DEDICATION of the LATERAN BASILICA
The Church of the Most Holy Saviour, Rome
This is the oldest, and ranks first among the four great "patriarchal" basilicas of Rome. The Residence of the Popes which was named the Lateran Palace was built by Lateranus Palutius, whom Nero put to death to seize his goods. It was given in the year 313 by Constantine the Great to Saint Miltiades, Pope, and was inhabited by his successors until 1308, when they moved to Avignon. The Lateran Basilica built by Constantine near the palace of the same name, is the first Basilica of the West. Twelve councils, four of which were ecumenical, have assembled there, the first in 649, the last in 1512.
If for several centuries the Popes have no longer dwelt in the Palace, the primacy of the Basilica is not thereby altered; it remains the head of all churches. Saint Peter Damian wrote that "Just as the Saviour is the Head of the elect, the church which bears His name is the head of all the churches. Those of Saints Peter and Paul, to its left and its right, are the two arms by which this sovereign and universal Church embraces the entire earth, saving all who desire salvation, warming them, protecting them in its maternal womb."
In the liturgical calendar today, we celebrate the dedication of the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran. The Basilica, while commonly referred to as "St. John Lateran" is actually the Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour, St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist at the Lateran. Given the importance of this basilica for Christendom, it seems worth paying some attention to this today.
The Divine Office narrates the dedication of the Church by the Pope of Peace, Saint Sylvester:
"It was the Blessed Pope Sylvester who established the rites observed by the Roman Church for the consecration of churches and altars. From the time of the Apostles there had been certain places dedicated to God, which some called oratories, and others, churches. There, on the first day of the week, the assembly was held, and there the Christian people were accustomed to pray, to hear the Word of God, and to receive the Eucharist. But never had these places been consecrated so solemnly; nor had a fixed altar been placed there which, anointed with sacred chrism, was the symbol of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who for us is altar, victim and Pontiff. But when the Emperor Constantine through the sacrament of Baptism had obtained health of body and salvation of soul, a law was issued by him which for the first time permitted that everywhere in the world Christians might build churches. Not satisfied to establish this edict, the prince wanted to give an example and inaugurate the holy labors. Thus in his own Lateran palace, he dedicated a church to the Saviour, and founded the attached baptistry under the name of Saint John the Baptist, in the place where he himself, baptized by Saint Sylvester, had been cured of leprosy. It is this church which the Pontiff consecrated in the fifth of the ides of November; and we celebrate the commemoration on that day, when for the first time in Rome a church was thus publicly consecrated, and where a painting of the Saviour was visible on the wall before the eyes of the Roman people."
When the Lateran Church was partially ruined by fires, enemy invasions, and earthquakes, it was always rebuilt with great zeal by the Sovereign Pontiffs. In 1726, after one such restoration, Pope Benedict XIII consecrated it anew and assigned the commemoration of that event to the present day. The church was afterwards enlarged and beautified by Popes Pius IX and Leo XIII.
'Glory to the Almighty! Glory to the Redeemer of our souls!' Eusebius wrote this at the opening of the tenth and last book of his History. Himself a witness of the triumph, he describes the admirable spectacle everywhere displayed by the dedication of the new sanctuaries. In city after city the bishops assembled, and crowds flocked together. From nation to nation the goodwill of mutual charity, of common Faith, and of recollected joy, so harmonized all hearts that the unity of Christ's Body (the Church) was clearly manifested in these multitudes animated by the same inspiration of the Holy Ghost. It was the fulfillment of the ancient prophecies: the living city of the Living God, where all, whatever their age or sex, praise together the Author of all good things. How solemn were then the rites of the Church! The complete perfection therein displayed by the pontiffs, the enthusiasm of the psalmody, (the inspired readings), the celebration of the ineffable mysteries, formed a divine pageantry. In a series of dedications, to the glory of the holy Apostles and Martyrs, Pope Sylvester, the pontiff of peace, took possession of the eternal city in the Name of the True God. Persecution had pretty much ended, and the Church claimed its true position in the world.
The emperor Constantine had received health of body and soul by the Sacrament of Baptism. Thus, in his Lateran palace he dedicated a church to our Saviour; and founded the adjoining baptistery in honor of St. John the Baptist, on the very same spot where he himself had been baptized by St. Sylvester and cleansed from the leprosy of infidelity. St. John Lateran is the Holy Father's Church, where all pronoucements are made. Today we celebrate this great Basilica, which is in honor of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the first to be dedicated as such. Such as the pope is our pope and leader, his church is our Church, to be revered forever by us. Following is the Roman Pontifical dedication:
The house of the Lord is founded upon the summit of mountains, and raised up above all hills, and all nations shall come to her. And they shall say: Glory be to thee, O Lord.
Coming they shall come with joyfulness, carrying their sheaves. And they shall say: Thou, O Lord of all things, Who hast no need, hast willed that this Thy temple should be in the midst of us. Preserve this house spotless forever, O Lord.
Thou, O Lord, hast chosen this house, that Thy Name may invoked in it: that it may be a house of prayer and supplication for Thy people. Preserve...
Peace eternal from the Eternal be to this house! May the unending Peace, the Word of the Father, be peace to this house! Peace may the loving Consoler grant unto this house.
Oh, how awful is this place! truly it is naught else but the house of God, and the gate of heaven.
This is the house of the Lord, strongly built: it is firmly founded on the solid rock.
Jacob beheld a ladder, the top whereof touched the heavens; and angels coming down; and he said: "Truly this place is holy."
This is Jerusalem, the great and heavenly city, adorned as the bride of the Lamb. For she has become the true tabernacle, alleluia!
Her gates shall not be closed by day, and there shall be no night in her. For she has become...
Thy streets, O Jerusalem, shall be paved with pure gold, alleluia, and there shall be sung in thee the canticle of joy, alleluia, And all along thy streets every one shall say: Alleluia, Alleluia!
Thou shalt shine with a glorious light; and all the ends of the earth shall worship thee. And all along...
Surround Sion and encompass her, tell ye her wonders in her towers.
Great is the Lord and exceedingly to be praised, in the city of our God, in His holy mountain.
The Lord hath clad thee with a garment of joy, and hath set a crown on thy head. And He hath adorned thee with holy ornaments.
Thou shalt shine with a glorious light, and all the ends of the earth shall worship before Thee. And He hath adorned...
Nations from afar shall come to thee, and bringing gifts shall adore the Lord; and they shall esteem Thy land as holy, and shall call upon the great Name in Thee. And He hath adorned...
Blessed shall they be that built Thee up; but Thou shalt rejoice in Thy children, because they shall be all blessed, and shall be gathered together to the Lord. And He hath adorned thee with holy ornaments.
O Almighty, Eternal God, Who through Thy Son, the Cornerstone, hast joined the two walls coming from opposite directions, to wit, from the circumcision and the uncircumcision, and hast united the two flocks of sheep under the one same pastor; give to Thy servants, through these functions of our devotion, the indissoluble bond of charity, so that no division of opinions, no sort of perverse disagreement, may separate those, who are all one flock under the guidance of one shepherd, and are enclosed in one fold under Thy protection. Through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit forevermore. Amen.
Does anyone else think that we are in the end times as I do? Evil is everywhere; anti-Catholic thinking is everywhere; the Bilderbergers control all of the world's money (especially with useful idiots such as our POTUS helping lead the charge); the US is tanking (middle-class disappearing); and, moreover, everything seems to be in shambles. We are just ripe for the entire takeover of everything. Especially with idiots in charge. Even leaders in the Church want the one-world religion, which is NOT Roman Catholicism, but more resembling the way of the masons!
These things only makes sense, since towards the end of the liturgical year, we are to focus on the end of the world as we know it to be. We have witnessed His Birth, Life, and Death. We have heard numerous times how we are to live before the Judgement, to look now toward the 'end things'. We are to suppose to be the light of the world, not hiding under the proverbial basket. St. John Chrysostom says that the "stars shine in the night; they glitter in the dark; so far from growing dim amidst the gloom that surrounds them, they seem all the more brilliant. So will it be with thee, if thou art virtuous amidst the wicked; thy light will shine so much the more clearly." St. Augustine says: "As the stars keep on their course in the track marked out for them by God, and grow not tired of sending forth their light in the midst of darkness, neither heed they the calamities which may be happening of earth; so should do those holy ones whose conversation is truly in heaven; they should pay no more attention to what is said or done against them, than the stars do."
Therefore, in light of what is happening in the world today, no matter how difficult it is to speak the Truth, no matter the persecutions we endure in this life, we are still seeking the Kingdom of God with all of the great promises attached to it!
Christians ought especially to follow the Saviour, and not permit themselves to be deterred from piety, and the practice of virtue by fear or human respect. What matters it, what people think and say of us, if we only please God? He alone can truly benefit or injure us; therefore he alone is to be feared, as Christ says: "Fear ye not them that kill the body, and are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him that can destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt. X. 28.)
How foolishly, therefore, do we act; through fear of displeasing certain people, are afraid to serve God and practice piety (even saying grace in restaurants); who even go so far as to commit sin; who in order to be pleasing to others, oppress innocent, poor and forsaken people; who adopt the latest and most scandalous fashions and customs (we even see these in Church during the summer); those who eat meat on days of abstinence (even Vat. II didn't change these), or give it to others; those who sing sinful songs, or what is still worse, do not hesitate to ridicule sacred things to give others occasion to laugh, or in order to be considered strong-minded. Implore God daily and sincerely, that He may take from you this vain fear of men and give you instead the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. This phrase is ALL through Scripture.
One of the sayings that I have on my desk is this from St. Augustine:
"The True God will let not sheep be deceived that does not want to be deceived. Nor will He abandon any soul that has not first abandoned Him."
Another saying I have is this: "It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds." Samuel Adams
The million dollar question is this: Will we be with Christ when He triumphs, or will we bulldozed over by the world, and thus lost forever?
Lord, grant us perserverence! Please?!
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