Last weekend Deacon Bill, Deacon Harry and I were on retreat with all the other deacons of the Archdiocese. The retreat was led by Fr. Mark Ward, a priest of the Vincentian Order, which are known for their missions to the poor, but most notably here in the U.S. for their clerical training; that is teaching in seminaries, so as you might guess we had plenty of class time, but as a retreat should be, we also had quiet time for silent prayer and reflection. We all need that at times. Retreats aren’t just for deacons and priests. Everyone at some point needs to take time to get away from the hustle and bustle of daily life and reconnect with the Lord in a more personal manner, even that means only an hour in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus himself often went off by himself to spend time in prayer to his Father.

     As I got to the retreat house at the beginning of the retreat, the first thing that happens when you check in is that they give you a set of keys; for your room you’ll be staying in and for the outside door. It made me think of the readings we just read today, and the importance of keys. We learn from an early age, when we’re little that keys are needed to go through some doors. And we can’t get into some cabinets unless we have a key. Many things are kept under lock and key for our own protection. And if we were given a key, we felt important. It meant we had access or control over something that others did not. Then the importance of keys really hit us when we turn 16 and get our driver’s license. Whoa! Gaining access to those car keys meant freedom, and how easy it was to lose access to those keys if we didn’t behave.

     In our first reading Eliakim is promised by God the key to the house of David. Eliakim had proven himself as a man of integrity and was thus given the authority over who would have access to the palace and ultimately the king. God said “When he opens, no one shall shut. When he shuts, no one shall open.” This was obviously very prophetic of the same words we hear in today’s gospel spoken by Jesus to Peter.  In the Gospel Peters position of authority is clearly emphasized. Jesus entrusts Peter with the keys to the kingdom. In this case it’s not actual physical keys, but more the image and the message that it conveys that is important. I don’t think the pearly gates actually have a lock and key, but the image is that Peter is given the authority on earth as leader of the Apostles, and ultimately the Church, as Jesus also proclaims Peter to be the rock and foundation of the Church. Peter is given the authority to act in the name of Jesus; and it is the keys that symbolize this. The keys that Jesus gave to Peter were not buried with him and the position of authority did not end when Peter died. Matthew later emphasizes that the leadership of Peter would remain as a part of the structure of the Church. That authority is therefore passed down to his successor. The keys continue to symbolize the authority of whoever sits on the Chair of Peter, as Pope.  Both the Papal seal and the Pope’s Coat of Arms contain the image of two keys.

     Peter’s authority is also stated in Jesus’ statement, “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you lose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” This authority was also later bestowed on the rest of the Apostles. The meaning of the terms “Bind” and “Loose” have a few slight variations in Jewish tradition.  The expressions also referred to the authority to accept or forbid a person’s fellowship in the faith community; that is the authority to excommunicate and the authority to restore to membership. And lastly, the terms to bind and to lose were also referred to the spiritual authority to forgive or retain sins. This authority is passed down through the Apostle’s successors to what we now call the teaching authority of the Church; and in union with the pope, we refer to it as the Magisterium.

     A second very important aspect of today’s Gospel is the question Jesus asked of the Apostles; “Who do you say that I am?” Peter was commended for his response; “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.’ That is a question that each one of us also has to answer to. And how we answer that question will determine how each of us relates to him. And will also determine our ultimate fate. But can any of us really give a complete and perfect answer to that question, “Who do you say that I am?”? It’s easy to say that Jesus is our Saviour, Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus is the Son of God, or as we say in the creed each week, “God from God, light from light, true God from true God.” But has our mind and our heart truly connected to these words. Is he someone that we want to spend time with? Is he someone we can put our total trust in, even in our times of struggle? Do we truly believe that he loves us unconditionally, forgives us, and only wants the best for us?” Do we believe he has the authority to tell us how to live our lives? The Apostles could tell Jesus what others had said and believe about him; and we too can say what others have said about Jesus. And that’s how we begin to learn about Jesus, by what others tell us. But have we moved beyond what others have told us to know Jesus in a personal way; a way that Jesus could say has not been revealed to us by “flesh and blood, but by the Heavenly Father”? How we get to know Jesus in such a deep personal manner is the same way we get to know anyone very well, by spending time with them. And the way we spend time with Jesus and his Father is in prayer. I look forward to my next opportunity to go on retreat and I pray that you do as well.