Celebrate the Feast

September 10, 2012

Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened.  For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.  Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.  1 Corinthians 5:7-8

Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?"  Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand."  He did so and his hand was restored.  But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus.  Luke 6:9-11

Piety

Father, take from me all my jealousy and tendency to exert control over those around me.  Give to me, Jesus, the obedience and humility to walk with you.  Set me free, Holy Spirit, from all that traps me in these feelings, so that my soul will be restored with the unleavened bread from the feast.  Amen.

Study

Where is the spirit of celebration among the scribes and the Pharisees?  Imagine actually being in the temple with Jesus on the Sabbath.  Imagine the joy that it would lend to our Paschal meal.  Yet, these Pharisees act like Jesus is spoiling the party instead of the central fact of the celebration.

The scribes and the Pharisees were filled with the old yeast of malice and wickedness.  Otherwise, why would they deny the crippled man healing no matter what day of the week it was?  Would the healing have not been the same if it was in mid-week rather than on the Sabbath day?

Because of this old yeast, the fact that the crippled man stretched out his hand to Jesus destined Jesus to stretch out his hands on the cross for us.  By stretching out his hands in sacrifice for our sins, Jesus became the new yeast of sincerity and truth. 

The healing of the crippled man also helped to restore us.  If we have faith enough to stretch out our hands to Jesus, He will restore in us the fresh yeast of unleavened bread.  

Action

What will you celebrate today in the spirit of sincerity and truth?

The rising sun or morning?  The fellowship you have with others?  The hospitality you share with visitors?   A day filled with piety, study and action?  The rest that comes with the setting sun?  Maybe all of the above.

Carry around a small amount of bread today.  If you find feelings of malice and wickedness creeping into your joy, banish those feelings and taste the goodness of that bread.