Be on your guard!

Today’s gospel begins with the instruction that the disciples should ”be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
 
The image of yeast has been used by Jesus positively in other gospel texts to indicate something that grows of its own accord, without our effort (See, for example Luke 13). In today’s gospel, though, Jesus is speaking of how sin can also grow organically and exponentially in our lives, if we do not attend to our hearts.
 
As we move into lent tomorrow, now is a good time to reflect on whether anything unloving or unfreeing has crept into our lives and is beginning to influence our behaviour more than it should. Perhaps a small act or attitude that we once thought ‘harmless’ is becoming more invasive.
 
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see these areas, and use this lenten season to become free.