Put Aside the Old Leaven and Put on Love

Today, St. Paul gives us a powerful image: “Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough?” With these words, Paul reminds us that small things can have a great influence. A little yeast can transform an entire batch of dough. In the same way, a little sin when tolerated, can gradually influence our entire life and even affect the community around us. Paul is deeply concerned about the Christian community at Corinth because they have allowed serious sin to exist among them while, at the same time, boasting about themselves. Their problem is not only the sin itself but also their failure to recognize how destructive sin can become when it is tolerated. Therefore, Paul says: “Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough.” The “old yeast” represents everything that does not belong to the new life we have received in Christ: malice, wickedness, corruption, jealousy, hatred, dishonesty, pride, unforgiveness, hypocrisy, and selfishness. These things may begin very quietly in the human heart, but if we do not confront them, they can gradually spread into our relationships, families, workplaces, communities, and even our Church. The Gospel gives us a beautiful example of what this new life looks like. Jesus enters the synagogue and encounters a man whose right hand is withered. The scribes and Pharisees are watching Jesus, not because they want to learn from Him, but because they want to find a reason to accuse Him. Their hearts have been affected by another kind of old yeast: legalism, judgment, pride, and hardness of heart. Jesus asks them a simple question: “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” Then He tells the man, “Stretch out your hand.” The man's hand is restored. Here we see the difference between the old yeast and the new life of Christ. The old yeast looks for reasons to condemn; love looks for opportunities to restore. The old yeast sees a sinner; Christ sees a wounded person who needs mercy. The old yeast asks, “What rule can I use against this person?” Love asks, “How can I help this person become whole again?” Let us put aside the old leaven of wickedness and corruption and put on the new leaven of Christ: love that heals, truth that liberates, mercy that restores, and holiness that gives glory to God.