Father David McGough

The Word
this week
Lkalication of the Lateran Basilica
Ezelciel 47: 1-2, 8-9 & 12; 1 Corinthians 3: 9-11 & 16-17; John 2: 13-22
'igrim s to Rome are nstinctively drawn to the Basilica of St Peter. Here they venerate the tomb of Peter, the first Bishop of Rome, and are close to his successor, the present Pope. Today we celebrate another church in Rome, the Basilica of St John Lateran, Just as the Basilica of St Peter conveys to all who enter a sense of belonging to the universal Church, so the Limn Basilica conveys that same universal belonging by its very histcay. The Lateran Basilica was built as the first cathedral church' of Rome during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian Emperor.
As such, it precedes St Peter's as the Mother Church or %Mile. In every Diocese, the Cathedral expresses the unity of all the parishes making up that diocese. Likewise the Basilica of St John Lateran, the cathedral church of Rome, symbolises the unity that binds all parishes together by baptism and a shared faith. Today we remember that Christ, in
founding us as his one true Church, has made of us something far greater than the sum total of our individual parishes. The significance of today's celebration is to be found in the lives of the ordinary faithful, rather than in the bricks and mortar of a Roman Church, however splendid?
St Paul describes us as the living stones of God's temple. We am the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. His words can leave no doubt that when we come together. in all the ordinariness
of our livcs, we are Holy Ground, the sanctuary of God's meeting with his people. Precisely because we are imperfect, we easily lose sight of the gift that we, as a people, bear within ourselves, As we remember the Lateran Basilica, let us ter iew within ourselves a deep reverence for our parishes as the dwelling place of God.
The scriptures for today's feast describe a people becoming the dwelling place of God. The prophet Ezekiel describes his vision of the temple in Jerusalem A temple that had once lain in mins is now renewed. Previously the Jewish faithful throughout the Mediterranean world had flocked to the temple to be touched by the presence of their God. As Ezekiel gazed upon the Sanctuary, the process was reversed. Instead of the people travelling to the temple, the temple became the source of God's presence, flowing forth from the temple to embrace all the peoples of the earth. This all-embracing grace was represented in the life giving water that flowed forth from the temple. The stream of God's love flowed forth, its water bringing life and healing to all it touched. The stream became a river, and finally a mighty flood embracing the whole world.
Our life with Christ began in the waters of baptism, the tiny stream of God's love touching our individual lives.
That seemingly tiny steam that touched our lives long ago, reaches out to embrace all those who confess their faith in Christ Jesus. The tiny stream becomes a river, and finally a life-giving flood bringing life to all God's people.
John's gospel is alert to this symbolism. Jesus cleansed the temple, describing himself as the hiving temple, the bearer of God's presence. As he died on the cross, water flowed from his side. The symbolism that had been revealed to Ezekiel had its fulfilment in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The presence of God flows font' into the hearts of the faithful.
What we torly celebrate in the dedication of the Lateran Basilica is Christ, the living piesence of God, embracing the whole world_