Reading I Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10 When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved. So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.” But Noah found favor with the LORD. Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just. Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair, a male and its mate; likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs, a male and a female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female. Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth. Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth every moving creature that I have made.” Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him. As soon as the seven days were over, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
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?”
REFLECTION
Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
What is the difference between leavened and unleavened bread? What does leaven do to bread?
What does the term "leaven" mean in Mark's Gospel (Mark 8: 14)? What does leaven mean in Luke's Gospel (Luke 13:20-21)?
Leaven is used in baking bread. It is a substance that is placed in bread dough to cause it to rise. It is mixed into the dough and it spreads throughout the whole dough. Unleavened bread is the opposite. It is bread that does not have additive to make it rise or porous. Unleavened bread is flat and more dense.
In leavening bread there are several types of leavening substances such as yeast, beer, yogurt, buttermilk or baking soda and baking powder. Taste is usually what dictates the cook's choice of leaven.
In Scripture we hear about unleavened bread as early as Moses' time. The Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites how to prepare for the Passover. He told them to make unleavened bread for their journey out of Egypt. The Jews could travel and keep the unleavened bread longer. It was practical for travel.
Jesus uses the term leaven in two Gospels. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus warns His disciples, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus describes the Kingdom of Heaven, " The Kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of fine wheat flour, until it was entirely leavened." In both Scriptures the leaven permeates the substance it is placed into. There are two kinds of leaven described in the Gospels. Contaminated leaven could be an error or sinful thinking like in the case of the Pharisees and Herodians. It can permeate one's way of thinking. The Pharisees put manmade tradition above the needs of the people. The Herodians were about power and rule. They were influenced by the Roman culture. The pure leaven that is mentioned in Jesus' parable about the Kingdom of God will be "right thinking." Thinking taught by Jesus like the Beatitudes. He describes how correct thinking (The Kingdom of God thinking) can lead us to permeate not only our communities but beyond even into society. Correct thinking is how we attain the Kingdom of God.
We have been learning in our FACE ZBS sessions how to think Critically, Catholic Corrective Thinking.
At this time when we are bombarded with different kinds of thinking, we need to be able to question what we hear. Think critically to discern what is "right thinking - Catholic Corrective Thinking." I hope that you will join us when we meet to learn about the Biblical Context of the Sunday readings. Learn a deeper understanding of what Jesus is teaching us and get to know and love Jesus better.
Let us pray for a better understanding of our Catholic Faith.
Let's pray for the Holy Spirit to help us. Come, Holy Spirit, Come.
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