This morning also at the Abbey Guesthouse I had the daily Mass. After the Homily I was told by Charles, Camerlengo and Cook, "That was a very Protestant sermon". I had taken the words of Jesus giving the keys of the kingdom to Peter and the grace to bind and to loose with their full significance of his primacy as head of the Church. As Pope he represents the Church of Rome and the people of God. But this great gift was also given to the members of Christ's Church in their particular place. We have each been given the keys of heaven and the grace to bind and to loose when see the cursing and blessing in ordinary speech and attitudes. We can bind or we can loose in our relations with others especially in prayer. Having thought about it, I have concluded that it was in fact a very catholic sermon.
No wonder the thought had already been planted in my head by reading from St. Augustine on Peter and Paul. 'It was not to one man but the whole Christ, which received the keys. Peter's prominence was acknowledged inasmuch as he stood for the one, universal Church when the Lord said to him, 'I will give you' the power that was given to all. That you may understand that the Church received the keys of the kingdom of heaven, remember that the Lord said to all the apostles, 'receive the Holy Spirit' . . .
Bringing our ideas of Pope and People together makes 'a very Catholic sermon'.
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