November 8, 2008
Today we celebrate the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, which took place in 324 AD, 1,684 years ago. This Basilica was the first permanent public place of worship for Christians in the world. It was built 300 years after the death of Jesus because until that time the power and might of the Roman Empire was determined to utterly destroy the Christian Religion. first Christian refused to worship the the pagan gods, and so they were considered the enemy of the state. They were arrested, imprisoned, tortured and cruelly executed when they wouldn't burn incense to Caesar. Waves of violent persecution crashed against the church for 300 years, creating a steady stream of martyrs. only when emperor Constantine legalized christianity in 312 was the church free to breath a sigh of relief, and with that breath, they built the Lateran Basilica. Ever since, it has been a symbol of that first great victory of the Church, which showed the whole world that this new temple, the mystical body of Christ, was indestructible.
Three points.
1. We are the Church
2. Church as the house of God
3. The church us Indestructible
The most concrete example of church is the family...our domestic churches. The church symbolizes unity..us being one. The family is being attack at all sides, no matter what, the family will always be victorious because it is the Mystical body of Christ.
Dios te Bendiga
No comments:
Post a Comment