The Heavenly Kingdom and the Earthly Kingdom: Who Holds the Key and How can You Enter?

One of the essential areas of the Catholic Church is its hierarchical design; which Catholicism takes from its origin of the New Covenant. Not only did Jesus hand the keys down to Peter, Peter followed suit and handed the keys down to the next Pope; this process has carried on to present day with Pope Francis.

For the past few weeks, the themes of the readings in mass have been regarding Jesus’s description of heaven and our relationship with it. St. Augustine calls the kingdom of heaven, “The City of God” and this is also the title of one of his most popular books. As we all know, a 'city' is a community of people with all sorts of different backgrounds, ethnicity, and experiences. Within this mixed group of people there is often a common thread that pulls everyone together. This thread is an awareness, understanding, a belonging to and an acceptance by all.

In order for any community (whether heavenly or earthly) to thrive there must be a particular order, rules or laws in which those with authority administer. The purpose of order and regulation is to guide a community towards the common goal of peace and solidarity. During our journey toward the heavenly kingdom we too seek peace and solidarity. The Kingdom of God can be considered the mystery of Christ; (Luke 17:20, the kingdom is in your midst), wherever he is, there lies the kingdom. After his death, Jesus had to return to his Father’s kingdom (John 3:13) and from there he will reign over both the heavenly kingdom and the earthly kingdom. Before Christ Ascended to heaven he comforted his disciples with the words “I will not leave you orphans”, (John 14:18) and “As the Father sent me, so I send you”, (John 20:21).

Christ also gave the keys to his kingdom (heaven) to Simon, which whom he renamed Peter meaning “rock” (Matt 16:19). In the Old Testament, whoever had the ‘keys’ to the kingdom was considered the Ambassador to the King, thus had control over the kingdom; “Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut,When he shuts no one will open” (Isaiah 22:22). Who ever held the keys has the authority to open or to shut, meaning he is in control. Jesus told Peter he would build his Church on him and Peter was given the authority in binding and loosening on earth, a decision that would be admissible in heaven.

Peter is now Christ’s Ambassador to the kingdom on earth; this earthly kingdom is truly Jesus’s Church. (Matthew 4:23): “And He (Jesus) went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people” (The gospel of the Kingdom is also known as the gospel of The Church). Peter, by the power and authority given him through the Holy Spirit, went about doing just what Jesus did = binding and loosening demons, sin and even death (Acts 3:1-26). One of the essential areas of the Catholic Church is its hierarchical design; which Catholicism takes from its origin of the New Covenant. Not only did Jesus hand the keys down to Peter, Peter followed suit and handed the keys down to the next Pope; this process has carried on to present day with Pope Francis.

If you have been baptized, Catholicism agrees with the scriptures you are a child of God, for there is only one baptism. (Ephesian 4:5) So please, if you aren’t Catholic, consider coming into full communion with the kingdom the Catholic Church.