TWENTY-FIRST SUNDAY-A Aug 24, 2008

Isaiah 22:15, 19-23 Psalm: 138 Romans 11: 33- 36 Matt 16: 13-20

“I will give you the Keys of heaven”

prelude: this is not a reflection on the Primacy of Peter - and the Vatican’s place in history. Rather it is story of Peter being called to guide God’s people. This responsibility was abused by the Scribes and Pharisees: they were blind guides leading the blind.

1. Our Liturgy of the Word starts out with an intriguing but common place story. A Politician Shebna takes bribes. He is the equivalent of a Prime Minister or President of the place. He is proud, he is arrogant. He even builds a grandiose tomb so that he may be glorified even after death. Isaiah wants him out and he is deposed. So what’s new? Presidents and Prime Ministers have been ousted. Musharraf of Pakistan is the latest President to tall.

As for mausoleums, go to any of our cemeteries and you will find them. However there is a significant detail. Shebna has the Keys of David. It is his sign of authority. It is his chain of office. The Keys of David is symbolic of the continuation of the House of David, which Yahweh promised will have no end.

2. These Keys of David have an important role to play in the New Testament times. The Keys have been entrusted to the Scribes and Pharisees who are supposed to guide and direct people to the Kingdom of God. However, they see Power in this mandate. We know the phrase: Power corrupts; and so it does with the Scribes and Pharisees. Jesus gives no leeway, no slack to these men. One has only to read Matthew 23. Jesus calls them:

• whitened sepulchres full of dead men’s bones
• blind guides leading others to destruction.

But the most relevant condemnation is “you lock the door of the Kingdom of heaven. You do not go in yourselves and do not allow others who try to enter.

3. The Kingdom of God is open to all. The Scribes and the Pharisees will not lead their own people to the Kingdom. How much more they will resent the Kingdom being opened to Gentiles as well? In the readings we had last Sunday, we heard Paul speak of God’s generosity. The Kingdom of God is not only for the Jewish community but for the Gentiles as well. These were the majority in Rome.

Today he goes into a peal of sheer poetry praising the Wisdom of God for this generosity. Believe me, it was a greater outburst than Usain Bolt of Jamaica after the 100 metre dash.

• who has known the mind of God!
• who can give God a worthy gift!

No wonder to God is glory to be given, FOREVER, - not until the next Olympics roll around and there is a 15 second flash of glory. The Salvation of God is universal. And the Keys to the Kingdom will be entrusted to Peter

4. Matthew is writing for a community steeped in Jewish tradition. He proclaims Jesus as the new Messiah they are awaiting. The Keys to the Kingdom which were entrusted to the Scribes and Pharisees are now entrusted to Peter to lead the new Community. Furthermore, Peter is given the power to forgive sins and to bind commitments. Scripture Scholar, Reginald Fuller tells us that it is for this reason, many scholars are convinced that this Confession of Peter is a post Resurrection story.

5. We will find this story in the three synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. There is a simple question:

Who do people say I am?

The response is You are the Messiah.

End of the narrative.

But for Matthew it does not end there:

• first Peter claims Jesus is the Messiah, and adds: the Son of the Living God
• second: Jesus praises Peter for his confession and his inspiration.
• third: Jesus gives him the Keys.
• Jesus pronounces Peter blessed and gives him the name Peter, “Rock.”

6. Jesus entrusts Peter with the Keys of the Kingdom. And one may be tempted to say “Oye ve!” Peter misunderstand so many things. He will be scolded by Jesus. “Get behind me Satan”. Peter is impetuous, “let us build three tents for you, Moses, and Elijah. Peter is brash: “though others may deny you I will not.”

But perhaps Jesus entrusted the Keys to Peter precisely because Peter was not afraid to take the Risk. He confessed Jesus to be the Messiah, the Son of the Living God. Others thought the same but were not willing to step out on a limb. He was willing to let the spirit of the Lord to inspire him, he was willing to act on his beliefs.

He is not going to tie up the Christians in the same way as the Scribes and Pharisees. They are 613 laws and rules : - from how to keep the Sabbath to ritual washings on the return from the market place.

In our Church today we have to take this responsibility seriously . We have been given the honour of the Keys. With that, comes the responsibility. Jesus is the Way, we have to be true guides, inspired by the Spirit and witnessing to God’s amazing Grace.