Word to the Wise
Monday, September 11, 2006 - 23rd Monday in Ordinary Time
[1 Corinthians 5:1-8 and Luke 6:6-11]Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened.
As someone who bakes at least once a week, I am very much aware of the role of yeast in making bread! It is a positive thing! But St. Paul uses the image in this case in the same way that we would use the expression: "One bad apple can spoil the whole barrel." He continues the bread image by appealing to the concept of unleavened, simple bread that is "uninfected." The occasion is an incident of sexual immorality in the community. Corinthian standards of sexual conduct were notoriously permissive and St. Paul is anxious that the Christian community not be impacted by that bad influence. He wants them to think in an entirely new way. As a pastor I have had to deal with incidents of this nature before. It is extremely difficult since our culture makes this a "private issue" and sometimes the parties concerned have no qualms about attending Mass and going to communion! The approach that St. Paul takes here would not be helpful in our day and age. It wasn't the only way back then, either. But we cannot deny that bad example has an impact, and when that bad example is notorious, the impact can be considerable and divisive! The "unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" has a wonderful appeal to it. I pray we can all make that an ideal to live by! AMEN
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