Here's a little physics. When sound waves strike a concave surface (a spoon for example), they are reflected inwards, concentrating the sound energy at a single focal point. A person can whisper and be heard by another person standing at this single focal point.

When I first visited the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome someone showed me this physical phenomenon in the basilica's columns. The single focal point is exactly the vertex of the opposite column. At 20-25 feet from another person, we could whisper and hear each other.

Revered as the "Mother and Head" of the Catholic world, the Basilica of St. John Lateran is unique: it is the city church of Rome and holds the Pope’s official chair, or cathedra. Its history stretches back to November 9, 324, the date of its dedication. For a millennium, its buildings served as the papal residence and hosted five ecumenical councils. It was only in the 14th century, upon the Pope's return to Rome from Avignon following seven decades of exile, that the official residence shifted to the Vatican.

While initially consecrated to Christ the Savior, the basilica’s dedication later included St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist. The magnificent facade features fifteen statues, with Christ the Savior flanked by the two Johns and twelve Doctors of the Church. This historic structure is also famous as the place where Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first Jubilee Year in 1300.  

The Basilica of St. John Lateran has held a special place in my heart because its dedication coincides with my birthday. I have always interpreted the readings for the Mass of this feast as a divine message for me. St. Paul writes to the Corinthians, “You are God’s building…Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” Our lives and our bodies are the work of God. In every person, God has constructed a dwelling place: the soul. Our bodies speak of God. Our bodies are equipped to serve and worship God.

In today's first reading, the prophet Ezekiel describes a profound vision: a powerful stream flowing from the temple. This miraculous water brings life and freshness wherever it goes, even transforming hostile, desolate places like the desert and the Dead Sea. Ezekiel brought this hopeful message to the exiles in Babylon, assuring them of a vibrant future upon their return to Jerusalem. The vision highlights the temple's central role as the dwelling place of God and the source of grace that converts death into life.

This image perfectly foreshadows the Church. Like ancient Israel, we come to the "temple of God", especially every Sunday, to drink from this stream of God's grace, transmitted through His Word and the sacraments—above all, the Eucharist. We, the faithful, are called to be that very stream, carrying the Word of life and hope from the temple to hostile and hopeless hearts, thereby fertilizing barren ground and healing lifeless waters.

Let us humbly ask Christ the Savior on this feast of the dedication of the Basilica of St. John Lateran to allow us to generously share his Word and his sacramental grace with the people we meet this week, especially those with hopeless hearts.