I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven

Last Sunday, at the end of Mass, at my newly assigned parish, I made my way to the entrance of the church. There I searched out the deacon, with whom I would be exchanging assignments. On finding him, I made a grand gesture of handing over the keys to my exiting parish and said ‘ I am handing you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’

He chuckled, recognizing the quotation from this Sunday’s Gospel, which he had just proclaimed. Matthew 16: 13-19 ‘I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ In that light-hearted moment, something deeper stirred: a recognition that we were participating in a sacred continuity.

Just as Peter had been entrusted with responsibility and spiritual authority, so too were we being asked to trust one another, to entrust souls, buildings, and stories into each other’s care. The keys symbolized more than access—they represented trust, stewardship, and the mystery of God’s unfolding mission through us.

In Isaiah 22:22, the prophet speaks of God giving Eliakim “the key to the house of David,” signifying his appointment as steward over the royal household.

Later, back home, I reflected that these keys are not just tools to open church doors or offices. They are symbols of a deeper call—to guard, to shepherd, to serve. The keys point not to personal power, but to a shared mission entrusted by Christ: to welcome, to reconcile, to open hearts to God’s mercy, and to sometimes close the door to that which endangers the flock.

In passing them on, I was participating in a tradition stretching back to Peter, a humble fisherman entrusted with a divine commission. And now, as I take up new keys in my new parish, I do so with reverence, aware that these small metal shapes represent the weight and wonder of the kingdom.

I am also cognizant that this pilgrimage is part of giving the keys of the kingdom. I pray and hope that my reflections will contribute to this opening. Please follow my reflections here in my newsletter, Instagram, YouTube and in my Pilgrims of Hope community- which I invite you to join at the following link - Pilgrims of Hope Link