Homily – Basilica of St John Lateran – Fr Jeremiah Browne (national Director for the Pontifical Mission Societies #Southafrica #Swaziland #eswatini #Botswana)
Today’s feast is somewhat unusual. It is one of the few times in the Church’s calendar when we celebrate not a saint, nor an event in the life of Christ, but a building – the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome. The thing to remember is that this is no ordinary building. It was the first church to be built in Rome after the conversion of Emperor Constantine in the fourth century.
With the conversion of Constantine, Christians were free to worship publicly for the first time. It was Constantine himself who gave the land, known as Lateran Hill, to the Church, and there the first great Christian church was built as a powerful symbol of a new beginning for the Christian faith.
After centuries of persecution and hidden worship in homes and catacombs, believers could now gather openly to celebrate the Eucharist. The how Basilica of St John Lateran became the mother church of all churches, the cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, who happens to be the pope, and the visible sign of the Church’s unity across the world. Its dedication marked not just the opening of a building, but the dawning of a new era – the Church emerging from the shadows into the light of public life.
So when we celebrate this basilica today, we are really celebrating what it stands for: the triumph of faith over fear, the enduring unity of believers across time and place, and the abiding presence of Christ who continues to build his living Church in every heart that welcomes him.
Images of the living Church are present in all our readings today. In the first reading, Ezekiel (47:1-2, 8-9, 12) speaks powerfully of a vision of water flowing from the Temple — water that brings life wherever it goes.
This living water symbolizes God’s grace pouring out from his presence, renewing the earth and restoring life. It reminds us that the Church is not a static monument of stone and mortar, but a vibrant, life-giving source. Pope Francis often reminded us of this reality when he declared that the Church is not a museum for perfect people, but a field hospital for the wounded.
In other words, we as Church are at our best, not when we maintain the status quo but when we meet people where they are, welcomes the broken, comforts the suffering and becomes an instrument of God’s healing love for all in need. As church, our vitality is measured not in grand buildings, but in our capacity to bring hope, restore dignity, and bear fruit in the lives of those who encounter Christ through us.
Paul develops this vision of a living Church even further in the second reading (1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17). He reminds the Corinthians that “you are God’s building… you are God’s temple, and the Spirit of God dwells in you.” He rightly shifts the focus from the Temple of stone to the living Temple made up of God’s people. Every baptized person, every community of believers, becomes a sacred space where God’s Spirit resides, shaping lives and guiding actions.
This is a reminder that the Church, first and foremost, is not a distant institution, but a presence alive in our families, parishes, and neighbourhoods.
In the Gospel today (John 2:13–22) we hear how Jesus entered the Temple and drove out the money-changers, and those who disrespected God’s sacred space. The Temple that Jesus cleansed points to the living Church he calls us to be: a place of justice, mercy, and love, where the Spirit of God flows freely and transforms lives.
Today’s feast day is more than a history lesson. It is a missionary call. The Lateran Basilica stands as a powerful reminder of the faith of the early Church whose witness changed the world as we know it. Long before the first stones were laid, the Church existed in the courage, prayer, and perseverance of her people.
Hidden in homes, gathering in catacombs, and risking everything to celebrate the Eucharist, the early Christians were the living Temple, carrying God’s presence wherever they went. It was their unwavering faith, their acts of love, and their refusal to be silenced that transformed society, drew others to Christ, and laid the foundation for the Church we know today.
Through our baptism, as members of Christ’s body, each of us is called to that same courage – to be witnesses of faith, hope, and love in our families, parishes, and neighbourhoods – so that the Spirit may continue to transform the world, one heart at a time. So as we celebrate this feast day, let us renew our commitment to be the living stones of God’s dwelling on earth. May our words and actions give shape to a Church that heals, welcomes, and unites. Let our faith be seen not only in what we build, but in how we love. In doing so, Christ’s living temple will continue to rise in every corner of the world.
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Please consider praying a decade of the rosary on a daily basis for the evangelising Mission of the Church and the Pope’s intentions.
The pope’s prayer intention for November is:
‘For the prevention of suicide”
Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care, and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.
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Blessed Pauline Jaricot, Pray for us. 🙏🏼🙏🏼
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