Nov. 9 - Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

“We are God’s temple called to give Life” (by Fr. James McTavish)

Based on the readings: Ezekial 47, 1-2, 8-9, 12// Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9// 1 Cor 3:9c-11,16-17// Jn 2:13-22

Today the Church celebrates the dedication of the Lateran Basilica. The Lateran in Rome is considered the Mother of all Churches. We have an image of the Church in the first reading – a temple from which flows a river of life. This river vitalizes and energizes everything it touches. Wherever the river flows life flows. Trees grow on its banks which bear fruit continuously and whose leaves are used for medicine. In the second reading St. Paul tells us something very interesting. “You are God’s building.“ So we celebrate the Feast of the dedication of the basilica but it is we that have become the real, living temples of God. God does not only live in churches made of stone but also in our hearts. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? Imagine, a Christian is really a tabernacle with legs, a walking tabernacle that can speak. God has chosen as his preferred dwelling place the human heart. He does not reside in the huge basilicas alone but also in each one of us.

In the Gospel Jesus comes to visit his Father`s house. He expects to find a house of prayer, a temple dedicated to God. He hopes to find it clean and in order. A temple where people`s thoughts will not merely be on the things of this world but also on the things of God. Imagine his surprise when he sees the temple converted into a den of thieves. Full of animals. People changing money. Noisy, dirty and in chaos.

We have two images of temples thus presented. One is a holy temple, dedicated and from it flows life. The second is a temple dirty, overrun, noisy and in chaos. If we had to consider the temple of our heart how would we find it? Dedicated and focussed on God, a house of prayer transmitting life? Or a place for business and many activities, where there is no space for God?

Jesus is zealous for the life of each one of us. We can ask him to enter into our hearts and lives. His presence gives order. His presence gives life. On Good Friday we see the tabernacle empty. Jesus is not there. The world is in darkness. When Jesus is not present in our tabernacle we experience darkness too. The tabernacle of our heart is built for the Lord and we remain restless and without light until Jesus is allowed to live in our hearts. The tabernacle is sacred and is God`s house. We would not consider placing anything else inside it. And so too our lives. When they become filled up with bad thoughts or desires Jesus tells us “Take these out of here and stop making my Father`s house a marketplace”.

When our life becomes overrun with the wild animals of pride, lust, anger and envy the only way to restore order is invoking God’s help in the sacrament of reconciliation. Jesus enters into our temple and cleanses us from our sins. How great is this sacrament! After the absolution we experience peace and order once more in our hearts. The wild animals and the bad smells have gone, order is restored and we feel we can recommence our dialogue and closeness to God. Our tabernacle light comes on and we become once more givers of life. When Jesus is in the centre of our lives then really we become life givers.

Let us ask on this special Feast day that the Holy Spirit can dedicate the temple of our hearts to Jesus and that we all can become these living temples that generate so much life.