THE CHURCH AS A LIVING TEMPLE OF GOD’S PRESENCE

Homily for the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Bible Texts: Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17; John 2:13-22

Church Dedication is one of the most symbolic traditions in the Catholic Church. It is a solemn act by which a building made of stone and wood is set apart for the exclusive worship of God. The rite proclaims that the structure is no longer ordinary, it has become a visible sign of the invisible Church, the dwelling place of God among His people. 

It is from this backdrop that today’s feast - the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica - holds a unique and universal significance. The Lateran Basilica in Rome was consecrated by Pope Sylvester I in the year 324 A.D. It is the Cathedral of the Pope as the Bishop of Rome. It is the oldest Basilica in the Western world and the “Mother and Head of all the Churches of the City and the World” (Omnium Urbis et Orbis Ecclesiarum Mater et aput). Through the centuries, it has stood as a symbol of unity and continuity in the faith - a reminder that the Catholic Church, though spread across nations and cultures, remains one family under one shepherd, rooted in Christ.

But today’s feast is not merely about honoring an ancient building; it invites us to reflect on the deeper mystery it represents. The Lateran Basilica is a sign of what the whole Church is meant to be: a living temple of God’s presence in the world. This is beautifully highlighted in today’s Second Reading, where St. Paul reminds us, “You are God’s building… Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” The true dwelling of God is not limited to any structure of stone, however sacred, but is found in the community of believers and in every soul sanctified by grace. Through baptism, the Holy Spirit makes His home in us. The Church, therefore, is not simply an institution; she is a living organism, the Mystical Body of Christ, animated by the Spirit.

The First Reading gives us a prophetic image of this reality. Ezekiel sees a river flowing from the temple, bringing life and healing wherever it goes. This river symbolizes the grace of God that flows from His dwelling to renew the earth. In the fullness of time, that grace flowed from the pierced side of Christ, the true Temple (John 2:21), on the cross - blood and water, symbols of the sacraments that give life to the Church. The Church, born from Christ’s wounded side, continues to be the channel of that life-giving grace through her sacraments, her preaching, and her works of charity. Wherever the Church is faithful to her mission, the river of God’s mercy continues to flow, reviving what is barren and healing what is broken.

In the Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, driving out the merchants and declaring, “Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” This act is more than a moment of righteous anger - it is a revelation. Christ reveals Himself as the new and eternal Temple. When He says, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” He points to His own death and resurrection. In Him, the presence of God is no longer confined to a building; it is fully revealed in His risen body. And because we are united with Him, we too have become part of that temple.

Dear friend, today’s feast calls us to renew our awareness that we, the Church, are God’s living temple. Each of us, through grace, is a dwelling place of His Spirit. But like the temple in the Gospel, our hearts can become polluted and cluttered - filled with the noise of immorality, pride, selfishness, or distraction. The Lord still enters the temple today, not with a whip of cords, but with the fire of His love, to purify and renew us. Every time we gather for the Eucharist, Christ renews His dwelling within us and among us.

As we honor the Lateran Basilica, let us also rededicate the inner temples of our hearts. Let the living water of grace flow from our lives into the world - through compassion, forgiveness, and holiness. Then, the Church will not merely be a building we enter, but a reality we embody: the living temple of God’s presence, where His glory shines and His love transforms the world. Amen.