"Go, and Repair My House," the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran

My Sisters and Brothers:

Today, we celebrate a great temple on this “Feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran.”  This ancient church, located in Rome, Italy, has forever been known as the “mother and head of all churches on earth.” It was the ancient seat, or “cathedra,” of the Bishop of Rome, and continues to hold that distinction today.  With this in mind, and reflecting on the words of Jesus in the Gospel today, we are taught that the “temple of God” consists of something more ethereal than simply a building constructed by human hands (see John 2:13-22).  And so, the question we might pose on this feast is:  “Do we simply celebrate a uniquely historical church building, made of bricks, stones and mortar much like any other, or is there some deeper, more significant, reality upon which to reflect?”

My answer to this takes my thoughts to the beautiful and charming medieval town of Assisi, located a little more than a hundred miles away from Rome.  About eight hundred years ago, a very young man named Francis lived there, and at that time he was earnestly trying to discern, and to understand, what God wanted him to do with his life.  While things bustled in Rome, the young Francis was drawn to pray inside of a small, nearly ruined, and certainly insignificant church near Assisi called San Damiano.  Alone there, and in quiet prayer before an image of the crucified Jesus, Francis of Assisi heard the Lord say to him, “go and repair my house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins.”  These words were a catalyst to the conversion, work, and ministry of Francis, and they have inspired his spiritual sons and daughters ever since.

Although Francis at first imagined he was simply called to rebuild that small chapel, he and his followers eventually came to realize that they were really called to “rebuild the church, another kind of temple known as the people of God.”  This profound calling was symbolically depicted by the famous Italian artist Giotto, who many years later painted many of the frescoes in the newly constructed Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.  In one of Giotto’s frescoes, the saint is seen holding upon his shoulders the Roman Basilica of St. John Lateran, the church we celebrate today.

  

It seems to me that another “Francis” (one who we have come to know and to love in our own time) has been called to repair the house of God, to rebuild it, and even perhaps to refashion it in ways we never before imagined.  Today, as we celebrate the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the church and “cathedra” of our Holy Father, Pope Francis, the Bishop of Rome, let us join our prayers to those of his.
  

May we strive together, in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi, to repair, to support and to rebuild the church–that is, to renew the community of the faithful, the true temple, the Body of Christ and the people of God.  

Praise God!  Friar Timothy

 

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