Every Sunday, I make a loaf of artisan bread. Flour, water, fresh yeast, salt and a few other common ingredients mixed together and left on the counter soon triples in size. Nothing extravagant has been added to the dough, and no tiresome kneading is necessary. The aroma of the baking bread is hard to resist and draws everyone to the kitchen when it comes out of the oven.
St. Paul reminds us that like fresh yeast in the bread dough, followers of Jesus can transform their families and communities. We don’t boast about our past victories or wallow in criticism over anyone’s imperfections. But we can admit our own failures, toss out old grievances and pray for forgiveness. Only then can the extraordinary happen. Renewed by God’s grace, we will begin again, transforming our environments through the compassion of Christ.

Remember Paul is teaching us by saying "a little yeast leavens all the dough" meaning that a sin spreads and can do a lot of harm. He wants us to clean out the the "yeast" of sin from the church so that it doesn’t grow.

Amen.

Deborah thank you for wonderful words of reflection. Don't you just wish we could sprinkle good yeast all over the world today? :) Blessings to all the LFF especially with extra needs. Holy Spirit fill the hearts of all to guide us to a heavenly earth.

Amen!

Amen Amen Amen God bless us all

*** Here is what Paul meant by ‘yeast’ in the full context of 1 Corinthians 5:6, “Your bragging is not good. It is like yeast. Don’t you know that just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise?” *** Paul was not talking about the ‘new’ batch without yeast, he was talking about the ‘old yeast’ of bragging in V6! *** Paul told us to make the new batch WITHOUT yeast (sin) in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Get rid of the old yeast. Then you can be like a new batch of dough without yeast. That is what you...
Read more
Living Faith provides brief daily Catholic devotions based on one of the Mass readings of the day. Published new each quarter, these reflections are written by women and men from a variety of backgrounds - lay people as well as clergy and religious. Learn more.
Receive a free reflection for Sundays every week via email
About Living Faith Living Faith Foundation Ambassador Privacy Policy F.A.Q. Contact Us
© 2026 Creative Communications for the Parish, a division of Bayard, lnc. All Rights Reserved.
Amen. :)