Seeing the mass of humanity around us as like so much inert flour, we must be like yeast, mixing with them to lift them up.

Tuesday, 10/27/15

Both readings have fine lessons for us today.

In the first reading, Paul told us, “In hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.”

Hope is usually joined to Faith and Charity. We need Faith to be saved; and Jesus told us need to love the least among us to be saved. But hope? We never hear much about our need for hope.

Where hope comes in, is when heaven seems unreal for us. Paul says that’s where the virtue of Hope is all important.  It strengthens us to put our lives on the line for what we can’t see.

Then, what Jesus said about the kingdom of heaven being like yeast is important to each of us, and to the role we need to play among our fellow men and women.

The Communists, when they were trying to take root in crowds and in labor unions, they always planted one strong Red in the crowd to move the others toward Communism.

Each of us can be like that dedicated Red; but we are dedicated to Christ. Around us there are people who lead aimless lives; and just as a little yeast can bring a whole batch of flour to rise, so we can lift them up with our Christian Faith, Hope, and Love.