I cannot even count the number of times my wife has asked me to do something or told me a story from her day, and as she finishes and awaits my response, I end up saying, “Wait. What?” At least partially in my defense, I have become a little hard of hearing as I’ve aged, and I’ve also put off getting hearing aids. So if she’s talking to me from the other room, there’s no way I’m going to pick up what she’s saying. However, if it happens when we’re in the same room, it’s not necessarily because I didn’t hear her, but because I wasn’t focusing on her words. That is to say, I wasn’t paying attention.
Now, in today’s Gospel, when Jesus tells His disciples to be careful of the leaven of Herod and the Pharisees, His followers think He’s talking about forgetting to bring bread. I can almost picture in my mind the “Are you listening to me? Are you paying attention?” look that Jesus gets on His face.
In our first reading, God is so grieved with the wickedness of man that He wants to wipe them all out. The descendants of Adam and Eve have sinned even more gravely — not listening to his guidance and straying even farther from his love. Thankfully, Noah listened. Noah paid attention. Noah succeeded in receiving God’s promise never to destroy the Earth with a flood.
Jesus’ frustration with his disciples elicits a rebuke: “Are your hearts hardened?” But he goes on to instruct them saying: listen — and understand: I’m not talking about your physical needs. I have taken care of those. I’m talking about your spiritual needs right now. This leaven metaphor is like the leaven you use in the bread you’re so worried about: It changes what had been into something else. The wrong leaven will cause rot and stench, while the right leaven will give you wonderful nourishment.
But this is so much greater than mere bread. The leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, that which we must avoid, will change us for the worse, not the better. Up to this point in Mark’s Gospel, we know this about the Pharisees and Herod collectively: self-righteous, judgmental, hedonistic, opportunistic.
But Jesus has called these followers (His disciples). He has instructed them. He has shown them mighty deeds and humility of heart. Indeed, “Are your hearts hardened?” is a legitimate question. “Do you still not understand?” Jesus Christ, son of the living God, is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
And yes, Jesus has likewise called us, instructed us, etc. Are we listening? Do we not understand? Are our hearts hardened? Let us pray always for the grace to know Jesus is what we need now so that we will be with him in eternity.
No puedo ni contar la cantidad de veces que mi esposa me ha pedido que haga algo o me ha contado una historia de su día, y mientras termina y espera mi respuesta, termino diciendo: “Espérate. ¿Cómo?” En mi defensa, al menos parcialmente, me he vuelto un poco más sordo con la edad, y también he aplazado la compra de audífonos. Así que si ella me está hablando desde el otro cuarto, no hay manera de que pueda captar lo que está diciendo. Sin embargo, si sucede cuando estamos en el mismo cuarto, no es necesariamente porque no la escuché, sino porque no estaba concentrado en sus palabras. Es decir, no estaba prestando atención.
Ahora bien, en el Evangelio de hoy, cuando Jesús les dice a sus discípulos que tengan cuidado con la levadura de Herodes y los fariseos, sus seguidores piensan que está hablando de olvidarse de traer pan. Casi puedo imaginarme la mirada de “¿Me estás escuchando? ¿Estás prestando atención?” en el rostro de Jesús.
En la primera lectura, Dios está tan afligido por la maldad del hombre que quiere exterminarlos a todos. Los descendientes de Adán y Eva han pecado aún más gravemente: no escucharon su guía y se alejaron aún más de su amor. Afortunadamente, Noé escuchó. Noé prestó atención. Noé logró recibir la promesa de Dios de nunca más destruir la Tierra con un diluvio.
La frustración de Jesús con sus discípulos provoca una reprimenda: “¿Tan embotada está su mente?” Pero continúa instruyéndolos diciendo: escuchen y entiendan: no estoy hablando de sus necesidades físicas. Ya las he proveído. Estoy hablando de sus necesidades espirituales en este momento. Esta metáfora de la levadura es como la levadura que usas en el pan que tanto te preocupa: convierte lo que había sido en otra cosa. La levadura incorrecta causará podredumbre y hedor, mientras que la levadura correcta te dará un alimento maravilloso.
Pero esto es mucho más grande que el simple pan. La levadura de los fariseos y de Herodes, que debemos evitar, nos cambiará para peor, no para mejor. Hasta este punto del Evangelio de Marcos, sabemos esto sobre los fariseos y Herodes colectivamente: santurrones, críticos, hedonistas, oportunistas.
Pero Jesús ha llamado a estos seguidores (sus discípulos). Los ha instruido. Les ha mostrado obras poderosas y humildad de corazón. De hecho, “¿Tan embotada está su mente?” es una pregunta legítima. “¿Todavía no entienden?” Jesucristo, hijo del Dios vivo, es el Camino, la Verdad y la Vida.
Y sí, Jesús también nos ha llamado, nos ha instruido, etc. ¿Estamos escuchando? ¿No entendemos? ¿Nuestras mentes están embotadas? Oremos siempre por la gracia de saber que Jesús es lo que necesitamos ahora para que podamos estar con Él en la eternidad.
Mike Karpus is a regular guy. He grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, graduated from Michigan State University and works as an editor. He is married to a Catholic school principal, raised two daughters who became Catholic school teachers at points in their careers, and now relishes his two grandchildren, including the older one who is fascinated with learning about his faith. He also has served on a Catholic school board, a pastoral council and a parish stewardship committee. He currently is a lector at Mass, a Knight of Columbus, Adult Faith Formation Committee member and a board member of the local Habitat for Humanity organization. But mostly he’s a regular guy.
Feature Image Credit: Andrea Piacquadio, pexels.com/photo/man-in-red-polo-shirt-sitting-near-chalkboard-3779448/
The views and opinions expressed in the Inspiration Daily blog are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of Diocesan, the Diocesan staff, or other contributors to this blog.
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