The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and Who Holds Them Now

The M+G+R Foundation

The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven

What Are They and Who Holds Them Now?

Originally published in April 2007

Sermon in the Plain

PURPOSE

The purpose of this document is to assist the Faithful in understanding what is the Kingdom of Heaven and what are the much talked about Keys to said Kingdom.

BACKGROUND and INTRODUCTION

It IS the Will of God that miguel de Portugal (1) address this issue now, although the seed to this document was dropped into fertile ground through the Sunday Bulletin of St. Bernadette Catholic Church in Houston, Texas, back in August 20th, 2006. In said bulletin (2), on page 6, we found an article titled “Non-Catholic Communion” by Paul Turner (3).

As we were finally considering addressing this issue, He caused three of our readers —in rapid succession— to write letters with concerns which are directly related to the central theme of this document. Key quotes follow.

Letter No. 1 (4)

The following announcement was made before the Holy Thursday service at Saint Mary’s Church, Dubai by Mr. Tellis the Spiritual Director of our church. I shall try to quote verbatim from memory:

“...Please understand that Holy Communion can be received only by Catholics who are in a state of grace. However, during Holy Week, non Catholic Christians who are in a state of grace may also receive Holy Communion provided that they believe in the Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.”

I thought that the Sacrament of Reconciliation was a pre-requisite to receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Am I mistaken?

Letter No. 2 (5)

I encouraged my family to participate in Divine Mercy Sunday. My oldest daughter called yesterday to tell me that the Catholic Church will not forgive her sins.

She told me that during confession she noted that she had not been to confession since before she was married. When she told the priest that she had been married by a Navy Chaplain and to a Methodist, he asked if the Chaplain was Catholic. No he was not. Because of this, the priest told my daughter that she would first have to get her marriage blessed by the Church, otherwise he could not forgive her sins.

I explained to her that this is a classic example of why there will be little faith left when Jesus returns. I assured her that Jesus has forgiven her sins and that the priest along with all the others will have to answer for this. She is not sure that she wants to continue with the Catholic Church. No problem. Stay close to God and all will be fine. J.C.

Letter No. 3 (6) (addressed to Mr. J.C., the sender of Letter No. 2 above)

Mr. JC, as her father, did you not tell your daughter about the importance of having her marriage blessed?

I am sure that your prayers gave her the desire to go to confession. She herself must have felt the need to go to confession. But how could the priest forgive her sins if she has no firm purpose of amendment – continuing living outside of the Church?

The “Gem” Published in St. Bernadette’s Sunday Bulletin (3) (Underscoring by The M+G+R foundation)

The Catholic Church asks its members not to share communion in other Christian churches. The legislation builds on our belief in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist and that our communion at Mass symbolizes our union as a church. Even in danger of death or other serious need, a Catholic may celebrate communion, reconciliation and anointing of the sick “only from a minister in whose church these sacraments are valid or from one who is known to be validly ordained according to the Catholic teaching on ordination” (Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms of Ecumenism [1993], #132).

DETAILS

First of all, we have clearly shown (7a,b,c) that, although the Catholic Faith contains the greatest number of truths of any other faith, it is not the only pathway to Salvation. The only Path to Salvation is Jesus Christ; no religious institution can with legitimacy claim to take the place of Jesus Christ and no man can with legitimacy claim to be the fundament of Christianity (8) nor claim blanket infallibility (9). The fundamental Rock of Christianity is Jesus Christ.

We have also shown that when asked What time is it? (10) in regards to the End of These Times, we have answered that It’s about that time (11) . That is to say that whatever may have been the normal (12) course to follow in decades past is no longer the logical course to follow. This also applies to insisting that our brethren, whom we have positively impacted with the reality of the Catholic Faith, “fill every form and requirement” necessary to be “officially enrolled” in the Faith which contains the most revealed Truths about God. As we recall, what Jesus responded to the thief crucified with Him was:

... Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. [Luke 23:43]

Jesus said that without handing him some forms to fill out so that he could “join the Church” before being with Him in paradise.

What Paul Turner is promoting is nothing more that what Jesus denounced, to wit:

But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter. [Matthew 23:13]

In addition, what Mary may have revealed and requested in centuries past (13), in very rare instances, like praying for the intentions of the Pope, should not be followed now for obvious reasons (14).

At this point in the History of mankind we would offer the Body of Christ —the Eucharist— to anyone who understands its reality and seeks such nourishment to strengthen his/her soul in an effort to abandon any disorderly behavior that he/she recognizes as, what monotheist call, “sin”. Informed Catholics should know that the Eucharist consumed by a duplicitous soul is tantamount to consuming one’s condemnation. We are confident that God can properly handle the situation without our interference beyond what would be a reasonable effort to discourage those who should not consume the Eucharist.

At this point we wish to quote a few other key clear statements made by Jesus Christ which do not require “a body of Roman Catholic Theologians” for their interpretation since they are crystal clear and apply today just the same they did within the social environment of 2000 years ago.

And he said to them: The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath. [Mark 2: 27]

Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us, and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me. For he that is not against you, is for you. For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. [Mark 9:37-40]

Have you not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was hungry, and they that were with him: How he went into the house of God, and took and ate the bread of proposition, and gave to them that were with him, which is not lawful to eat but only for the priests? [Luke 6:3-4]

CONCLUSION

As we have stated in our latest document highlighting the Biblical Prophecies regarding the Second Coming (15):

Christ has sent the Holy Spirit to all believers, to act as a Counselor and Comforter.

This was prophesied in the Old Testament (Proverbs 1:23; Isaiah 44:3; Joel 3:1-3), promised by Jesus to His Apostles during His ministry (Luke 24:49; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7-15; John 20:21-23) and experienced by the Apostles from Pentecost onward (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 2:16-21; Acts 10:44-48; 1 Corinthians 2:12-14).

... and anyone who is prone to interfere with the Salvation of a soul should remember that...

... he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea. [Matthew 18:6]

Definition of “little ones” = But Jesus, calling them together, said: Suffer children to come to me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. [Luke 18:16]

Definition of “scandal/scandalize” = But judge this rather, that you put not a stumbling block or a scandal in your brother’s way. [Romans 14:13]

EPILOGUE

By now, brethren, you are probably wondering why we titled this document: “The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven – What Are They and Who Holds Them?” No, it was not a mistake. The entire document leads precisely to it. However, before we worry about those much talked about and artistically represented “Keys”, let us find out what the Kingdom of Heaven is.

The best description is using our Lord’s Own Words: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened. [Matthew 13:33]

Said “leaven” is the essence of the Eight Beatitudes He taught in the Sermon of the Mount and its corollary teachings [Matthew 5]. Once said teachings start becoming part of a human being (as what happened when... a woman took and hid in three measures of meal), that individual begins his/her journey in the Kingdom of Heaven. This Kingdom of Heaven does not start when an individual dies and “goes to Heaven”; the Eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven starts right here on Earth, once the soul has been properly “leavened” with the Eight Beatitudes and corollary teachings.

Thus, the fabled “Keys of the Kingdom” were given to the original Shepherds who, by their very actions, were in effect founding a new religion – which was called Christianity for the first time in Antioch. They were in essence, with their preaching and instructing, “leavening” the souls with the Eight Beatitudes and corollary teachings, thus, opening the gates of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Therefore, having the knowledge given by Jesus through the Eight Beatitudes and corollary teachings and, in turn, passing on that knowledge to others symbolically was represented by those fabled “Keys of the Kingdom”. It logically follows that those originally in charge of the Evangelization held said Keys.

Unfortunately, shortly after Christianity was sold to the highest bidder (16) —Emperor Constantine— the ability of said Shepherds to “leaven” began to diminish until mankind reached a critical state. H.H. John XXIII realized the gravity of the situation after becoming knowledgeable of the real —albeit incomplete (17)— Third Part of the Secret of Fatima, and tried to salvage what he could by calling Vatican Council II (18). He had come to realize that by that time the “leaven” being used had also been described by Jesus when He warned His followers:

Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. [Mark 8:15]

Which he clearly defined through Luke 12:1

Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. [Luke 12:1]

Brethren, we are reaching the last of the warnings and I pray to God that the words we utter in His Name are heeded – for your own sake, and certainly not ours. (By making the warnings known to one and all, we have fulfilled our (19) responsibility.

NOTES

(1) Who is miguel de Portugal

(2) Page 6 of St. Bernadette's Bulletin

(3) Paul Turner's full diatribe - Original link - No longer online

(4) Public Forum - April 12th, 2007

(5) Public Forum - April 10th, 2007

(6) Public Forum - April 12th, 2007

(7a) Our position about the Catholic Faith and Our position about the Catholic Church Administrators

(7b) Our position about the proposed changes to Catholic Faith

(7c) Our position about the importance of the Sacraments

(8) The fundamental Rock of Christianity

(9) About blanket Infallibility

(10) What time is it?

(11) It's about that time!

(12) The Warnings From St. Paul

(13) Response Summary to Marian Apparitions

(14) About the current "Pope"

(15) The Return of Christ - Biblical Prophecies

(16) The Catholic Church starts to transform itself into the Imperial and Pharaonic Church

(17) A Fresh Look at the Secret of Fatima, as it Was Revealed Decades Ago

(18) The real reason behind calling the Council of Vatican II

(19) The Charter of The M+G+R Foundation