Message from Fr. Jose Koluthara, CMI
| Lord Jesus, |
Last Sunday we gave importance to holy people by commemorating all the faithful departed. This Sunday we are invited to focus attention on holy places. Today is the feast of the Lateran Basilica, the mother church of the Christian world. The basilica, part of a generous donation by the Laterani family, was presented to the church in 311 C.E. One of four papal basilicas, the Lateran has a holy door which is opened every quarter century to mark the beginning of a holy or Jubilee year.
What is it that defines a place as holy? Some sort of religious experience or believers’ desires for the same makes a place holy. Often sacredness is attributed to mountains and rivers. Recall that Abraham first called God El Shaddai, i.e. God of the mountain. A subtle revolution took place during the prophetic tenure of Elijah. He could encounter God in the “still small silence” of his own heart. Because God chose to be present in such an intimate manner the prophet himself became a holy place.
The temple, built as the site of God’s presence on earth, became central to the life and liturgy of the people of Israel. This fact is borne out in today’s first reading (Ez. 47:1-2,8-9,12). Ezekiel compares the temple to an Eden-like place and a source of life giving water for his people. In today’s gospel (Jn. 2:13-22) the reaction of his contemporaries to Jesus’ statement about the temple being destroyed underscores its continued significance in their eyes. However, Jesus was speaking about the temple of his body. In Jesus, the holy place had become a holy person. Thenceforth, Jesus would be the “place” wherein God could be encountered and wherein communion with God could be enjoyed. That same privilege has been extended to those who believe in Jesus is affirmed in today’s second reading (1Cor. 3:9-11, 16-17). By virtue of the Spirit of God dwelling within, believers become living temples, i.e. holy places in whom others should be able to encounter and commune with God.
If this belief were fully integrated into our lives, wouldn’t it greatly and necessarily affect the manner in which we relate to one another? If I regarded you, if you regarded me, as a holy place, wouldn’t we be more careful not to desecrate one another? Today’s feast and its accompanying scripture selections challenge us to make it so.
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