November 9 – Thirty Second Sunday : The Feast of the Anniversary of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica at Rome

 

 First Reading
Ezekiel 47:1-2,8-9,12
I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 46:2-3,5-6,8-9
God is our refuge and our strength.

Second Reading
1 Corinthians 3:9-13,16-17
You are the temple of God.

Gospel Reading
John 2:13-22

We celebrate today the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome because it is the head and mother church of all churches in the world. On the façade of the basilica there is an inscription in Latin which reads, “The mother and mistress of all churches of Rome and the world.” The Lateran Basilica is the first church of the Christians at Rome. Every bishop has a cathedral and the Pope’s cathedral is the Basilica of St. John Lateran. The dedication of a church reminds us a deeper spiritual reality: that God’s presence among His people (“God’s home is with human beings! He will live with them and they shall be His People” - Rev 21:3) and that God dwells in our bodies since they were consecrated as sacred temples at Baptism (“you are God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in you” – 1 Cor 3:16).  May God dwell among us.