Celebrating Mass for the Dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Pope Leo XIV spoke of the Church as a living construction site, where faith is shaped through humility, patience, and trust in Christ. He urged believers to resist the pressures of the world that demand instant success and to instead embrace the slow and steady work of grace that unfolds according to God’s timing.
The Basilica of St. John Lateran, dedicated in the early fourth century after Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity, is the oldest and most important church in the world, known as the “Mother of all Churches.” Pope Leo reflected that its significance lies not only in its history or beauty, but in what it represents: a Church made of living stones. These are the faithful themselves, joined together in Christ, the cornerstone, to form a spiritual temple that proclaims, celebrates, and serves the Gospel.
Drawing from the story of the Lateran’s construction, the Pope reflected on the importance of strong foundations. The builders of the ancient cathedral dug deep to ensure that the structure would endure, a reminder that every believer must also build life on a firm spiritual base. The only true foundation, as Saint Paul wrote, is Jesus Christ. Without that foundation, all human effort risks collapse. To build well, the Pope said, we must continually return to Christ, allow the Holy Spirit to strengthen what we begin, and let faith mature through perseverance.
The day’s Gospel, recounting the encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus, offered another image of this transformation. Zacchaeus, once proud and powerful, humbles himself to meet the Lord and is forever changed. In the same way, the Church’s work of renewal begins with conversion of heart. Each believer is called to climb beyond pride and self-reliance to encounter Christ personally. From that encounter flows the strength to build a community rooted in mercy and faith.
Pope Leo described the Church as a construction site not of stone and mortar, but of souls. It is a place of active collaboration, where priests, religious, and laity together share their gifts, endure challenges, and continue to grow under God’s guidance. Like any great project, the work involves interruptions, revisions, and moments of fatigue. Yet in Rome, he said, a great good continues to grow because of the perseverance and faith of those who labor in the Lord’s vineyard.
The Pope linked this reflection to the ongoing implementation of the Synod, describing it as a time of testing and renewal. What has been prepared in prayer and dialogue now requires patience and cooperation. He encouraged the faithful not to lose heart when progress seems slow, but to trust that even in struggle, the Holy Spirit is building something enduring and holy.
Pope Leo then turned to the heart of this divine construction: the liturgy. The cathedral, he explained, exists above all to lead the faithful in worship. The liturgy is the summit toward which all the Church’s activity is directed and the source from which her strength flows. Every work of evangelization, service, and formation draws life from the altar, where the people of God are united in praise.
He reminded the faithful that the liturgy must be celebrated with care, faithfulness, and dignity. Authentic beauty, the Pope noted with Saint Augustine, is born of love, and love is life. This beauty finds its highest expression in the Church’s worship, where love of God and love of neighbor are joined in harmony.
Pope Leo concluded by expressing his hope that all who come to the Lateran Basilica will encounter the grace of Christ and carry it into the world. The Church, he said, remains forever under construction—not as a monument to human effort, but as the living work of divine love being built, stone by stone, in the hearts of the faithful.