Since the Passover of the Jews was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves, as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen, and spilled the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables, and to those who sold doves he said, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture, Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him, "What sign can you show us for doing
this?"
Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they came to believe the Scripture and the word Jesus had spoken.
REFLECTION
If somebody asked us what is the most important Catholic Church in the world what would your answer be? And no, it is not St. Peter's in the Vatican.
St. John Lateran is nicknamed the "Mother of all churches in the world" because it was the first building publicly used as a Catholic Church. It was given to the Catholic Church by Emperor Constantine no later than the year 313. It was the original Basilica of Rome, and home of Popes.
Imagine how joyous the people of Rome (and the Christian world) must have been that after many, many years of persecution, and hiding from the world, they would actually be able to publicly worship without fear of torture and death.
The Church of St. John Lateran hosts many art masterpieces, as well as some wonderful relics, such as the Last Supper table, the skulls of Saints Peter and Paul, as well as relics of St. John the Baptist.
The doors are the original Roman Senate doors. But most magnificent is the fact that the Scala Sancta, the holy steps of the praetorium, are directly across the street and are available for us to climb. Tradition dictates that we must go on our knees to the top of the 28 steps as an ode to the Passion of Jesus Christ.
The eternal city has many points of interest and churches to visit. This one holds a special place for us because of its historic importance as well as its connection with the Papal authority, since this is the Pope's Church. It is the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome.
I hope that if you are ever are in Rome, you get a chance to visit this beautiful temple and get to go up the same stairs Our Lord climbed during His trial with Pontius Pilate and honor His Holy Sacrifice for us.
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