Privacy Policy

Friday, September 1, 2017

Elena Garcia ARCWP: Homily Starter for August 26th Mary Mother of Jesus Inclusive Catholic Liturgy, "Keys of the Kingdom"


 
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”?

-->

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.