On Keys and Commandments

Gospel: Matthew 16: 13-19

There was a time when the this Gospel portion and the power of the keys had meaning in the Christian world.  But no longer.  Ask any "faithful" Catholic what it means and they will begin by listing all the exceptions and various escape clauses they have created to avoid any obligation to abide by things they would rather not.  The keys are things that open doors of exception for them, but not for others.

It is not unlike the ten commandments that will now be displayed in public school classrooms, not because we believe in them but as a sign of religious imperialism.  How many exceptions to the commandment against killing have we created to justify what we'd like? Are we really going to take the commandments against adultery and bearing false witness seriously from the politicians who have imposed the posting of these commandments?  The keys and commandments no longer hold sway among us...

When we made the Christian faith about cults of personality instead of the Person of Jesus the Lord the authentic meaning was lost.  Peter and Paul are great figures because they followed the Lord Jesus.  They chose to model their lives after his example, not their own.  That is the key.  That is the commandment.