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Jn 2:13-22
#	Douay-Rheims	Vulgate
13	And the pasch of the Jews was at hand: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.	et prope erat pascha Iudaeorum et ascendit Hierosolyma Iesus
14	And he found in the temple them that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting.	et invenit in templo vendentes boves et oves et columbas et nummularios sedentes
15	And when he had made, as it were, a scourge of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, the sheep also and the oxen: and the money of the changers he poured out, and the tables he overthrew.	et cum fecisset quasi flagellum de funiculis omnes eiecit de templo oves quoque et boves et nummulariorum effudit aes et mensas subvertit
16	And to them that sold doves he said: Take these things hence, and make not the house of my Father a house of traffic.	et his qui columbas vendebant dixit auferte ista hinc nolite facere domum Patris mei domum negotiationis
17	And his disciples remembered, that it was written: The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up.	recordati vero sunt discipuli eius quia scriptum est zelus domus tuae comedit me
18	The Jews, therefore, answered, and said to him: What sign dost thou shew unto us, seeing thou dost these things?	responderunt ergo Iudaei et dixerunt ei quod signum ostendis nobis quia haec facis
19	Jesus answered and said to them: Destroy this temple; and in three days I will raise it up.	respondit Iesus et dixit eis solvite templum hoc et in tribus diebus excitabo illud
20	The Jews then said: Six and forty years was this temple in building; and wilt thou raise it up in three days?	dixerunt ergo Iudaei quadraginta et sex annis aedificatum est templum hoc et tu tribus diebus excitabis illud
21	But he spoke of the temple of his body.	ille autem dicebat de templo corporis sui
22	When therefore he was risen again from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this: and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had said.	cum ergo resurrexisset a mortuis recordati sunt discipuli eius quia hoc dicebat et crediderunt scripturae et sermoni quem dixit Iesus

One Bread, One Body

<< Tuesday, November 9, 2004 >>

Dedication of St. John Lateran

2 Chronicles 5:6-10, 13—6:2
1 Corinthians 3:9-13, 16-17

Psalm 84
Luke 19:1-10

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THE FAMILY OF FAMILIES

“Everyone, however, must be careful how he builds. No one can lay a foundation other than the one that has been laid, namely Jesus Christ.” —1 Corinthians 3:10-11

Today we celebrate the liberation of the Church in the early fourth century. After Constantine was converted to Christianity, he changed from persecuting the Church to providing for the construction of the first Christian church buildings. For the first three-hundred years of Christianity, all churches met in homes. Then, with the end of persecution against the Church, it became possible to build a structure large enough to contain a community of several home communities. This church was named after St. John the Baptizer and was situated on the Lateran property. This was a big step forward in promoting the unity of the Church.

Therefore, today’s feast is a celebration of liberation based on conversion leading to unity among the Christian communities. Today’s feast teaches us that:

Liberation is based not on independence and isolation but Christian community.
There is no liberation without conversion.
The basic unit of the Church is the small, home-based community.
These basic communities need to be united with each other.
The Spirit makes us one by calling us to obey authority, especially the authority of the Pope.

What happened in the former Soviet Union in the early 1990s is something like what happened to the Church in the early 300s. This liberation continues to be a cause for joy. Celebrate the anniversary of the dedication of St. John Lateran.

Prayer: Father, may those who have given their lives to Jesus be “of one heart and one mind” (Acts 4:32).

Promise: “Today salvation has come to this house.” —Lk 19:9

Praise: Alleluia! Jesus is the Cornerstone! Alleluia!