Keys to the Kingdom

In today’s Gospel, Jesus establishes the papacy; He gives Peter the keys to the Kingdom, making Peter the head of the Church and placing the spiritual guidance of this community of believers in his hands. Talk about responsibility! The spiritual guidance of the community of believers. Given to a man who, among other things, denied knowing Jesus – not once, but three times. Peter was just a normal guy, with plenty of faults and failures. And Jesus trusted him to act as the head of the Church… This should give us great hope! And confidence! It is so easy to be faced with a task and to think, “Why would someone have chosen me for this? Why not (insert some awesome friend’s name here)?” Do you think Peter wondered the same thing? Why Jesus chose him instead of James or John? But Jesus obviously saw something in Peter that maybe Peter did not see himself. He believed in Peter. Trusted him. And the same goes for you. The Lord is calling you to something. You specifically. And He trusts that you are the right person for the job! If He believes that, shouldn't that be enough for us?!

Today is the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter – during which we celebrate the papacy and St. Peter as the first bishop of Rome. This Feast day is particularly relevant right now in light of Pope Benedict’s decision to resign. There are many beautiful things about the Church, and one of them comes in very handy now – the Church’s hierarchy. Jesus gave the keys to the Kingdom to Peter, and Pope Benedict is the successor  (at the end of a long, unbroken line of successors) who currently holds the office that Jesus established with Peter. It is comforting to know that the Church has a process for times like this – the College of Cardinals will gather to elect a new Bishop of Rome (the Pope). And we trust in the wisdom of the Church that the College of Cardinals under the guidance of the Holy Spirit will elect a successor to take Benedict’s place and to continue to guide our community of believers. And we of course pray for this successor...for strength, for peace, for the grace necessary to hold this office. As well as for Pope Benedict – for his health, intentions, and in thanksgiving for his great service to the Church thus far.

Now, back to what the Lord is calling you to… Here’s some food for thought from Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman: "God has created me to do Him some definite service; He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission – I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I have a part in a great work; I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons…" The Lord has a task for you. And He trusts you. What is He calling you to? 

-Katie DiFato