HOMILY FOR NOVEMBER 18, MEMORIAL OF THE DEDICATION OF THE BASILICAS OF ST. PETER AND ST. PAUL IN ROME.
THEME: You have turned God’s house of prayer, into a robbers’ den.
BY: Fr. Diotacious Chikontwe SMA.
*READINGS OF THE DAY*
Apocalypse 10:8-11
Ps 118:14,24,72,103,111,131
Luke 19:45-48
*LITURGICAL COLOUR*
GREEN/WHITE
*FROM THE GOSPEL READING OF TODAY*
In the gospel reading this morning, Jesus drives all trade out of the temple, so as to purify it for the worship of God alone. The temple was to be a place of worship and prayer but it had become something else. The buying and selling of the market place had intruded into the temple and had undermined the temple’s primary purpose as a house of prayer. The temple no longer exists but there are still houses of prayer. Our church buildings are houses of prayer. We all feel that we have a very special house of prayer in our own parish church. It is a place of worship, a space into which people can enter to pray and to worship God.
RELATED: HOMILY FOR FRIDAY OF THE 32ND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II.
*ABOUT THE FEAST OF TODAY*
Today, as we remember this memory of the Dedication of the Papal Basilica of St. Peter in Vatican and the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, we are reminded that each one of us are also parts and members of the living Church of God, as the living stones making up this one Body of all the Christian faithful. As the two Basilicas were consecrated and dedicated to God, made hallow, holy and blessed, as places worthy for the worship and adoration of God, therefore each one of us have to strive to be worthy and holy for the Lord as well, just like that of the Apostles and the other disciples of God, especially that of St. Peter and St. Paul. And why is that so, brothers and sisters in Christ? That is because all of us, according to St. Paul, are no less than the Temple of God’s very own Holy Presence, His own dwelling place, as He has come to us in His own Real and Precious Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and His Holy Spirit has dwelled within us as well.
*CONCLUSION*
May the good Lord therefore be with us, His Church, strengthening and empowering us all as His disciples and followers, and strengthening our unity as members of the same Church, the Body of Christ, so that we may always be holy just as our Lord is holy. May God bless us all and our every good endeavours and works, and may He remain with us always, now and forevermore.
Happy Blessed weekend to everyone!