21st Sunday, 2017

Matt 16:13-20
Psalm 138

Jesus must have been happy, pleased, thankful, content, satisfied… Peter has progressed. I’m sure Peter’s silliness must have made Jesus shake His head from time to time. Over time, however, He sees Peter gain, not faith, so much as an understanding and awareness of his friend as Lord. Jesus must be pleased and grateful as He witnesses Peter grow into His intended role.

The Lord gives Peter the keys to the kingdom, identifying him as the steward, the household member with the role of opening doors. Some assume that as Peter is the first ‘pope’ this is a statement of exclusion of non-Roman Catholics, however, keys are objects, ideas, and skills necessary to open what is otherwise unaccessible. Peter’s understanding is the perceptive ancestor to our Lord-orientated intuition. An awareness and recognition of Jesus as the Son of God, the Christ, and our friend is the key to Heaven.

Cassiorodus, 6th Century Biblical scholar and monk, wrote of Psalm 138, “So this entire psalm…is to be recited by the mouth of the Lord Christ.” As I wrote my earlier post on the shift in reflections, we can imagine this psalm is Jesus’ prayer response to Peter’s testimony.

“On the day I called You answered me, You made strength well up within me” (5). Peter’s enthusiastic love and growing awareness of Jesus’ divinity is a strength within Jesus’ ministry. Peter is like a well, collecting understanding and strength for the other disciples and the Early Church. The psalm ends, “The Lord will requite me, O Lord, Your kindness is forever. Do not let go of Your handiwork” (5). Jesus would certainly and often ask His Father to hold fast to the handiwork of the Early Church: Peter is pivotal in the ministry’s development.

Like Peter, insight of Jesus and Christ and recognition of Him in our lives wells up within us. Our divinely inspired insight is intended to be a key for others so they too have access to the Kingdom of Heaven: it’s vital to continuing the Trinity’s handiwork.

Journal Questions:

When has the Lord been pleased with progress you’ve made? How did He communicate it?
When have you seen another progress in spiritual understanding? How did you thank Himself?
Reflect on the idea that faith is more understanding and awareness, and less belief in an unknown.
How has your personal growth benefitted others?

References: Refer to blog post entitled Resources

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