ROME (CNS) -- In many ways, the Catholic Church is always a "construction site" where God is constantly shaping its members who must dig deep and work diligently but patiently, Pope Leo XIV said.

The construction site is "a beautiful image that speaks of activity, creativity and dedication, as well as hard work and sometimes complex problems to be solved," the pope said as he celebrated Mass at Rome's Basilica of St. John Lateran Nov. 9, the feast of the basilica's dedication in the fourth century.

The basilica is the pope's cathedral as bishop of Rome and is referred to as "the mother of all churches." 

Standing at the "cathedra" or bishop's chair, Pope Leo preached about the basilica as "a sign of the living church, built with chosen and precious stones on Christ Jesus, the cornerstone."

He also spoke about the feast day when he returned to the Vatican for the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer.

"We are the church of Christ, his body, his members called to spread his Gospel of mercy, consolation and peace throughout the world, through that spiritual worship that must shine forth above all in our witness of life," he told people gathered to pray with him in St. Peter's Square.

"So often, the frailties and mistakes of Christians, together with many clichés and prejudices, prevent us from grasping the richness of the mystery of the church," he said.

However, the holiness of the church "is not dependent upon our merits, but on the 'gift of the Lord, never retracted,' that continues to choose 'as the vessel of its presence, with a paradoxical love, the dirty hands of men,'" the pope said, quoting Pope Benedict XVI's 1968 book, "Introduction to Christianity."

In his homily at the basilica, Pope Leo asked the congregation to consider the foundations of the church they were standing in. 

"If the builders had not dug deep enough to find a solid base on which to construct the rest, the entire building would have collapsed long ago or would be at risk of doing so at any moment," he said. "Fortunately, however, those who came before us laid solid foundations for our cathedral, digging deep with great effort before raising the walls that welcome us, and this makes us feel much more at ease."

As members of and laborers in the church, he said, Catholics today also "must first dig deep within ourselves and around ourselves before we can build impressive structures. We must remove any unstable material that would prevent us from reaching the solid rock of Christ."

The church and its members must constantly return to Christ and his Gospel, the pope said, "otherwise we risk overloading a building with heavy structures whose foundations are too weak to support it."

Building up the church of Christ is a time-consuming labor requiring hard work and patience, he said.

Part of that work, the pope said, is being humble enough to allow God to work on each member, the "living stones" who make up the church.

"When Jesus calls us to take part in God's great project, he transforms us by skillfully shaping us according to his plans for salvation," Pope Leo said. "This implies an uphill journey, but we must not be discouraged. Instead, we should continue with confidence in our efforts to grow together."

Pope Leo ended his homily by making a special request of the community that celebrates Mass there regularly, but also of all churches and parishes.

"Care for the liturgy, especially here at the See of Peter, must be such that it can serve as an example for the whole people of God. It must comply with the established norms, be attentive to the different sensibilities of those participating and keep with the principle of wise inculturation."

He asked that the Masses "remain faithful to the solemn sobriety typical of the Roman tradition, which can do so much good for the souls of those who actively participate in it."
 

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