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b'(Is.22:19-23;\\xa0\\xa0 Ps.138:1-3,6,8;\\xa0\\xa0 Rom.11:33-36;\\xa0\\xa0 Mt.16:13-20) \\xa0 \\u201cI will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.\\u201d \\xa0 Thus the Lord grants principal authority in His Church to His rock, Peter.\\xa0 Thus He prophesies what He has promised: the power and teaching given those who sit on Moses\\u2019 seat shall pass to this new leader He appoints to guide the flock of the New Jerusalem.\\xa0 And is this designation, or redesignation, of power not remarkably foreshadowed in our first reading: \\u201cI will place the key of the House of David on Eliakim\\u2019s shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut; when he shuts, no one shall open\\u201d?\\xa0 For the Lord has said to \\u201cShebna, master of the palace: \\u2018I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station\\u2026 and give over to [Eliakim] your authority.\\u2019\\u201d\\xa0 The same declaration Jesus has made to the chief priests and leaders of the people, and here He indicates its fulfillment. \\u201cHe shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.\\u201d\\xa0 Is this not the case with our Papa, our Pope, whom the Lord has assigned in His \\u201cinscrutable\\u201d judgment to feed His sheep? \\xa0\\u201cOh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!\\u201d whose mind no man has known.\\xa0 For see the authority He gives to man, He who has all power to give.\\xa0 Even unto heaven does the reign of the apostles now extend, with Peter in the fore.\\xa0 And \\u201cthe gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it,\\u201d for it is granted by \\u201cthe Christ, the Son of the living God\\u201d through the revelation of His \\u201cheavenly Father.\\u201d\\xa0 \\u201cI will fix Him like a peg in a sure spot,\\u201d the Lord states of Eliakim; and now no surer peg is there than Peter, through whose care all \\u201cworship at [the Lord\\u2019s] holy temple.\\u201d \\u201cYour kindness, O Lord endures forever.\\u201d\\xa0 Your love for your sons on earth reaches unto heaven.\\xa0 And so you grant us blessings beyond our imagining; you strengthen us beyond our weak frame.\\xa0 And as to the apostles you deliver authority, so one in your grace all become.\\xa0 How shall we repay you for your kindness toward us?\\xa0 How shall we care for the gift you give?\\xa0 How shall we maintain your presence among us, except that in your love you remain?\\xa0 Bless this House and all its leaders; may \\u201cin the presence of the angels [we] sing your praise.\\u201d Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Branch of the Vine" from Loving Spirit, third album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt.\\xa0 (Background chanting by members of Neocatechumenal movement awaiting arrival of Pope Benedict XVI at the\\xa0United Nations.) ******* O LORD, teach us always to do what is right that we might be as your sons and enter into your House. YHWH, all peoples are called to your glory, to your kingdom, for all are sons and daughters to you.\\xa0 But truly you must be our Father, we must come from you, we must reflect your image, the image your only Son reflects to us in His way of the Cross, if we are to enter your presence.\\xa0 Relying on accidents of time or place we shall never be saved.\\xa0 Only by accepting the discipline you offer will be made ready for Heaven. Strengthen us, O LORD, by the chastisement you bring to our souls, by the Word of truth come from Jesus\\u2019 mouth.\\xa0 He knows you and is the way to you \\u2013 let us be obedient to His call and the call of His apostles to enter through the narrow gate, to leave all of this world behind that we might come rejoicing to your holy mountain with all our brothers and sisters, with all your blessed children.\\xa0 May all men hear your Son\\u2019s voice this day, that none shall be barred from your kingdom.'