The Holy Martyr Hyacinth of Amastris; Holy Martyr Emilian (360-63)
1 Corinthians 10:5-12; Matthew 16:6-12.
Read Matthew 16:6-12
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
What does Jesus mean when he talks about the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees? At the end of the gospel, the evangelist explains that “yeast” stands in for “teaching” – so the disciples should beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. But what is it in their teaching that is a problem? After all, earlier in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus tells his disciples and the crowds, “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Perhaps the context of today’s gospel will shed some light on this question. Immediately before today’s passage, the Pharisees and Sadducees come to Jesus and ask for a sign from heaven to test him. This is remarkable, because Jesus had just worked the miracle of the feeding of the seven thousand. Instead of giving them a sign, he points out that there are signs, they just don’t know how to read them. He concludes by telling them about “the sign of Jonah,” which is probably a cryptic way of saying that Jesus will fulfill the story of Jonah by dying and rising again.
Do we have the desire to see the signs that Jesus is pointing to? Do we recognize him as Christ, like Peter will immediately after our gospel? And can we stand to hear the words of Jesus about his coming death and resurrection? Let’s pray today to have the grace to heed this greatest sign of God’s love for us.