LIKE YEAST, LIKE SEEDS

 

LIKE YEAST, LIKE SEEDS

A little goes a long way. This is true for many things. Once upon a time, starch was a household laundry item that everyone used. Back then, cotton shirts and khaki pants simply had to be starched and ironed perfectly. All that was needed was a little amount mixed with hot water to do the trick.

I used to help my grandmother back in the day to cook her signature puto (white rice cakes). She used to do it all from scratch. No ingredients from a sachet. No shortcuts, no instant “galapong” (sticky rice ground to semi-liquid state) to work with. I did the galapong; she did all the rest.

But there was a mysterious ingredient that she always placed in the batter— something faintly sour smelling, something that, to my simple mind then, was “alive.” It was yeast. It made the batter rise overnight—when no one was watching. I did not understand what was happening then, but all I knew was we were happy to sink our teeth on perfectly steamed puto the next morning.

Having been in leadership for many years now, I think I overdid something. Too responsible to a fault perhaps, I liked to watch over things and see how things evolve and develop according to plan. Alas, in many cases, to come up with plans is one thing; but implementing and seeing them realized is another.

I know I need to learn a lesson or two from the lowly yeast and humble and seemingly insignificant mustard seeds. It is not about yeast per se. It is not about the seeds in and of themselves. But it all about a God who makes His Kingdom come for all men and women of goodwill.

God knows how many plans I have conjured up, especially when I was a young and idealistic priest. I had zeal and passion, or so I thought. But it could as well have been a desire to prove myself before superiors and peers. I forgot that while I may have been behind the sowing, I cannot be solely responsible for them to grow and bear fruit. Fr. Chito Dimaranan, SDB

---------- REFLECTION QUESTIONS ----------

Do you tend to be impatient with results? Do you tend to take all credit for your achievements?

Help me, dear Lord, to be like the yeast and mustard seed—quietly working and humble, but being faithful to my mission for You. Amen.

Today, I pray for: __________________________