Keys of the Kingdom
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Authority is something often misunderstood in the Church, especially when it comes to understanding authority as it is given to the Pope, Bishops, and Priests. We can get confused in a world of lightning fast media and sound bites about what it is we are to believe and why. Maybe the pope said that he has Wheaties for breakfast and the media quickly reports Catholics should have Wheaties every morning. Or, maybe worse, someone heard the Pope has Wheaties for breakfast and then tells you that you are a bad catholic if you do not have Wheaties. This can be especially confusing, as in recent weeks, if you hear something about what the pope says about a matter as serious as marriage and same sex civil unions. Suffice it to say, the Church’s teachings do not change by what is said in an interview, or over breakfast. So we would do well to take a moment to reflect on what are the Keys of the Kingdom and the role of Peter and the Pope.
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We recognize that Christ gave real authority to the Apostles. Catechism paragraph 551 says, “He [Christ] gives the Twelve a share in his authority and ‘sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.’ They remain associated for ever with Christ’s kingdom, for through them he directs the Church.” The authority of the Holy Father and bishops is a real participation and exercise of Christ’s authority. And, as we see here, this authority is oriented towards healing. Authority can be a challenging word for us, but we need to keep in mind, these are not rules, commands, or laws for the sake of themselves. They are for our good and for our healing.
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The word ‘pope’ comes from the greek word pappas which means father. Peter is first among the Twelve Apostles, as the Pope is first among the Bishops. This comes from Jesus’ fulfillment of the Old Testament Davidic Kingdom. You see, in the Old Testament, not only was the King’s mother an important figure and considered Queen, but also the king always had a Royal Steward who acted with all his authority in his absence. I think we are so used to hearing about “the keys of the kingdom” that we never stop and ask ourselves what it means. In Matthew 16, after Peter confesses that Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, the Christ, Jesus says he will give to Peter the keys to the kingdom. Well, here it is in Isaiah 22:21-22. It says, “…and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the House of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” Does this sound familiar? This is the exact same language Christ uses with Peter, showing how he is to be the new Royal Steward of Christ’s Kingdom. It says specifically that he will be a father, or as we say now, Pope. This no longer applies to only the Jews and Judah, but to all the followers of Jesus and the world.
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We see this special role of Peter exercised throughout the gospels and the book of Acts. When the apostles are listed, Peter is always listed first. At the last supper when Jesus foretold Peter’s denial, he gave him the specific command that when he repented to strengthen the other apostles. (Lk 22:32) When Mary Magdalene saw that the stone had been rolled away, it was to Peter she reported the news. (Jn 20:2) When running to the tomb after the resurrection, St John actually stops and allows Peter to enter first even though he beat him there. (Jn 20:6) In John 21, we see the beautiful story of Jesus asking three times if Peter loved him, to make right Peter’s three fold denial. Jesus tells Peter to feed and tend the sheep. And finally, it is Peter who speaks at the Council of Jerusalem, settling the dispute and speaking into what would be the fate of the gentiles. (Acts 15:7-11)
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Magisterium is a word we hear used in reference to the Church and the Pope, but you may not know what it means. Magisterium simply refers to teaching authority of the Church. The Magisterium authentically interprets and teaches about Scripture and Tradition and ensures we are faithful to Christ in the areas of faith and morals. There are two kinds of Magisterium – Ordinary and Extraordinary. We say the Pope exercises his ordinary magisterium when he reinforces, reiterates, or restates the consistent teaching of previous popes and of the bishops united with him around the world. This is done through documents such as Papal Bulls, Encyclicals, Apostolic Exhortations, Motu Proprios, or promulgating a Catechism to name a few. Extraordinary Magisterium is exercised by the Pope in two ways. First, he can call and approve an Ecumenical Council like Vatican II or the Council of Trent. Second, he can make an ex-cathedra statement. Ex-Cathedra means “from the chair”. The Pope literally goes to his cathedral (which means place of the chair) and makes a declaration about faith and morals. While there have been 21 Councils in the Roman Catholic Church, there have only been two times the pope has taught “ex-cathedra”. Notice none of these is from a newspaper interview, or a press conference, or a documentary. We can trust Christ’s promise to Peter and to us that the gates of Hell will not prevail. Let’s spend more time praying for the Holy Father and trust Christ’s promise.