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To listen to the audio of today’s homily please select file below:
Some years ago I went to Rome to visit churches. One was the Church of Saint John Lateran.
Churches have stories, which is especially true of St. John Lateran. It’s the first of the great Christian churches built by the Emperor Constantine after coming to power early in the 4th century. He gave Christians freedom to practice their religion throughout the Roman empire. He also built them churches and St. John Lateran was the first of the many he built. At its entrance is an inscription, “The mother of churches”; it’s been there for 1500 years.
The church, holding 10,000 people, was dedicated around 320 AD. Rome’s Christians must have been thrilled as they entered it.. Many were persecuted or has seen relatives, friends or other believers jailed or put to death during the reign of Diocletian, before Constantine.
Now, a new emperor honored them by building a church, a great Christian church, that everyone in Rome could see. He built it on property belonging to enemies of his, the Laterani family, which is why it’s called St. John Lateran. It’s situated on the southeastern edge of the city, away from the Roman Forum, because Constantine didn’t want to antagonize followers of the traditional religions. Still, the Lateran church was a sign that Christianity had arrived.
Before this, throughout the Roman empire, Christians had no churches but met in ordinary homes or small buildings. In Rome itself there were about 25 homes where they met and worshipped.
That in itself made people wonder about them. Why didn’t Christians participate in public rites and religious sacrifices conducted for the good of the empire, as good Romans did? What kind of religion was this anyway, people said? They’re godless, atheists. The 2nd century pagan writer Celsus saw them plotting rebellion, these “ people who cut themselves off and isolate themselves from others.” (Origen, Contra Celsum,8,2)
So, the building of the church of St. John Lateran was a signal of changing times. After centuries meeting apart in homes and small community settings, Christians now gathered as one great family.
That’s what churches do; they bring people together as one body, one family, one people. That’s how Paul described the church in his Letter to the Romans: “As in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Romans12, 4-5)
An important part of the church of Saint John Lateran is its baptistery, a large building connected to the church itself, worn and patched, as you would expect from a building over 1500 years old. You can still see bricks from Constantine’s time. This is where for centuries Romans have been baptized. Conveniently, it’s built over a Roman bath, for a good supply of water for baptism. The church is called St. John Lateran because St. John the Baptist is one of its patrons, along with St. John the Evangelist. A beautiful Latin inscription is over the big baptismal basin and fount.
Those bound for heaven are born here,
born from holy seed by the Spirit moving on these waters.
Sinners enter this sacred stream and receive new life.
No differences among those born here,
they’re one, sharing one Spirit and one faith.
The Spirit gives children to our Mother, the Church, in these waters.
So be washed from your own sins and those of your ancestors.
Christ’s wounds are a life-giving fountain washing the whole world.
The kingdom of heaven is coming, eternal life is coming.
Don’t be afraid to come and be born a Christian.
One last thing about St. John Lateran, which many people don’t know. It’s the pope’s church. From the time of Constantine till the 15th century, the popes as leaders of the Church of Rome resided next to this church. Then, they moved to the Vatican, where they live today.
Celebrating the dedication of a church, as we are doing today, reminds us how important church buildings are for teaching us our faith. God speaks to us in our churches, God comes to us in our churches.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” St. Paul says.
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A spiritual writer beautifully described a listening heart at prayer. “Here I am, Lord. I hear your knocking at my door, as each person or event comes across my life”. How may we grow into this listening person.
A listening heart, first of all, is a heart that is open; namely, open to the heart of God, open to the heart of another person, open to the heart of our world. As someone put it: “When you listen, check your worries at the door”.
Secondly, when we deeply listen, we are also touched by the other. We weep with those who weep, we rejoice with those who rejoice. We are listening not just to their words but also to their feelings.
Finally, a listener responds to the other. Listening is not passive but active. Sometime ago there was a middle age gentleman, who was single and had his own business. He was invited by friends on a pilgrimage. The first evening there was the rosary. During the service, a thought came to him which he never had before: “Be a Priest”. When he returned home, the thought remained with him. He sought the counsel of a priest. The priest encouraged the gentleman. In time he sold his business, his home and entered the seminary. Today he is a Passionist Priest. He had a listening heart. He was open to the word, he was touched by that word, and he responded fully to the word.
The art of listening can have many faces. For example it can be a way of ministry. How often a person might say to us: ‘Thank you for listening’.
Listening can also be a way of being ministered to. We are blessed to have a confidant or friend who is there for us.
Finally, listening is a way of prayer. How often we might see an elderly couple sitting quietly with each other. A beautiful image of the soul with God.
Speaking of prayer, we end the way we began. “Here I am, Lord. I hear your knocking at my door, as each person or event comes across my life”.
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Henri Matisse, “Bather”, Cavalière, summer 1909 (MoMA)
What are we to do when the mighty ocean sucks us out to sea?
We are told that we shouldn’t resist, that we should let it take us into the deep—trusting in the bigger force at hand—trusting that the immutable current will win the day, that the overarching tide will eventually send us back to shore.
And in the meantime?
Tread water. Conserve energy. Keep eyes on heaven above.
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The 12th chapter of Luke, which is cited in this week’s masses, has so many harsh, challenging sayings of Jesus. I accept them humbly, but this week I’m so filled with His Holy Spirit that I must focus on all the blessings that He promises us. In this Tuesday’s Gospel our Lord says:
“ Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like the servants who await their master’s return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.” (LK 12: 35-37)
In this Wednesday’s Gospel Jesus’s promise continues:
“ Who then is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.” (Lk 12: 42-43)
These words by our Lord illuminate my wonderful memory of so many of His servants that I met last weekend at the Life in the Spirit Seminar, lovingly presented by the Immaculate Conception Charismatic Prayer Group in Astoria, Queens, NY. These folks were a shining example of what ministry should be. About forty or more people were involved in the scheduling of activities, the hauling and setting up of tables, posters, audio visual equipment, musical instruments, prayer materials, and food, lots of delicious food. Then there were the many presentations leading up to the Baptism of the Spirit and the triumphant celebration of the Eucharist. It was a monumental job, but so rewarding!
Two weeks ago, just like the unemployed men standing around at the square in Jesus’s parable of the workers for the vineyard, I was just relaxing outside of the chapel at the Passionist Monastery, when Grace Bernardo, the tireless leader of the prayer group, invited me to participate in the Life in the Spirit event. I was to give a talk, and to be part of the prayer team during the Baptism of the Spirit, two jobs requiring a lot of commitment and preparation. I worked for weeks on my presentation, and prayed just as much. During that blessed weekend I did the best I could. I had not felt that I was good enough and had to put it in the hands of God. But I was not afraid as I was swept by such a powerful flow of goodness and love coming from everyone around me. Wow, how much can I learn from these holy people, humble and strong in their faith, blessing me merely by their presence and example!
The Master of the House was there from the beginning. He came with His Holy Spirit and lovingly waited on us in such a splendid way. His joy was in the music and in the smiles of His workers. He was there, feeding us with His grace and love, empowering us with so many of the gifts and fruits of His Spirit. I would find that in the very middle of an activity, a presentation, or a job, I would be suddenly flooded with sensations of peace, of understanding, of awe, strength, hope, generosity, the need to give, give, give, and so much joy! I saw this in everyone else. I saw the smiling Jesus in their faces of love. The Master was giving us a glimpse of His heavenly feast.
Serving the Lord like this is not easy. It can be exhausting, even scary, especially when you pray for the Spirit in all His power to come and fill the person before you. But boy, can He be the Life of the party, abundant Life! We celebrated in His Love all weekend. Healing, hope, and unity flowered all around us.
I am resting and recovering today (maybe I’m too old for this?) with a smile on my face as my aches and pains subside. Relaxing….. until the next job!
Mary Cassatte, “Young Mother Sewing” 1900, (The Met)
A living faith works. It is always active, especially when we are docile to the Spirit.
When we walk by faith we see, we hear, we speak what God intends, especially when we are blind to the cares and anxieties of the world.
Small children are wonderfully active, superbly passive, and at times they seem completely blind, fantastically blind. They are alive. They see. They hear. They speak. They watch. They feel.
Mother Church calls all of us home, even when she is silent. She is always at work. She watches us even when her eyes are busy with the business of the day.
She sews. We just need to obey. To trust. To allow ourselves the freedom to lay across her lap.
In the short description upon the little museum card hanging beneath the painting shown above, God has planted great instruction. The work is by American impressionist Mary Cassatt.
According to the card, about the year 1890 “Cassatt redirected her art toward women caring for children and children alone—themes that reflected her affection for her nieces and nephews and the prevailing cultural interest in child rearing.” And then, after informing us that for this particular painting Cassatt “enlisted two unrelated models to enact the roles of mother and child”, the card completes its little catechesis by blessing us with a precious little anecdote and quote:
Louisine Havemeyer, who purchased it in 1901, remarked on its truthfulness: “Look at that little child that has just thrown herself against her mother’s knee, regardless of the result and oblivious to the fact that she could disturb ‘her mamma.’ And she is quite right, she does not disturb her mother. Mamma simply draws back a bit and continues to sew.”
God are we blessed. So blessed to have such a mother. All of us. Maybe give her a call today. Better yet, perhaps even stop by. She’d love that. She’d love to see your face. You’re always on her mind and in her heart. She lives in the closest church you can find, any building that truly houses her Son.
If she seems a little occupied with the “cooking and cleaning”, with all “the business of life”, don’t let that stop you or cut your visit short. No, throw yourself against your “mother’s knee regardless of the result and oblivious to the fact” that you could disturb your “mamma.”
It most certainly does not.
“Mamma simply draws back a bit and continues to sew.”
If you enjoyed this post, please consider “liking” it, adding a comment, becoming an email subscriber, or passing it along via the social-media links below. Your support is greatly appreciated. Step by step. All for God’s glory.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider “liking” it, adding a comment, becoming an email subscriber (drop-down menu at top of page), or passing it along via the social-media links below. Your support is greatly appreciated. Step by step. All for God’s glory.
The Victor's Place 