How to accelerate – or impede – spiritual growth.

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Gospel: Mark 8: 14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,
and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out,
guard against the leaven of the Pharisees
and the leaven of Herod.” 
They concluded among themselves that
it was because they had no bread.
When he became aware of this he said to them,
“Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread?
Do you not yet understand or comprehend?
Are your hearts hardened?
Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear?
And do you not remember,
when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand,
how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?”
They answered him, “Twelve.”
“When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand,
how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?”
They answered him, “Seven.”
He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Jesus said to them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees.”

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Leaven, also known as yeast, makes dough rise. All you need is a pinch to permeate – or affect – an entire loaf.

Jews used that imagery to describe the effect that sinful inclinations can have within us, which they referred to as “leaven.”

When left unchecked, just a pinch of sin – a single lie, a single malignant cell, a single angry thought – can take over an entire person’s mind and heart, even to the point of obsession.

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For example, if someone hurts us emotionally and we don’t quickly offer them forgiveness, that one incident can fester until we find ourselves unable to forgive – not only that person – but any person.

Like yeast, anger can permeate our entire being.

The same is true with other sins: lust, greed, pride, envy, and so on.

“Watch out,” Jesus says, “guard against the leaven.”

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So, how do we rid ourselves of it?

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One of the most effective ways I’ve found is a daily examination of conscience. Spend a few moments either in the morning or in the evening, reflecting upon the last 24 hours.

Give thanks to God for any spiritual “wins.” Ask for his forgiveness wherever there’s been a “loss.” And conclude the prayer with a desire to do better tomorrow. 

Slowly, the leaven will disappear. 

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Image credits: (1) Journey Church (2) Fr. Anthony Messeh (3) Life by the Word