Makenzie's Homily
Luke 12: 1-7
Under these circumstances, after so many thousands of people had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, He began saying to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in the inner rooms will be proclaimed upon the housetops. I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two cents? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.
“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”
Jesus in this passage addresses His disciples after they have eaten lunch with a Pharisee. A lunch where Jesus has told the Pharisee just how hypocritical they are. It’s important to note that Jesus compares hypocrisy to leaven.
Now, y’all know I make the bread most weeks for communion, and one thing in know about bread making is how important yeast, or leaven, is for the process. You see, yeast helps the bread rise and, no matter how small the amount, it affects the whole loaf. But, the bread rises better in a dark place. That’s usually why I stick it in the oven (not turned on) to let it rise properly. This is what Jesus is warning not only the disciples, but us about—what is grown in us while we’re in the dark. The leaven for the Pharisees is hypocrisy, but for us, it could be jealousy, pride, fear, gossip, or any number of other sins that, once we let into one part of our lives, it seeps into all other parts (and even the Church as a whole). These sins are fostered an grown in the dark, but even the bread gets done rising, and I have to take it out of the oven and bring it into the light. And that’s what Jesus says: But there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. Accordingly, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light.
One day, our leaven, whatever it is—the fear amoeba, pride (those are mine)—will be brought to the light, especially if you’re living the Life Jesus calls us to. When we gather around this table every week, we bring forth out leaven into the light. We confess our sins before God and our neighbors for this reason—that we may turn away from the dark that is fostering that sin and into the Light that conquers our death. So, let us step into the Glory of the Lord. Amen
About the Author:
Makenzie is a beloved member of the community. She makes the communion bread weekly and is dedicated to praying for our community. She is consistent, faithful, kind-hearted and reliable.