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| Left: Deacon Elena Garcia ARCWP and Katy Zatsick ARCWP, Co-Presiders at MMOJ Liturgy in Sarasota Florida |
Matthew 16:13-20 is full of homily possibilities. But today I chose to
consider Keys as food for thought. As a show of hands, how many of you have
keys with you today? I expect if you don’t you must have a very good reason.
You see, Keys are a sign of power. They allow us access to what is denied to
others. They provide security, freedom and pure joy, all of which I feel when I
unlock the door to my home and enter as I will.
I also feel the same when I use my car key to turn on the ignition and
leave the garage to go to all kinds of wonderful places. Most of us have a car
key, house keys and some of us have office keys. And how important these keys are in our daily
lives! And how frustrating it is when our hippocampus forgets to remind us to
hang them on the key hook and now we are delayed from exiting our humble abodes
because we can’t find them. Keys are
usually small and light weight. Yet they are capable of opening doors to castles
as well as 18-wheelers that move tons of materials to destinations. And giving
up possession of these key often causes anxiety and a sense of loss. When I
retired from the Hillsborough school district I felt that sense of loss of team
work with colleagues. When I answered a call to a different ministry I felt a
sense of loss of power in handing in my keys to the parish chapel where I had
been the sacristan for many years. In my
social work ministry to the handicapped and homebound I have encountered many
patients who mourn the loss of freedom and power that was theirs while they
were able to use keys to leave home at will and to drive themselves to
destinations of their choice. So, as you
grasp those keys in your hands this week think of how powerful they are and how
they impact on your daily life.
We often use the word “key” as a metaphor for many things in life. These metaphorical keys are aids to success
on our life journey with regards to our work, our relationships and our life
goals. We may hear that the key to success at work, careers, marriage,
parenting, arts, athletics, spiritual growth etc. is ……. In short, not knowing
and using those metaphorical keys can result in messed up lives.
It is with this mood and these metaphors that I approach the gospel
lesson today from the gospel of Matthew where Jesus talks to us about the keys
of the kingdom. What are the keys to the kingdom? I learned that the answer to
that question has caused endless debate and interpretations. I’ll share with
you one such interpretation gleaned from the work of Edward F. Marquart. “I
will give you.” Catholic tradition has taught that the “you” meant only
Peter. Protestants, such as Lutherans,
emphasize that the church has been given the power of the keys. If you
listen carefully the word “keys” is a plural word. Aha! There is more than one
key. So within the kingdom there are two keys. And whatever you bind on earth
will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in
heaven.
What does granting forgiveness and withholding forgiveness mean in our
daily lives as the church? We know that forgiveness is letting go of our own
sins and those sins and imperfections of our spouse, our kids, our friends, our
neighbors, our fellow community members and so on and so forth. Everyone in
this world is sinful and imperfect, including yourself and myself, and we
cannot live with people peacefully without forgiveness. Therefore, just as we
use the key to our house and car several times a day, so also we need to use
this key of forgiveness often, daily, endlessly and infinitely.
The second key is more difficult. Now my quandary was remembering that I am not
to be judgmental but to forgive seventy times seven or infinitely. I have come
to understand that this is an expression of “tough love.” We and others need to
see the consequences of our sins. How often in life have we been enablers by
granting forgiveness, tolerance and acceptance too soon? The Scriptures clearly
connect repentance and forgiveness.
The keys Jesus promises us are meant to unlock the world’s longing for
celebration and liberation. They were never meant to keep undesirables out or
to rid God’s realm of the unworthy. Peter and the Church opens the door of
faith to the world and it is our duty as Christians to keep that door wide open
to the entire world. We have the keys to do that but we need to figure out what
to do with these keys. What doors to open and what windows to unlock. And, we
must continue to assure that they are open to everyone and not just to people
like us.
Jesus is outside the dogma of neat religious minds. He is free and we
are truly free when we allow Jesus to be free. If we cage Jesus we then imprison
ourselves. Categorize Jesus and we find
ourselves in another pigeonhole.
In searching for quotes with the word “key” I found this by Joyce
Meyer:
“Many people feel so pressured by the expectations of others that it
causes them to be frustrated, miserable and confused about what they should do.
But there is a way to live a simple, joy-filled, peaceful life, and the key is
learning how to be led by the Holy Spirit, not the traditions or expectations
of man.”
Reflection Questions
What are some of the metaphorical keys that have made a difference in
your life?
How do you feel about exercising both keys to the kingdom?
–to grant forgiveness
–to withhold forgiveness
Do you believe that Jesus meant us as a church when he said “You”?
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