By a happenstance in the calendar, we celebrate today’s feast on a Sunday. Usually, we honor or remember a person, but today, we remember a building—and not just any building, the Cathedral of the Pope.
A cathedral is a church that houses the cathedra, or chair of the bishop; it is his seat of office. Much like the King of England has a throne upon which only he may sit, so too a bishop sits on his cathedra in his cathedral and preaches the Gospel.
This feast reminds us that the Pope is the supreme pastor of the Church. When he preaches and teaches, he does so as the Vicar of Christ. In remembering the dedication of this basilica, the whole Church is reminded that we are united under the Pope and that the building is a visible reminder of who we are as a Church.
The building is a witness (much like the Temple in Israel) of the presence of God in the midst of His people. But as Paul points out in the second reading, “You are God’s building,” whose foundation is Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells within us and challenges us to be living witnesses of God’s presence in the world.
Today’s Gospel passage is one of my favorites because it shows a very human side of Jesus, but more importantly, it is a challenge to keep our temples (our minds, bodies, and souls) free from worldly contamination and sin. Just as Jesus drove out the money changers from the physical Temple in Jerusalem, may we learn to drive out temptation and sin from our bodily temples in order to make room for God and His word.
