The Feast of the Dedication of St Mary Major.

"Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (Matthew 16: 13... 23).

Thursday 5th August 2021, 18th Week in Ordinary Time is the feast of the Dedication of the Basilica of St Mary Major. This Basilica was dedicated after the definition of the Dogma of Mary as the Mother of God in the Council of Ephesus in 431.  It was the oldest Marian Church in Rome and was consecrated by Pope Sixtus III about 435. The great Church was later renamed as St Mary Major. Pope St John Paul II wrote that it is an objective truth that the Mother of God is the Mother of the Church. Ephesus hailed Mary as Theotokus, Mother of God. Vatican II acclaimed Mary as the Mother of the Church.

Our Gospel of today is key to understanding  Ecclesia, Assembly, Church (all meaning the same thing) that Jesus Christ has set up.

Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered for the 12:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Was Jesus astonished by Peter's answer? Astonished or not, Jesus said to Peter in reply, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father. And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”  (Matthew 16: 13 - 23).

Jesus builds His Church on rock of Peter's Confession. A Church that is defined as:
+ The People of God.
+ The Body of Christ.
+ The Temple of the Holy Spirit.

A Church which manifests these characteristics:
#1. Pillar and Foundation of truth.
#2. Always under attack by the Enemy.
#2a. Victorious and Invincible.
#3. Missionary and Catholic.
#4. Infallibility in doctrine by Peter and his successors.
#5. Hierarchy and sacred priesthood.
#6. The Church of the Eucharist.

Do you love the Church?  Saint Augustine writes, “We, therefore, receive the Holy Spirit if we love the Church, if we are joined together by charity, if we make the Catholic name and faith our joy. Believe it, brethren, to the extent that one loves the Church, to that extent he has the Holy Spirit within him”.

"Yes, here I was speaking of the Eucharist, the gift of My abiding presence to My Bride, the Church, and this until the end of time. Not one soul who belongs to Me is left friendless in this world so long as the Church continues to do what I commanded on the night before I suffered, in memory of Me. The Most Holy Eucharist is not only My Sacrifice offered to the Father, although in a bloodless manner; it is not only the sustenance of souls, nourishing them with My very Body and Blood; it is also the Sacrament of My divine friendship, the pledge of My burning desire to remain close to all who seek Me, to all who need Me, to all who would spend time in My company." IN SINU JESU page 54)

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