The woman mentioned in this parable mixes in leaven which allows the bread to give rise. It is this leaven which transforms the dough into becoming something more. If the dough is not allowed to sit the yeast will not be able to work and thus it will not give rise. Through the use of time the bread begins to take shape as the leaven completes its task.
Just like the leaven of our gospel we must invite God into our life and be willing to participate with the gift of His grace. Through such an openness we allow God to do His transforming work within us. This transforming work takes us where we are and leads us along the path of God’s divine plan which He has for each of us.
So often we do not like to wait in order to see results. In our modern day world we receive whatever we want in an instant. So too in the spiritual life do we want such quick results to take place. Despite our ability to see such a reality taking place or not we need to realize that God is constantly at work in our life and thus we cannot lose the virtue of hope.
Through the virtue of hope we realize that despite the cross, that is present in our life, something greater always comes. It may not come in a day, a week, a month, a year, but it will come through Everlasting Life. We see such a hope through the empty tomb as the Lord has conquered death upon the cross.
Therefore we must realize the need to be patient. Through patience we realize that God is at work in our life. We must continue to open our heart wide to be found receptive to the gift of His grace for through this gift we are kneaded over and over in order that we may live good and holy lives which are lived in response to the Gospel.
How must we allow the Lord to transform us this day? What are we holding back from Him because we do not want to let go of it? The Lord desires to enter into our life to bring about such transformation, but do we want anything to do with this? We must allow Jesus to enter into our life through prayer, through the scriptures, and through the sacraments for through these avenues we come to be transformed by the gift of God’s grace.
As the leaven is mixed with dough it gives rise. As we allow God’s grace to enter into our life we are sent forth to live entirely for Him in thought, word, and deed. May this transformation take place within us instead of us avoiding such a reality. We must learn to be content with realizing that God is the one who is in control of our life. May we allow ourself to remain open to the gift of His grace and allow His grace to be the leaven that it mixed into our life in order that we may live good and hoy lives.