Are your hearts hardened?

THE disciples misunderstand

Jesus’ warning on

“the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

They think they are being reprimanded for failing to bring bread. In fairness to them, Jesus’ words are enigmatic as they are metaphorical, using the imagery of bread or baking.

What does Jesus refer to as the “leaven” of the Pharisees and of Herod that they should be warned against? Leaven, like yeast, permeates bread dough, causing it to rise and enlarge. Elsewhere, Jesus points to the “hypocrisy” of the Pharisees as their leaven (Lk 12:1). What about Herod’s? It may be power, or moral corruption, as he takes his brother’s wife and orders John the Baptist’s beheading.

Jesus points to the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (that the disciples fail to notice, perhaps it is “too little” for them to see) and to Herod’s moral corruption and abuse of power.

Gospel: Mk 8:14-21

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

SOURCE: “365 Days with

the Lord 2017” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 8959701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.