HOMILY FOR THE 21ST SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
THEME: The Key of the Kingdom of God.
BY: Fr. Luke Ijezie
Isaiah 22:19-23
Resp. Psalm 138:1-2a,2bc-3,6,8
Romans 11:33-36
Matthew 16:13-20
This twenty-first Sunday of the liturgical year presents us with the theme of the key which is meant to open God’s kingdom. What does Jesus mean by giving Peter the key in today’s Gospel from Matt 16:13-20? This is, no doubt, one of the very difficult passages of Scripture. People often read it according to their whims and caprices. I once participated in a Bible-sharing session, where this passage was read and people asked to comment freely. Incidentally, some of the members were not very comfortable with Church authority. So they tried to explain the meaning of the keys in many other ways other than the authority of the Pope. One of the most fascinating interpretations from the group was that the key signified love. So, for them, love was the key that opens the kingdom. This interpretation fascinated me at the moment, but after reflecting on it I started raising serious questions. Why would Jesus not say it directly if he meant love? Why single out Peter as the one to give it? Granted that love may serve as a powerful key that opens doors and closed gates, it looks unlikely that Jesus meant just that in this context.
1. However we look at it, the key is about the office and authority of Peter as the leader of the Church. It refers to the teaching authority and power of binding and losing through which the Church leader brings people very close to God. Ignorance accompanied with sin has a way of closing people’s minds and shutting them off from the beauties of God’s kingdom. But teaching and forgiveness all break the walls of ignorance and sin. This is the role of the Church and her leaders in the world. Through his teaching and ministry of binding and loosing, which is setting people free from the bondage of sin, the Petrine office will be opening the way to God to many sons and daughters of the kingdom. Through the exercise of Peter’s ministry, Jesus will continue to open the eyes of the blind, to proclaim the word of light and liberate those in various forms of bondage.
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2. In this way, we find the link between this Gospel text and the first reading from Isa 22:19-23 where the key of David’s royal house is given to Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, as the new master of the Palace. Here the key symbolises his new authority of opening the treasures of the Palace to people, to the poor and needy.
3. The idea of a key to open the kingdom also implies that there is no direct access. One needs a password to enter. The one with the password is the one that opens the way.
The point is that God’s ways are mysterious and are not just open to anyone except the one God Himself has given the power to unluck the mystery. Paul says in the second reading from Rom 11:33-36: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counsellor?” Here we see the magnitude of the power Jesus has given to his Church through the faith of Peter. The Church has the privilege of communicating the mind of God to people and thus opening God’s way and His reign to them. The fire of hell, which is the power of the enemy, cannot stop it.
4. It is not uncommon to find more and more people today opposing the power and authority of the Church and the Pope. These forces of rebellion and opposition may continue to lead many astray, but they can never succeed in frustrating the divinely anointed work of the Church and her leaders and members. Jesus promises to be there for his people through all the thick and thin of life. So, no shaking, no matter the gravity of the storms and tempests. All these will come and pass but the Church and her mission will continue to flourish.
May God continue to show us His face in every moment of hardship and trial!
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