The Revolutionary Power of a Little Yeast

When it comes to baking, I will confess to having a complicated relationship with yeast. It never works as fast as I would like for it to work, and sometimes I wonder if it is doing its job even with the necessary allotted time. It is of some solace that yeast also had a complicated relationship with those baking in biblical times. It was often a symbol of contamination and corruption, but then Jesus flipped the script, or the recipe if you will, and suddenly yeast represented the radically subversive and transformative power of his ministry: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.” Three measures was roughly fifty pounds, so we are talking about enough bread to feed about 150 people.

What at first seems small and inconsequential can ultimately prove to have an enormous impact. Wherever we are and whatever we are doing, this seems like the right message for the start of a year. The problems of the world might seem enormous, but never underestimate the power of those baking with the Holy Spirit. This year be a contagious and corrupting contaminant in a world hungry for what you have to offer. With faith causing your spirit to rise, set your goals and ambitions accordingly.

As you plan and prepare for the year, be sure to check out the UCC’s latest initiatives and resources for launching into 2024.

The Rev. Dr. Brooks Berndt is the United Church of Christ’s Minister for Environmental Justice and the author of Cathedral on Fire: A Church Handbook for the Climate Crisis.