the yeast of the brethren
"Do you not know that a little yeast has its effect all through the dough?" —1 Corinthians 5:6
Those who commit sin are like yeast which has its effect all through the Christian community. Therefore, we must:
- overcome temptations to sin so as not to hurt ourselves and others,
- repent and go to Confession as soon as possible if we have sinned,
- forgive those who are sinning and are thereby hurting themselves and our community,
- be ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18) by praying for those who have sinned (1 Jn 5:16), correcting them (Lk 17:3; Mt 18:15; Ez 3:18; 33:7), and leading them to repentance,
- be careful that we ourselves are not conditioned by the sinful (see Jude 23),
- rescue those being corrupted by the yeast of the sinful (see Jude 22),
- encourage the leaders of the Church to expel unrepentant sinners from full participation in the church (1 Cor 5:2), and
- give everything we have for God's kingdom so as to be yeast that raises the world (Mt 13:33).
"Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. Let us celebrate the feast not with the old yeast, that of corruption and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor 5:7-8).
Prayer: Father, give me a great love for sinners and therefore a great hate for sin.
Promise: Jesus "looked around at them all and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' The man did so and his hand was perfectly restored." —Lk 6:10
Praise: Timothy warned his sister about the dangerous untruths and half-truths of the New Age.
Reference: (For related teaching, order our leaflet, How To Fight False Teachings.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert J. Buschmiller, February 17, 1998
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 25, 1998