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Contemplating today's Gospel

Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)

November 9th: Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
1st Reading (Ezek 47:1-2.8-9.12): The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side.

He said to me, «This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine».
Responsorial Psalm: 45
R/. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.

There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High. God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed; God will help it at the break of dawn.

The Lord of hosts is with us; our stronghold is the God of Jacob. Come! behold the deeds of the Lord, the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
2nd Reading (1Cor 3:9c-11.16-17): Brothers and sisters: You are God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But each one must be careful how he builds upon it, for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.
Versicle before the Gospel (2Chr 7:16): Alleluia. I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever. Alleluia.
Gospel text (Jn 2:13-22): Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there. He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, “Take these out of here, and stop making my Father’s house a marketplace.” His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me.

At this the Jews answered and said to him, “What sign can you show us for doing this?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews said, “This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his Body. Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.

«Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up»

Fr. Joaquim MESEGUER García (Rubí, Barcelona, Spain)

Today, in this universal festivity of the Church we remember that, even though no building in this world is big enough to contain God's immensity, historically human beings have felt the need to reserve certain locations for their personal and collective meetings with God. At the beginning, the gathering places for Christians were their private homes, where communities congregated for prayer and the breaking of the Eucharistic Bread. The gathered community was —and still is today— God's Holy Temple. As time went by, these communities have been building edifices devoted to their liturgical celebrations, Word predication and prayer. And this is how, Christianity, from its initial persecutions and abuse to its final religious freedom in the Roman Empire, started to build its great basilicas. Of which, the most important one, is St. John Lateran, Rome's cathedral.

St. John Lateran is the symbol of the unity of all the Churches in the world with the Roman Church, and this is why this basilica proudly displays in its main portico the title of Mother and head of all the churches in the city and in the world (Omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput). It is even more important than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, the latter not being actually a cathedral, but a shrine built over St. Peter's sepulcher and the Pope's present residence, who, as Bishop of Rome, has in the Lateran Basilica, his Cathedral.

Yet, we should never lose sight of the fact that the true meeting point between man and God, his actual temple, is Jesus Christ. This is why, He was empowered to tidy up his Father's home and to say these words: “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn 2:19). Thanks to the sacrifice of his life for us, Jesus Christ has made God’s living temple from believers. This is why the Christian message reminds us that all human beings are a sacred reality, where God dwells, and that it cannot be profaned by using it as a means.

Thoughts on Today's Gospel

  • “When we remember the Consecration of a temple, let us think about what Saint Paul said: 'Each one of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit'. May we keep our soul beautiful and clean, as it pleases God that they be his holy temples” (Saint Augustine)

  • “Today, the Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, let us remember that the Lord wishes to dwell in all hearts. Even if it happens that we move away from Him, three days are enough for the Lord to rebuild His temple within us" (Francis)

  • “Particular Churches are fully catholic through their communion with one of them, the Church of Rome which presides in charity… The Lord made St. Peter the visible foundation of his Church. He entrusted the keys of the Church to him. The bishop of the Church of Rome, successor to St. Peter, is "head of the college of bishops, the Vicar of Christ and Pastor of the universal Church on earth." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 834 and 936)

December 26th
Feast of Saint Stephen, first martyr

Gospel and commentary video

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December 25th
The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas): Mass during the Night

Gospel and commentary video

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