The 21st Sunday of Ordinary Time

The Primacy of Peter Mt. 16:13-20

Peter was always first among the Apostles.

This doesn’t mean he was the smartest or the holiest,

Only that he was the leader in everything.

He was the first to walk on the water; Mt. 14:29

He was the first to enter the empty tomb; Jn. 20:6

And Whenever the Apostles names are mentioned in the Gospel or the letters of St. Paul,

Peter’s name is mentioned first.

After three years in the desert after his Conversion,

Paul went to Jerusalem to see Peter. Gal. 1:18

He was the only Apostle whose name Jesus changed

from Simon to Peter. Jn. 1:42

Which means rock.

Because Peter was the first Apostle to profess that Jesus was the Christ,

The Son of the Living God. Mt. 16:16

And it was upon the rock of his Faith.

That Jesus founded the church. Mt 16:18

And even in the darkest days of the Church and the Papacy,

The gates of hell have not prevailed against her.

So it was to Peter that Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. Mt. 16:19

And like a baton handed on to a runner in a race,

The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven have been handed on to every Pope after Peter;

One day while I was standing on the steps of St. Peter’s in Rome

A man came up to me and asked why there are two keys and not just one to the gates of Heaven.

I told him one was the key of Faith.

Since Peter had been the first to confess

that Jesus was the Christ the Son of God,

He was given that key.

The second Key to enter the Gates of Heaven I told him

Was given to those who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless and visit those who are sick and in prison.

These will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven prepared for them from the foundation of the world. Mt. 25:34

For what they have done to the least of their brothers and sisters they did to Jesus.

These are the keys to the Gates of the Kingdom of Heaven;

And Peter holds the keys of Faith and Charity;

And opens the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven

For all those who believe in Jesus,

And have loved Him in the least of His Brothers and Sisters.

God Bless