Tuesday, 18 November 2025 – Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul, Rome
Mass Readings: 2 Mac 6:18-31 | Ps 3:2-7 | Lk
19:1-10
Key Verse to Meditate: “Jesus looked up and said
to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.’”
(Lk 19:5)
Introduction
Today, the Church
celebrates the Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome,
commemorating the faith, perseverance, and witness of the Apostles who laid the
foundations of the Church. In the
eternal city of Rome, the four major papal basilicas include the Basilicas of
St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major.
This year, the Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time was celebrated as the
Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. About ten days later, the
Church once again commemorates the Dedication of the Basilicas of Saints Peter
and Paul in Rome. This feast recalls the dedication of two major Roman
basilicas built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century over the traditional
burial sites of the Apostles Peter and Paul.
The Lateran Basilica in Rome is the oldest and
highest-ranking of the four major basilicas. It is honored as “the mother and
head of all the churches of Rome and the world” (omnium urbis et orbis
ecclesiarum mater et caput). Historically, the Lateran Basilica
also served as the papal residence until the Avignon period. It was the first
basilica constructed after Emperor Constantine’s Edict of Milan in 313, which
granted Christians the freedom to practice their faith openly. The basilica has
been known as the Church of the Most Holy Savior (Sancta Sanctorum)
and the Church of St. John the Baptist. In ancient Rome, this was the church
where the faithful received baptism. As the oldest church built in the West, it
was consecrated by Pope Sylvester I in 324.
Many mistakenly believe that St. Peter’s Basilica
holds this distinction, but it is actually the Basilica of St. John Lateran
that serves as the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome and the official
ecclesiastical seat of the Holy Father. St. Peter’s Basilica, built on Vatican
Hill where St. Peter was martyred, was consecrated by Pope Urban VIII in 1626.
The Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, one of Rome’s seven major pilgrim
churches, was constructed near the site where St. Paul was martyred. Historically,
this basilica was largely destroyed by fire in 1823, but it was rebuilt and
consecrated by Pope Pius IX in 1854.
These basilicas stand as
enduring testimonies to the triumph of God’s grace and to the Church’s
universal mission of calling all people to salvation. The readings today invite
us to reflect on personal conversion and on the transforming encounter with Christ—just
as it occurred in the life of Zacchaeus, the tax collector.
The
encounter between Christ and Zacchaeus in Jericho is a unique event recorded
only in the Gospel of Luke. Jericho was under Roman rule, and Zacchaeus, as
chief tax collector, had likely enriched himself at the expense of his fellow
Jews. He was despised by his fellow Jews as a sinner and an outcast, and
murmurs against him grew louder when Jesus, the acclaimed Rabbi, entered his
house as a guest. A similar event is found in the calling of Levi, the tax
collector, where large crowds gathered and the Pharisees questioned Jesus’
association with sinners: “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and
sinners?” (Lk 5:30). Jesus clearly stated His mission: “Those who are well have
no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have come to call not the
righteous but sinners to repentance” (Lk 5:31–32).
In
today’s Gospel, the crowd grumbled as they watched Jesus go to Zacchaeus’
house, saying, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner” (Lk 19:7).
Yet Jesus ignored their murmuring and focused instead on the heart of
Zacchaeus. The name Zacchaeus means “pure,” and his act of climbing the
sycamore tree reveals his genuine desire to encounter Christ—unlike King
Herod’s curiosity, which stemmed merely from confusion and fear (Lk 9:9).
Son of
Abraham: Seeing his faith, Jesus called out,
“Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for today I must stay at your house” (Lk
19:5). Zacchaeus joyfully welcomed Him, and this encounter led to a profound
conversion: “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and
if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much” (Lk
19:8). Jesus then declared, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he
too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to
seek out and to save the lost” (Lk 19:9-10). Jesus declares the true identity
of Zacchaeus — that he too belongs to God’s family of believers and is a son of
Abraham. On another occasion, when healing the woman who had been bent over for
eighteen long years, Jesus again recognizes her dignity, calling her a daughter
of Abraham: “And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has
bound for eighteen long years” (Lk 13:16).
To Climb
the Sycamore Trees of our Lives
Like
Zacchaeus, we too are called by Christ to climb the sycamore trees of our
lives. Climbing the sycamore tree symbolically represents our need to rise
above distractions, sin, and societal judgment in order to embrace Christ in
our lives. As St. Augustine observes, Zacchaeus’ climb shows the soul’s effort
to rise above earthly concerns to see the Savior.
This
encounter reminds us that conversion begins with a sincere desire to meet
Jesus. Though he was very wealthy through his dishonest means of acquiring
riches, Zacchaeus humbled himself in order to encounter Christ the Lord, who
was passing that way. He set aside his pride and climbed up the tree,
surrendering his ego and social status. His willingness to appear undignified
before the crowd showed the sincerity of his repentance. Zacchaeus took the
initiative to seek Christ, and Jesus responded, transforming not only Zacchaeus
himself but also his household and community. He did not remain passive; he
actively sought Christ and made concrete efforts to find Him—efforts that
captured the attention of Jesus. This well-known encounter in the Gospel
reminds us that the climb is not the end, but a necessary step toward deeper
transformation and a new way of living in Christ.
Conclusion
The
Dedication of the Basilicas of St. Peter and St. Paul remind us of the Church’s
universal mission: to bring the grace and salvation of Christ to all people.
Just as Zacchaeus’ encounter with Jesus led to conversion and salvation, we too
are called to open our hearts to Christ’s transforming presence. Today, the
Lord is inviting us to “climb the sycamore tree” of our own lives—to step away
from the crowd and open our hearts fully to Him. May we joyfully accept His invitation,
allowing Him to dwell in our homes, families, and communities, so that—today
and always—salvation may come to our lives, and we may faithfully share in the
mission of the Church.
Points
for Personal Reflection:
- Do I truly desire to
encounter Jesus in my life?
- Am I willing to rise
above distractions and seek Him wholeheartedly, trusting that He will
respond and transform me?
- Like Zacchaeus, am I ready to accept Christ’s call to conversion, even when it challenges my comfort, status, or attachments?
