The leaven of the Pharisees

Tuesday,
February 19, 2019
6th Week in
Ordinary Time
1st Reading:
Gen 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10
Gospel: Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring more bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then Jesus warned them, “Keep your eyes open and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” And they said to one another, “He saw that we have no bread.”
Aware of this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of? Do you not see or understand? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear? And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.” “And having seven loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.” Then Jesus said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
DAILY GOSPEL IN THE ASSIMILATED LIFE EXPERIENCE:
(D@iGITAL EXPERIENCE)
Leaven is a substance, typically yeast, that is used in dough to make it rise. By analogy it is used to refer to something with a pervasive influence that modifies something or transforms it for the better or for the worse. It is in the context of this analogy that St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians asking them to “get rid of all the old yeast” that transformed them for the worse. He wrote, “Christ has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast, then by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1Cor. 5: 6-8).
In today’s Gospel reading Jesus also used yeast as metaphor against Herod and the Pharisees. Yeast raises the dough and so makes it appear bigger than it actually is. The Pharisees appeared religious before the people because of their public display of piety. But Jesus took them to task for being hypocrites. Jesus said, “This people honor me with lip service while their hearts are far from me” (Mark, 7:6-7). He said something similar about Herod (see Mark 6:14-29).
In warning them about the yeast of the Pharisees Jesus wanted his disciples to abandon hypocrisy. But hearing the word “yeast” the disciples thought of bread. Were they so fixated on eating? Why were they so preoccupied about food when they were followers of a Master with a track record of multiplying loaves?
The yeast of the Pharisees was hypocrisy. It sustained them and made them rise. The yeast of the disciples was food. They saw things under the prism of bread. We all have our own yeast, for we are all leavened. The marching order for all is to keep only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.

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