Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

November 9

John 2:13-22

For those who are outside Australia, they might be surprised that the capital of Australia is not Sydney but Canberra. In the same way, when one asks where is the “Cathedral basilica of the Pope or the Bishop of Rome, it is almost automatic that one will answer “St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican”. But the cathedral church where the seat of the Bishop of Rome is in is St John Lateran’s Basilica in Rome.

So why are we celebrating this basilica in Rome, while we’re in a church that is about halfway around the world in Australia? Because this church is considered as the “Mother of all churches”. The Lateran Basilica is the oldest church in Rome. When the emperor Constantine decreed that Christianity was now a tolerated religion in the Roman Empire, he donated part of the palace that was owned by the Laterani family, which was made into a basilica which is named the “Church of the Saviour” and its co-patrons are the two ‘St Johns’, namely St John the Baptist and St John the Evangelist. During that time, all baptisms in Rome had to be done at the Lateran Basilica.

In today’s gospel, Jesus is seen going to the temple as was his practice. He was shocked and angered by seeing people selling cattle, sheep and doves and also the money changers there. We have to understand though that there’s a purpose why there were people selling cattle, sheep and doves. If you were coming from the countryside and wanted to offer an animal to the temple, it would be very practical to just bring money along and buy the animal that you want to offer in the temple area rather than travelling with your animal that you want to offer. As for the money changers, if people wanted to offer money to the temple, they were not allowed to bring money with the graven image of the Roman emperor on the coin, which was the prevailing coinage in Israel during that time. To solve this problem, people had their coins exchanged with coins that did not have the image of the emperor. Unfortunately, though, these things were subject to abuse and corruption. People who were selling animals would charge people coming from the countryside twice or thrice the cost of buying the same animal in the market. Also, the money changers were making a killing by charging so much for their service. Another cause of Jesus’ anger was that these businessmen were doing their trade at the “Court of the Gentiles”. This is the space in the temple reserved for Gentiles who wanted to worship the Lord, since they are not allowed to enter the inner sanctuary. These Gentiles might be thinking of converting to Judaism. Knowing Jesus who favours those who are seeking the Lord, this is such a disrespect for Gentiles who wanted to worship and to convert to Judaism.

While we here in Australia have deep respect for our physical churches, it is sad that it seems that the numbers of people who come to church haven’t bounced back to the levels it used to before COVID. It seems that some people prefer watching the mass on-line despite pleas from bishops to come back to church especially when you are able to do so. There’s certainly a difference when you go physically to church to be where God is present not only in the congregation that prays together at mass but also God’s presence in the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle.

May we invite our brothers and sisters to go back again to Church and appreciate God’s presence in our places of worship and also continue to observe respect and reverence in our churches, not just in acknowledgement of God’s presence but also to pray with our community together at Mass as this is a glimpse of God’s promise to all who are faithful when we will be present in God’s kingdom for eternity.