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
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."
Why are they worried about the bread?
In the pretext, Mark 8: 11-13, the Pharisees had just challenged Jesus by asking for a sign from heaven. That was their question right after Jesus fed the 4,000 with 7 loaves and a few small fish. Then they left in the boat.
Why are the disciples worried? Were they distracted by the Pharisees and forgot what they witnessed?
How are we any different than the disciples? It has happened to me.
When I attend Mass. I look forward to that precious moment when the Priest consecrates the bread and then the greatest miracle on earth happens, the bread is Jesus! Then the Priest consecrates the wine and again, a miracle, Jesus' blood is in the chalice.
Yet, sometimes something distracts my attention and I am not fully present. I miss the most incredible event.
There may even be people there who do not believe that during the consecration, the bread becomes Jesus Christ and the wine becomes His blood.
Jesus was upset with his disciples that they did not fully understand how He multiplied the loaves and fish. Were they paying attention to what Jesus did?
Jesus warns the disciples not to be distracted or misled by the Pharisees.
Did the Pharisees who asked for a sign from heaven see the multiplication of the loaves and fish? Did their questioning Jesus distract the disciples?
We need to keep our attention on Jesus. Don't lose sight of what he is saying to us.
If we are unsure of what Jesus means then we must ask questions. PAPA is blessed to have the chance to listen to God's Word and to study what he intends for us to learn. In our Bible lessons in FACE ZBS ( Face-to-Face Zoom Bible Study) on Wednesdays, we can ask questions and get answers from a theologian.
Join us this Wednesday, February 14th, here is the invitation.
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