Evening Prayer – Feast

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 632
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1614

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 694
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1363

Evening Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Jerusalem the golden, with milk and honey blest,
Beneath thy contemplation sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not, what joys await us there,
What radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.

They stand, those halls of Zion, all jubilant with song,
And bright with many an angel, and all the martyr throng;
The Prince is ever in them, the daylight is serene.
The pastures of the blessed are decked in glorious sheen.

There is the throne of David, and there, from care released,
The shout of them that triumph, the song of them that feast;
And they, who with their Leader, have conquered in the fight,
Forever and forever are clad in robes of white.

O sweet and blessed country, the home of God’s elect!
O sweet and blessed country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest,
Who art, with God the Father, and Spirit, ever blessed.

“Jerusalem the Golden” by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey; Words: Bernard of Morlaix, 1146 (Urbs Sion aurea); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale, 1858; Music: Alexander Ewing, 1853
“Jerusalem the Golden” Performed by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; it will stand for ever firm.

Psalm 46
God our refuge and strength
He shall be called Emmanuel, which means: God-with-us (Matthew 1:23).

God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea;
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken:
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.
(He burns the shields with fire.)
“Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; it will stand for ever firm.

Ant. 2 Let us go up with rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Psalm 122
Holy city Jerusalem
You have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22).

I rejoiced when I heard them say:
“Let us go to God’s house.”
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord.

For Israel’s law it is,
there to praise the Lord’s name.
There were set the thrones of judgment
of the house of David.

For the peace of Jerusalem pray:
“Peace be to your homes!
May peace reign in your walls,
in your palaces, peace!”

For love of my brethren and friends
I say: “Peace upon you.”
For love of the house of the Lord
I will ask for your good.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Let us go up with rejoicing to the house of the Lord

Ant. 3 All you his saints, sing out the praises of God.

Canticle – See Revelation 19:1-7
The wedding of the Lamb

Alleluia.
Salvation, glory, and power to our God:
– Alleluia.
his judgments are honest and true.
– Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant.

Alleluia.
Sing praise to our God, all you his servants,
– Alleluia.
all who worship him reverently, great and small.
– Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant.

Alleluia.
The Lord our all-powerful God is King,
– Alleluia.
let us rejoice, sing praise, and give him glory.
– Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant.

Alleluia.
The wedding feast of the Lamb has begun,
– Alleluia.
and his bride is prepared to welcome him.
– Alleluia. Alleluia.

Ant.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. All you his saints, sing out the praises of God.

READING Revelation 21:2-3, 22, 27

I saw a new Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God, beautiful as a bride prepared to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne cry out: “This is God’s dwelling among men. He shall dwell with them and they shall be his people and he shall be their God who is always with them.” I saw no temple in the city. The Lord, God the Almighty, is its temple — he and the Lamb. But nothing profane shall enter it, nor anyone who is a liar or has done a detestable act. Only those shall enter whose names are inscribed in the book of the living kept by the Lamb.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.
– Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

Eternal ages praise
– in your house, O Lord.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– Blessed are they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

CANTICLE OF MARY

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; here we call on his name, for Scripture says: There you will find me.

Luke 1:46-55
The soul rejoices in the Lord

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. This is God’s dwelling place and he has made it holy; here we call on his name, for Scripture says: There you will find me.

INTERCESSIONS
Our Savior laid down his life so that all God’s scattered children might be gathered together. In our need let us cry out:
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you built your house upon a rock,
strengthen your Church with solid and lasting faith.
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, blood and water flowed from your side,
give new life to your Church through the sacraments of your new and unending covenant.
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you are in the midst of those who gather in your name,
hear the prayers of your universal Church.
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you prepare a dwelling-place in your Father’s house for all who love you,
help your Church to grow in divine love.
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Lord Jesus, you never cast out anyone who comes to you,
open your Father’s house to all those who have died.
– Remember your Church, Lord.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth,
as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Concluding Prayer
God our Father,
from living stones, your chosen people,
you built an eternal temple to your glory.
Increase the spiritual gifts you have given to your Church
that your faithful people may continue to grow
into the new and eternal Jerusalem.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
–Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

Morning Prayer – Feast

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 618
Psalms and canticle from Sunday, Week I, 652
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1609

Christian Prayer (single volume)
Ordinary: 689
Psalms and canticle: 707
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1360

Morning Prayer for the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Jerusalem the golden, with milk and honey blest,
Beneath thy contemplation sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not, what joys await us there,
What radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.

They stand, those halls of Zion, all jubilant with song,
And bright with many an angel, and all the martyr throng;
The Prince is ever in them, the daylight is serene.
The pastures of the blessed are decked in glorious sheen.

There is the throne of David, and there, from care released,
The shout of them that triumph, the song of them that feast;
And they, who with their Leader, have conquered in the fight,
Forever and forever are clad in robes of white.

O sweet and blessed country, the home of God’s elect!
O sweet and blessed country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest,
Who art, with God the Father, and Spirit, ever blessed.

“Jerusalem the Golden” by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey; Words: Bernard of Morlaix, 1146 (Urbs Sion aurea); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale, 1858; Music: Alexander Ewing, 1853
“Jerusalem the Golden” Performed by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 My house will be called a house of prayer.

Psalm 63
A soul thirsting for God
Whoever has left the darkness of sin yearns for God.

O God, you are my God, for you I long;
for you my soul is thirsting.
My body pines for you
like a dry, weary land without water.
So I gaze on you in the sanctuary
to see your strength and your glory.

For your love is better than life,
my lips will speak your praise.
So I will bless you all my life,
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul shall be filled as with a banquet,
my mouth shall praise you with joy.

On my bed I remember you.
On you I muse through the night
for you have been my help;
in the shadow of your wings I rejoice.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. My house will be called a house of prayer.

Ant. 2 Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Canticle – Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Let all creatures praise the Lord
The Creator… is blessed for ever (Romans 1:25)

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.

O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.

Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.

Ant. Blessed are you, O Lord, in your holy temple.

Ant. 3 Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

Psalm 149
The joy of God’s holy people
Let the sons of the Church, the children of the new people, rejoice in Christ, their King (Hesychius).

Sing a new song to the Lord,
his praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel rejoice in its maker,
let Zion’s sons exult in their king.
Let them praise his name with dancing
and make music with timbrel and harp.

For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the poor with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in their glory,
shout for joy and take their rest.
Let the praise of God be on their lips
and a two-edged sword in their hand,

to deal out vengeance to the nations
and punishment on all the peoples;
to bind their kings in chains
and their nobles in fetters of iron;
to carry out the sentence pre-ordained;
this honor is for all his faithful.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Praise the Lord in the assembly of his holy people.

READING Isaiah 56:7

Them I will bring to my holy mountain
and make joyful in my house of prayer;
Their holocausts and sacrifices
will be acceptable on my altar,
For my house shall be called
a house of prayer for all peoples.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

RESPONSORY

The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.
– The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

In the city of our God and on his holy mountain,
– he exceeds all praise.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
– The Lord is great beyond all telling, he exceeds all praise.

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH

Ant. Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come
to his house.

Luke 1:68-79
The Messiah and his forerunner

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.

Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.

He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.

In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now,
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Zacchaeus, hurry down, I mean to stay with you today. He hurried down and welcomed Christ with joy, for this day salvation had come
to his house.

INTERCESSIONS

We are the living stones, laid upon the cornerstone that is Christ. Let us pray to our all-powerful Father for his Son’s beloved Church, professing our faith in her as we say:
– This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Father, like the farmer, prune your vineyard, protect it and increase its yield, until it extends before you throughout the world.
– This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Eternal shepherd, protect and increase your flock, that all the sheep may be gathered into one flock under your Son, the one shepherd.
– This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

All-powerful sower, plant the word in your field,
that it may yield a hundredfold for your eternal harvest.
– This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Wise builder, sanctify your home and your family,
that the heavenly city, the new Jerusalem, your spouse, may appear before all as your glorious bride.
– This is the house of God and the gate of heaven.

Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God our Father,
from living stones, your chosen people,
you built an eternal temple to your glory.
Increase the spiritual gifts you have given to your Church
that your faithful people may continue to grow
into the new and eternal Jerusalem.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

DISMISSAL

May the Lord bless us,
protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life.
– Amen.

Office of Readings – Feast

Ribbon Placement:
Liturgy of the Hours Vol. IV:
Ordinary: 615
Proper of Saints: 1546 (second reading, responsory)
Common of the Dedication of a Church: 1600

Christian Prayer:
Does not contain Office of Readings

Office of Readings for the Feast of the Dedication of Saint John Lateran

God, come to my assistance.
– Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Jerusalem the golden, with milk and honey blest,
Beneath thy contemplation sink heart and voice oppressed.
I know not, O I know not, what joys await us there,
What radiancy of glory, what bliss beyond compare.

They stand, those halls of Zion, all jubilant with song,
And bright with many an angel, and all the martyr throng;
The Prince is ever in them, the daylight is serene.
The pastures of the blessed are decked in glorious sheen.

There is the throne of David, and there, from care released,
The shout of them that triumph, the song of them that feast;
And they, who with their Leader, have conquered in the fight,
Forever and forever are clad in robes of white.

O sweet and blessed country, the home of God’s elect!
O sweet and blessed country, that eager hearts expect!
Jesus, in mercy bring us to that dear land of rest,
Who art, with God the Father, and Spirit, ever blessed.

“Jerusalem the Golden” by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey; Words: Bernard of Morlaix, 1146 (Urbs Sion aurea); translated from Latin to English by John M. Neale, 1858; Music: Alexander Ewing, 1853
“Jerusalem the Golden” Performed by The Monks Of Glenstal Abbey is available from Amazon.com.

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.

Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple
Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas;
on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things,
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant,
the Lord, the valiant in war.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors.
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies,
he is the king of glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Open wide the doors and gates. Lift high the ancient portals.

Ant. 2 How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.

Psalm 84
Longing for God’s Temple
Here we do not have a lasting city; we seek a home that is yet to come (Hebrews 13:14).

How lovely is your dwelling place,
Lord, God of hosts.

My soul is longing and yearning,
is yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy
to God, the living God.

The sparrow herself finds a home
and the swallow a nest for her brood;
she lays her young by your altars,
Lord of hosts, my king and my God.

They are happy, who dwell in your house,
for ever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you,
in whose hearts are the roads to Zion.

As they go through the Bitter Valley
they make it a place of springs,
the autumn rain covers it with blessings.
They walk with ever growing strength,
they will see the God of gods in Zion.

O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer,
give ear, O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O God, our shield,
look on the face of your anointed.

One day within your courts
is better than a thousand elsewhere.
The threshold of the house of God
I prefer to the dwellings of the wicked.

For the Lord God is a rampart, a shield;
he will give us his favor and glory.
The Lord will not refuse any good
to those who walk without blame.

Lord, God of hosts,
happy the man who trusts in you!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of power and might.

Ant. 3 Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.

Psalm 87
Jerusalem is mother of us all
The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26).

On the holy mountain is his city
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion
to all Jacob’s dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things,
O city of God!

“Babylon and Egypt I will count
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia,
these will be her children
and Zion shall be called ‘Mother’
for all shall be her children.”

It is he, the Lord Most High,
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes:
“These are her children,”
and while they dance they will sing:
“In you all find their home.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
– as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Glorious things are said of you, O city of God.

Sacred Silence (indicated by a bell) – a moment to reflect and receive in our hearts the full resonance of the voice of the Holy Spirit and to unite our personal prayer more closely with the word of God and public voice of the Church.

I will worship at your holy temple.
– And I will extol your name, O Lord

READINGS

First Reading
From the first letter of Peter 2:1-17
We are built as living stones

Strip away everything vicious, everything deceitful; pretenses, jealousies, and disparaging remarks of any kind. Be as eager for milk as newborn babies—pure milk of the spirit to make you grow unto salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, rejected by men but approved, nonetheless, and precious in God’s eyes. You too are living stones, built as an edifice of spirit, into a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For Scripture has it:

“See, I am laying a cornerstone in Zion,
an approved stone, and precious.
He who puts his faith in it shall not be shaken.”

The stone is of value for you who have faith. For those without faith, it is rather,

“A stone which the builders rejected
that became a cornerstone.”

It is likewise “an obstacle and a stumbling stone.” Those who stumble and fall are the disbelievers in God’s word; it belongs to their destiny to do so.

You, however, are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people he claims for his own to proclaim the glorious works” of the One who called you from darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were no people, but now you are God’s people; once there was no mercy for you, but now you have found mercy.

Beloved, you are strangers and in exile; hence I urge you not to indulge your carnal desires. By their nature they wage war on the soul. Though the pagans may slander you as troublemakers, conduct yourselves blamelessly among them. By observing your good works they may give glory to God on the day of visitation.

Because of the Lord, be obedient to every human institution, whether to the emperor as sovereign or to the governors he commissions for the punishment of criminals and the recognition of the upright. Such obedience is the will of God. You must silence the ignorant talk of foolish men by your good behavior. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cloak for vice. In a word, live as servants of God. You must esteem the person of every man. Foster love for the brothers, reverence for God, respect for the emperor.

RESPONSORY See Tobit 13:21; Revelation 21:19-21

The walls of Jerusalem will be precious stones.
– The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.

The gates of Jerusalem will be built of sapphire and emerald, and the wall around the city will be made of precious stones.
– The towers of Jerusalem will be built with jewels.

Second reading
From a sermon by Saint Caesarius of Arles
We have all been made temples of God through baptism

My fellow Christians, today is the birthday of this church, an occasion for celebration and rejoicing. We, however, ought to be the true and living temple of God. Nevertheless, Christians rightly commemorate this feast of the church, their mother, for they know that through her they were reborn in the spirit. At our first birth, we were vessels of God’s wrath; reborn, we became vessels of his mercy. Our first birth brought death to us, but our second restored us to life.

Indeed, before our baptism we were sanctuaries of the devil; but after our baptism we merited the privilege of being temples of Christ. And if we think more carefully about the meaning of our salvation, we shall realize that we are indeed living and true temples of God.

God does not dwell only in structures made by human hands, in homes of wood and stone, but rather he dwells principally in the soul made according to his own image and fashioned by his own hand. Therefore, the apostle Paul says: The temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.

When Christ came, he banished the devil from our hearts, in order to build in them a temple for himself. Let us therefore do what we can with his help, so that our evil deeds will not deface that temple. For whoever does evil, does injury to Christ. As I said earlier, before Christ redeemed us, we were the house of the devil, but afterward, we merited the privilege of being the house of God. God himself in his loving mercy saw fit to make of us his own home.

My fellow Christians, do we wish to celebrate joyfully the birth of this temple? Then let us not destroy the living temples of God in ourselves by works of evil. I shall speak clearly, so that all can understand. Whenever we come to church, we must prepare our hearts to be as beautiful as we expect this church to be. Do you wish to find this basilica immaculately clean? Then do not soil your soul with the filth of sins. Do you wish this basilica to be full of light? God too wishes that your soul be not in darkness, but that the light of good works shine in us, so that he who dwells in the heavens will be glorified. Just as you enter this church building, so God wishes to enter into your soul, for he promised: I shall live in them, and I shall walk the corridors of their hearts.

RESPONSORY See Ezekiel 47:1, 9

I saw water flowing eastward from beneath the threshold of the temple, alleluia. Wherever the river flowed everything became alive;
– those who were saved by it cried out: Alleluia, alleluia.

When the temple was dedicated, the people sang songs of praise and beautiful hymns.
– Those who were saved by it cried out: Alleluia, alleluia.

TE DEUM
Performed by Choirs of Christ, Charlotte NC

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
Father, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the King of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

God our Father,
from living stones, your chosen people,
you built an eternal temple to your glory.
Increase the spiritual gifts you have given to your Church
that your faithful people may continue to grow
into the new and eternal Jerusalem.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.

ACCLAMATION (only added when praying in community)

Let us praise the Lord.
– And give him thanks.

About Today

November 9

Dedication of the Lateran basilica

Feast

Feast, 1969 Calendar, celebration November 9.
Dedication of the Basilica of St. Saviour, Com. of St. Theodore, 1955 Calendar, celebration November 9.

Today, November 9, the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome is celebrated.

The Lateran Basilica is the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome where the Bishop of Rome presides. This anniversary is a feast for all parishioners of the church. In a way, the Lateran Basilica is the spiritual home and the parish church of all Catholics, because it is the pope’s church.

The cathedral was called Archbasilica of the Most Holy Saviour and Sts. John the Baptist and the Evangelist at the Lateran and it is the oldest and ranks first among the four major basilicas of Rome.

The main door of the cathedral holds the inscription “omnium urbis et orbis ecclesiarum mater et caput” (“mother and head of all the churches of the city and the world””). Was built after Constantine’s edict in 313, when he donated land he had received from the Lateran family. Pope Sylvester consecrated the cathedral in 324 to our Saviour, declaring to be Domus Dei or “House of God.”

From the time of Pope Miltiades until the reign of the French Pope Clement V, the cathedral was the Bishop of Rome’s residence.

Since 1309, when Pope Clement V decided to transfer the official seat of the Catholic Church to Avignon, the Lateran Basilica suffered fire, earthquake and the ravages of war. His sucesors worked with great zeal to rebuild it. After such a reconstruction, Pope Benedict XIII, in 1726, assigned the commemoration of the Lateran Basilica to the present day.

“What was done here, as these walls were rising, is reproduced when we bring together those who believe in Christ. For, by believing they are hewn out, as it were, from mountains and forests, like stones and timber; but by catechizing, baptism and instruction they are, as it were, shaped, squared and planed by the hands of the workers and artisans. Nevertheless, they do not make a house for the Lord until they are fitted together through love”

Source: St. Augustine, Sermon 36

Image Source: Late Baroque façade of the Basilica of St. John Lateran by Alessandro Galilei (public domain)