The leavening of thieves

Today's reading cautions us to beware of the leaven of the hypocrisy - of the Pharisees!  In the Webster's New Dictionary, here on my desk, leaven/leavening not only describes the carbon dioxide gases that expand in bread dough, but also, "Any influence spreading through something and working on it to bring about a gradual change; tempering quality or thing."  Hm, gossip, misinformation, lies, as well as the truth, facts, and accurate observations travel pretty quickly around a community.  What Jesus is saying here is for all the teachers, or disciples, to know the difference between truth and lies and take care of that which travels throughout the people.

Jesus goes on to say that

"There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known.  Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and whatever you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops." 

Boy is that ever true!!  We have all heard that old adage, "What comes around, goes around".  We just can not keep a secret!!  This Gospel is so full of information for us in modern times!

The great hypocrisies of the ancient Church and throughout history have caused so many to lose faith, hope, and the charity that is in Jesus Christ and our Triune God with misinformation, lies, and judgements that did not come from God.  These tales spread throughout the communities and stayed on for centuries, some.  Jesus saw it coming and wanted the disciples to have their eyes wide open so that they could possibly head off some and do damage control when needed.

Why?  Because as the Gospel continues, we are far more valuable to God, each and every one of us, to be lost to tales of untruths and hypocrisy.  God loves us, knows all about us from top to bottom.  He has held every one of us in His arms, counting every hair on our heads!  We are His children, His chosen ones.
We are precious in His eyes and He wants us with Him not with the one that has "the power to cast us into Gehenna"!


So, beware of he who will take this all away and send of far from our Heavenly Father!!