Imagine in your mind that you are standing in the Piazza San Pietro in Rome looking at the main attraction in the square: the Basilica of St. Peter's. Ask yourself and then others around you, what they see there. A church? St. Peter's? A symbol of a church government? A symbol that reminds some of a Pope, others of recent years of shame and embarrassment?
Today the Church celebrates the commemoration of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.
Like St Peter's, this Basilica represents to many the same ideas or thoughts. Yet the answer that best answers the question is this. This particular edifice represents, on the surface, the Cathedral or Basilica of the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father. This is the Pope's church, as we might say. So it represents something of a universal idea or belief in the Catholic Church. This church building and every church throughout the world, whether built with the craft of ancient builders or more modern urban creations, represent more that the Catholic Church. It represents more that the Holy Father, the Pope.
This building and every church regardless of its design or age is a sign of the presence of Jesus Christ in our world today. No doubt there are very few who would respond this edifice or St. Peter's or even my parish church is a representation, a reminder, to me that Jesus Christ is present to me everyday in my life.
Many wonder why we celebrate a commemoration of a building. Well, it is for this one reason: it is the principal church, the principal parish church of the universal Roman Catholic Church and it is a sign to all but especially Catholics that Jesus Christ is present to Catholics and other around the world.
The challenge to us is to look at buildings such as these and to recognize there is before us a unique way of connecting our minds and hearts with Jesus Christ. Most believers, however, see these remarkable creations and think of structure, government, power, and so forth. Again, very few look to this buildings and think "Jesus Christ is present for me in this life, in this world."
As we celebrate this building in Rome, let us refresh or rebuild in our own hearts a genuine attention to these churches as symbols of a divine presence in our lives here and now.
