Wednesday in the 32nd Week of Ordinary Time, November 9, 2022

The Solemnity of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Ezekiel 47, 1–2; 8–9, 12

The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and I saw water flowing out from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the façade of the temple was toward the east; the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar. He led me outside by the north gate, and around to the outer gate facing the east, where I saw water trickling from the southern side. He said to me, “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh. Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh. Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow; their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail. Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary. Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”

The Basilica of St. John Lateran was consecrated on land held by an important Roman family, the Laterani that came into the possession of the Emperor Constantine I after he came to power in 313.  He gave this land to the Church, which he had legalized, and in 324 Pope Sylvester I consecrated the building so that it could be used for the worship of God.  It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist.  Fires during the Middle Ages damaged it.  Reconstruction of the basilica was finally completed in 1754, at which time Pope Clement XII dedicated it to both St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist.  It is the Mother Church of all Catholic Churches and so signifies the Catholic Church.  The First Reading for the Mass of the Solemnity honoring the dedication of the basilica particularly reflects this.

“The angel brought me back to the entrance of the temple.”  In a vision, the Prophet Ezekiel sees the Holy Church.  She is the “temple” from which the waters of grace flow.  “The façade of the temple was toward the east.”  The Church faces the “east”, that is, to the place of the Lord’s Birth, Passion, Death, and Resurrection.  The Church also faces east in that when the Lord Jesus returns, he will appear at Jerusalem.  “The water flowed down from the southern side of the temple, south of the altar.”  The water of grace flows into “the south”, signifying that they enter the lands of the unbelievers in order to aid the missionaries there.  “This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah, and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.”  The graces that come from the Church overwhelm the evil and ignorance in the world and teach the truth about God.  Without grace, the work of the missionaries is in vain, but through grace, new life in the Church abounds: “Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish.”  

“Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow.”  The River of grace is bounded by the banks of Scripture and Tradition.  “Their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.”  Those who are brought to the Faith will persevere in it as long as they receive the graces that are received through the Sacraments.  Faith shall fill those who are converted and their zeal for God will result in greater fruit: “Every month they shall bear fresh fruit, for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.”  They will provide good instruction and example to inspire those who do not know God, and many will become priests and religious, whose work will bring about repentance and forgiveness of sins:  “Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine.”