Homily – Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica – November 9

Scroll down for the children’s liturgy questions.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! Today is a very special day in the life of the Church. Around the world, the Catholic Church celebrates the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome. You may wonder—why do we celebrate a church building that is so far away? The Lateran Basilica is not just any church. It is the oldest and most important church in the world, the mother and head of all churches. It is the cathedral of the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. When we honor this feast, we are really celebrating our unity as one Church family, joined with the Holy Father and with all Catholics across the world. But this day is not only about a building made of stones and bricks—it is about us, because we are the living Church, the spiritual temple where God lives.

First Reading –Prophet Ezekiel 47:1-2, 8-9, 12sees a beautiful vision. From the Temple of God, water begins to flow out, first as a small stream, and then becoming a great river that brings life everywhere it goes. Trees grow, fish multiply, and everything the water touches becomes alive. This is a picture of God’s grace and His life-giving love. Just like the water from the Temple, God’s Spirit flows into our hearts and gives us new life. Wherever we go—home, school, or work—we should let that living water flow through us by sharing kindness, forgiveness, and joy. We are called to be like that river of life, bringing hope and love wherever we go.

Second Reading – 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, 16-17, St. Paul reminds the Corinthians—and us—that we are God’s building. He says: “You are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God dwells in you.” This is amazing! It means that every person, every baptized Christian, is holy ground. God does not only live in big cathedrals—He lives in you and me. So, we must take care of this “temple” by living pure and loving lives. When we gossip, fight, or do wrong, we hurt this temple. But when we pray, forgive, and do good, we make God’s home beautiful. Let us remember: the most beautiful church is not made of marble or gold—it is a heart filled with God’s love.

In the Gospel,John 2:13-22 Jesus goes to the Temple in Jerusalem and finds people buying and selling things inside. He becomes angry, because the Temple is meant to be a place of prayer, not a marketplace. Jesus drives them out and says: “Take these things away! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” Then He says something mysterious: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The people thought He was talking about the stone temple, but Jesus was speaking about His own Body. After His death and resurrection, the disciples understood that Jesus Himself is the true Temple—the place where we meet God. Now, through His Spirit, we become part of that living temple. Wherever we pray, love, and serve, God’s presence is there. Let us remember that every time we gather for Mass, we are the living Church—a community built on Christ, our cornerstone. Our church buildings are sacred because they remind us that God is with us, but we ourselves must also become holy temples, shining with His light in the world. Let’s keep our hearts clean through prayer, forgiveness, and love—so that Jesus can live and work through us.

Conclusion

As we celebrate the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, let us give thanks to God for our own parish church—a place where we meet Him, pray, and receive His grace.

But even more, let us go home remembering that we are the Church, and our hearts are God’s home.
May we be living stones that build up His holy temple through love, unity, and faith.

Let the water of God’s grace flow from us and bring life to the world, just as Ezekiel saw in his vision.
And may Christ, the true Temple, always live in us—now and forever.

Amen.

CHILDREN’S LITURGY QUESTIONS

1. Was Jesus in Jerusalem for the Jewish Passover? — Yes
2. Did Jesus find people selling animals in the Temple area? — Yes
3. Were they selling cows, sheep, and doves? — Yes
4. Did Jesus think it was right to sell animals in God’s house? — No
5. Did Jesus make a whip out of cords? — Yes
6. Did Jesus gently ask them to leave without doing anything? — No
7. Did Jesus drive out the sellers and the animals from the Temple? — Yes
8. Did Jesus turn over the tables of the money changers? — Yes
9. Did Jesus say, “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace”? — Yes
10. Was Jesus angry because people were not praying in the Temple? — Yes
11. Did the disciples remember that the Scriptures said, “Zeal for your house will consume me”? — Yes
12. Did some people ask Jesus to show them a sign for doing this? — Yes
13. Did Jesus say, “Destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up”? — Yes
14. Did the people understand that Jesus was talking about His own body? — No
15. Did they think He was talking about the big stone Temple in Jerusalem? — Yes
16. Did Jesus really mean that He would rise from the dead after three days? — Yes
17. Did the disciples remember His words after He rose from the dead? — Yes
18. Did Jesus show that the real Temple is where God lives? — Yes
19. Is our church today also a house of prayer for God? — Yes
20. Should we treat our church with love and respect like Jesus did? — Yes