Leaven/yeast (Greek zume) has the ability to impregnate the material with which it is mixed with its own fermentation. In Jewish culture, yeast is a common metaphor for corruption. Jesus warns his disciples to guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod. In Luke, the leaven of the Pharisees is hypocrisy (cf Lk 12:1). In the Gospel, the leaven of the Pharisees points to their evil disposition: they ask for a sign from Jesus when they have already judged Jesus to be not a messenger of God but an agent of the demon. Their leaven is in their hostility and unbelief. Herod, on the other hand, seeks Jesus to see a sign/miracle from him (cf Lk 23:8). He wants to be entertained and awed. The leaven in his case is the disposition to believe only if signs compelling faith are produced. In contrast, Jesus calls for faith and understanding apart from signs. What is the “leaven” that puffs up your ego or makes your heart impure? How do you get rid of this corrupting agent?

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: “366 Days with the Lord 2020,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.