John 2:13-22
The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, ‘Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a market-place!’ His disciples remembered that it was written, ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ The Jews then said to him, ‘What sign can you show us for doing this?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and will you raise it up in three days?’ But he was speaking of the temple of his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.
Commentary
Today, we celebrate the dedication of the St. John Lateran, the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome, the Pope. This magnificent basilica, the mother and head of all churches in Rome and the world, stands as a testament to the enduring faith of the Church and the unwavering love of God. The Gospel reading from John 2:13-22, the cleansing of the Temple, provides a powerful context for our celebration.
The passage depicts Jesus, filled with righteous zeal, driving out the merchants and money changers from the Temple. He declares, "My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers." This act, seemingly violent, is actually an act of profound love. Jesus was not attacking commerce itself, but rather the corruption that had infiltrated the sacred space, turning a place of prayer and worship into a marketplace of greed.
The dedication of St. John Lateran, like the cleansing of the Temple, is an act of purification and renewal. This basilica, throughout its long and storied history, has witnessed countless acts of devotion, prayer, and sacrifice. It has also, undoubtedly, seen moments of human weakness, moments where the sacred space may have been compromised by worldly concerns.
Today's dedication is a reaffirmation of the Church's commitment to holiness, to being a true house of prayer, a place where God's presence is felt and celebrated. It is a call for each of us to examine our own hearts and lives, to ensure that we, too, are not allowing worldly concerns to overshadow our devotion to God. We must strive to cleanse our own "temples," our own hearts and minds, of the "robbers" of greed, selfishness, and indifference.
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up," are prophetic. They refer, of course, to the resurrection of Jesus himself, but they also speak to the enduring nature of the Church. The Church, like the Temple, may face challenges, may experience periods of trial and tribulation, but it will always be rebuilt, renewed, and strengthened by the grace of God.
The dedication of St. John Lateran is a powerful reminder of this enduring strength. It is a symbol of the Church's unwavering commitment to its mission: to proclaim the Gospel, to celebrate the sacraments, and to serve the needs of humanity. It is a call to each of us to participate actively in this mission, to be living stones in the building of God's kingdom.
Let us, therefore, approach this celebration with renewed faith and commitment. Let us pray that St. John Lateran may continue to be a beacon of hope and a sanctuary of prayer for generations to come. Let us strive to make our own lives, our own hearts, worthy temples of God, cleansed of all that would defile them. Let us, like Jesus, drive out the "robbers" of sin and selfishness, and allow the love of God to reign supreme. Amen.