Foundations of Faith This weekend is the celebration of the Feast of the St. John Lateran Basilica in Rome.
On November 9, 325 AD, this Cathedral was dedicated. This dedication meant that people could practice their Christian Faith without the fear of death. People were finally free to worship Jesus out in the open -- in their places of worship -- in their Churches.
St. John Lateran Cathedral is the seed of the Diocese of Rome, and is thus the Bishop of Rome's Church -- contrary to the common belief that St. Peter's carries this distinction.
All that being said, you may still be wondering why this feast day is so important.
Freedom of Religion
This feast day is an opportunity to remember the importance of our freedom to practice our Christian Faith. The Lateran Basilica's dedication marks such freedom.
People today tend to take for granted the fact that we can openly practice our faith, yet there are still people in different parts of the world who cannot practice their faith without the fear of imprisonment or death. Perhaps we need to reflect on how much we truly appreciate the freedom we enjoy. And then we can take a moment to thank God for the right to publicly practice our Catholic Christian faith.
Christ is the Foundation
The Lateran Basilica had to be built on a great foundation to have lasted all of these years. Likewise, the Church itself had to be built on a solid foundation. St. Paul tells us that we are the temple and that Christ is the foundation, which makes perfect sense.
We are the Church -- the temple. But our actions, guided by the Holy Spirit, move the Church forward. Yet in order for the Catholic Church to continue to thrive after more than two thousand years, it must have Christ as the foundation. How could we exist any other way?
Celebrate Our Freedom and Foundation
So on this feast day, let's spend a few moments thanking the Lord for the freedom we often take for granted. And let's celebrate in the knowledge that Christ is our foundation, ensuring that His Church will continue to grow and thrive.
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Sotto Voce
(Source: CNHN)