In his daily homily at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis warned Christians of the danger of falling into hypocrisy as the pharisees did. He stressed that the pharisees allowed self-centeredness to fester and they turned their gaze away from those in need.
POPE FRANCIS
“There are also Christian hypocrites, who do not accept the leaven of the Holy Spirit. This is why Jesus warns us, 'Look at the leaven of the Pharisees.' The leaven of Christians is the Holy Spirit, who pushes us out, makes us grow, with all the difficulties of the journey, even with all the sins, but always with hope.”
Pope Francis said hypocrites have forgotten what it means to be joyful. However, those who possess the leaven of the Holy Spirit have joy in their hearts, even when confronted with difficulties.
EXTRACTS FROM PAPAL HOMILY
(Source Vatican News)
“Pope Francis described the leaven of the Pharisees as the leaven of hypocrisy which allows self-centeredness to grow. This leaven applies to people who think only of appearances, he said. Should they meet someone in difficulty along their path, they turn their gaze away. 'Jesus says that this leaven is dangerous' because it has no future, the pope said.”
“The other type of leaven, which has the opposite effect, is that of the Holy Spirit. Turning to the 'First Reading from the Letter to the Ephesians,' Pope Francis explained that the leaven of the Spirit is given to those who have been 'sealed by the Spirit.' The Spirit, he said, is the pledge of the inheritance while Christians await 'complete redemption.' Jesus himself wants Christians to 'journey continually with the Holy Spirit’s leaven' toward the horizon, Pope Francis said. Because Christians possess the pledge of the inheritance, they then reach out toward those in difficulty, the suffering, the fallen, in the hope of 'finding the inheritance.'”
“With the leaven of the Holy Spirit, Christians are able to face the difficulties encountered on the journey, 'even all their sins, but always with hope,' Pope Francis said. 'Hypocrites have forgotten what it means to be joyful.' He concluded, 'there is joy in the hearts of those who possess the leaven of the Holy Spirit, even when they face problems and difficulties.'”
