesus in the temple in Jerusalem where he overturns tables and chases money changers and merchants out of his Father's house (cf Jn 2:16). As we celebrate this important day in the history of our Church, we can ask ourselves if there have been times when we have not given a place of honour to our relationship with Jesus. If so, we can ask Him to help us make room in our hearts for prayer.
Have a great day.
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