Small Things Mean A Lot

Reflection Date: October 16, 2026 | Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time 
Memorial of Saint Hedwig, Religious
Memorial of Saint Margaret Mary Alacoque, Virgin
Daily Readings: Ephesians 1:11-14; Luke 12:1-7

Children of God:
Yeast was an ordinary but important part of daily life in the ancient world because it made dough rise and helped produce bread with a lighter texture. 

In Jewish life, however, yeast also carried a special ritual meaning because unleavened bread was associated with the Passover and the Exodus. 

During Passover, Jewish families removed leaven from their homes as they remembered the hurried departure of the Israelites from Egypt. 

Because yeast could spread invisibly through a whole batch of dough, it became a powerful image for influence. This image could carry a positive meaning when yeast represented the quiet growth of God’s kingdom. 

Jesus himself compared the kingdom of God to yeast that a woman mixed into flour until the whole batch was leavened. 

Yet Scripture also used yeast negatively as an image of corruption, malice, and hypocrisy spreading through a person or community. 

Saint Paul, for example, warned the Corinthians that “a little yeast leavens all the dough,” using the image to describe the effect of destructive behavior. Jesus therefore warned his disciples, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees” (Luke 12:1), because hypocrisy could quietly influence an entire life.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus gathered with thousands of people, and the crowd became so large that people stepped on one another. 

He first warned his disciples about the yeast of the Pharisees, which he identified as hypocrisy. 

Jesus explained that whatever was covered would eventually be uncovered and whatever was hidden would eventually become known. He then told them not to fear those who could harm the body but could do nothing more. Instead, he directed their attention toward God, who knew them completely. 

Jesus reminded them that even the smallest birds were remembered by God. He also told them that the hairs of their heads were counted. His message challenged the fear of human judgment and invited his disciples to live honestly before God. 

The gospel story therefore brought together two important ideas: the danger of hidden hypocrisy and the confidence that comes from knowing that God sees and cares for us.

What are our inspirations for today?

First, what we hide inside can eventually influence everything we do.

Jesus warned his disciples, “There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known” (Luke 12:2). His words reminded them that hypocrisy cannot remain permanently hidden because the truth about a person eventually appears through words, actions, and relationships.

We sometimes think that a small compromise does not matter. A little dishonesty, a private resentment, a secret habit, or a convenient lie can seem insignificant when considered by itself. But repeated attitudes gradually shape our character and influence the way we respond to people.

This is why self-examination matters. We can ask what thoughts we are entertaining, what attitudes we are protecting, and what behaviors we are excusing. 

Honesty with ourselves gives us the opportunity to correct something before it affects our relationships, responsibilities, and decisions.

What we hide inside can eventually influence everything we do.

Second, we can live honestly when we remember that God knows us completely.

Jesus told his disciples, “Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7).

 His words offered reassurance to people who could easily become anxious about what others thought or what others could do to them.

Fear of other people’s opinions can make us pretend. We may say what people want to hear, hide our weaknesses, or present an image that is very different from what we carry inside. The desire to protect our reputation can become exhausting.

Jesus invites us to live with greater freedom. God already knows our strengths, weaknesses, failures, hopes, and fears, yet He continues to value us. When we stop living merely for appearances, we can become more honest, more peaceful, and more willing to grow.

We can live honestly when we remember that God knows us completely.

As we reflect, we ask ourselves: What hidden attitude or habit inside me needs honest attention today? 

How much of my behavior is influenced by the fear of what other people might think of me? Do I allow the knowledge that God knows and values me to help me live more honestly?

Children of God:
We all carry attitudes and habits that can influence the direction of our lives. 

We can choose to examine what is happening within us before hidden negativity affects the people around us. 

We can also remember that God knows us completely and still sees our worth. 

This awareness gives us courage to stop pretending and to grow in honesty. 

May we allow God’s truth to shape our hearts so that what we carry within us brings goodness to the people we encounter.