Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Jesus, always the master teacher, used a common ingredient as a teaching tool in the Gospel today. Everyone got the point. He talked about the power of leaven which is buried in the fresh dough soon to be baked as bread. In an amazing way even a small amount of leaven can permeate the entire loaf of bread. The leaven controls the shape and texture of the bread.
Jesus elevated the meaning of leaven as a hidden force for good or evil which must be identified. If the leaven is evil, note how Jesus named it as the contagious hypocrisy of the Pharisees, it must be considered dangerous and thrown out as something to be avoided and feared. If however, the leaven is identified as a gift of God and a force for good operating with the power of truth, there is nothing to fear. In fact we can say with confidence that the good effect of leaven is an inner freedom allowing for maximum potential.
But there is more. While this kind of leaven produced freedom without fear, Jesus pointed out another powerful reason to be fearless. God the Father has always shown a Father’s care over his creatures large and small, yes even the sparrows. If so, why should we fear that it would be any different with us?
Reflection by Fr. Daniel Petsche, OSB
Posted in Articles for Ordinary Time, Daily Reflections