On November 9, the Catholic Church celebrates the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the Pope’s cathedral in the city of Rome. Essentially, it is the feast of the church’s foundation, and it can also be a good date to celebrate the feast of your home because when the Church celebrates the dedication of a church, among other things, it reflects that in its heart, the church is a home, and human beings have a need for a home.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran is dedicated to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, but the name by which we know it is that of the Lateran family, who, before the construction of this basilica on this land, had their family palace, their home. But this was not something new. If we go back to the early years, the first churches were nothing but the homes of Christians. In a world led by so many different values, Christians used to gather in one of their homes to share their faith and support each other.
Over the years, specific buildings were built that we call churches, but this does not mean that we have forgotten that we must also be small sanctuaries so that after a long day in a world full of turmoil, we find a quiet place where we meet God.”
