Readings and meditation on the Word of God on Sunday, November 9, 2025, Feast of Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Delivered by Jovinson Tansil, Sri Muliyani, Lukitananda Putra, and Stella Wijaya from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Ezekiel 47: 1-2.8-9.12; Rs psalm 46: 2-3.5-6.8-9; 1 Corinthians 3: 9b-11.16-17; John 2: 13-22.WE CLEAN THE DIRTYCHURCH Our meditation today isentitled: We Clean the Dirty Church. Today, the whole Church celebrates thefeast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica of Rome. This basilica is oneof the four largest churches in Rome, Italy. Until now the basilica was thecathedral of the Bishop of Rome, the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV. Just like otherimportant basilicas, the Lateran basilica looks so majestic and alwayswell-maintained and organized. One aspect of carethat is so particular should be on cleanliness. Even though this is an oldbuilding, cleanliness is so well observed. The visitors who always come everyday will feel comfortable and can enjoy the values ​​of Christian sacredness init. Actually not only aspects of cleanliness, but also orderliness, politenessand calmness. Visitors who are not modestly dressed will be put on a scarf, thenoisy will be reprimanded, those who use cell phones will be asked to turn off,and those who bring food will be asked to leave food outside the basilica. Our churches that aredirty can be seen from various aspects of perspective. Dirts like paper,plastic, dust, etc. can be found there, outside and inside. People who comethere with different type of clothes and the use of supporting instruments, canoften disturb the worship that is going on. Behaviors such as sharing stories,talking, cellular ringing, joking, fighting and violence can also happen there.Then the hearts, minds and souls of the believers can be also in the state ofdirty, because of sins that have not been forgiven, the type of spiritualimpurities that exsist in the believers. The house of God iscertainly not beautiful, comfortable, dignified, and holy if all types of dirtare always brought into it. Jesus sees all kinds of dirt there, inside andoutside the temple. He is burned by the demand to clean the house of worshipfrom all kinds of dirts, to be removed away, and He does His way with anger andpunishment. We, as His followers, are certainly burnt by the same demands whenwe know that our houses of worship are full with dirts as ellaborated above. Jesus also teaches usthat the house of worship is actually He himself. Likewise theologically, wewant to interpret the house of worship as ourselves, as today's second readingstates. Faced with all forms of desacralization whether by words or deeds, causingour bodies not worthy for God, for others or community and ourselves, we mustbe firm and burnt by the the demand to overcome those negative threats. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord, strengthen our faith, so that we can continue to preserve our ownpurity as the holy temple where You dwell. Hail Mary, full of grace ... In thename of the Father ...