Thursday, November 9, 2023
Feast for the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica for Rome
Listen for English
Jesus answer dem say, “Destroy dis temple, and I go raise am up for three days.” Di Jews say, “Dem don dey build dis temple for forty-six years, and You go raise am up for three days?” But na di temple of His Bodi He dey talk about. John 2:19–21
Today, we dey celebrate di Lateran Basilica for Rome, di mama church of di whole Roman Catholic Church. Dem give am to di Bishop of Rome for di fourth century, and na there be di pope main place to stay until dem build St. Peter’s Basilica, for di time wey di Lateran Basilica dey fall into ruins. But till today, di Lateran Basilica still be di most important church for di world, because na im officially be di Cathedral Church of Rome.
As we dey honour dis church, no be only building we dey honour. Di Lateran Basilica na sign of di one true Church of Jesus Christ. Inside di basilica fine well-well, and e dey fill person with wonder and reverence, to point us to di beauty of di Church Herself wey pass wetin we fit imagine. Di Church na di Mystical Body of Christ.
Di Gospel for today show Jesus as He enter di Temple and use whip drive out di money changers and di animals wey dem dey sell to make profit. As He dey do am, He shout say, “Carry all dis things comot from here, and stop to dey turn My Father house into market.” Dem then quote Psalm 69: Strong desire for Your house go consume me.
Jesus love His Church as His own Bodi—because na wetin She be. As His Bodi, He call and send di members of His Church to act as instruments for His hand, as members wey dey take part for His work of salvation. Today, no be just church building we dey honour; na di Church Herself we dey honour. Dis mean say we dey honour you, as far as you be member of di Bodi of Christ. And dis Gospel passage for today Feast dey remind us of di strong desire wey our Lord get to clean His Church.
How di Church dey become pure? Na through di cleansing of Her members. Dis mean say Jesus get strong and perfect desire to drive every sin comot from your soul, to clean di doti wey dey stop you from carrying out di important role wey you get as member of His Bodi.
Sometimes, we dey slack for our own commitment to become pure. E easy for us to become comfortable with di sins wey we dey commit, and we fit form habits wey hard to stop. When dis happen, e good make we think deeply about dis story of how Jesus clean di Temple, and see am as His desire to clean our own soul. Sometimes, we need make something shake us, challenge us, confront us and encourage us with di strong desire wey no dey waver for our Lord heart.
Today, think deeply about dis powerful picture of Jesus as He dey clean di Temple. As you dey do so, apply am to your own life. Di people wey dey sell and buy for di Temple must don shock because of Jesus strong desire and di things wey He do. If you don become too comfortable with your sins, try allow dis holy shock wake you up too. Allow di strong desire of our Lord touch you, and know say di things wey He dey do to make you pure na acts of love. Through dem, He want free you so you go fit carry out your role more fully as member of His holy Church.
My Lord wey get burning zeal, Your heart dey burn with deep desire to cleanse me and all Your children from sin. Your zeal dey show Your deep love and how You dey willing to do everything wey You fit do to make my membership for Your Body, di Church, more complete. Dear Lord, open my mind and my will to everything wey You wan tell me, and give me di grace to respond to di work wey You dey do to purify my life. Jesus, na You I trust.
More Reflections on the Gospel
Reflection Dem about God im Mercy
Feast for Today – Dedication of di Lateran Basilica
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