Jesus uses the simile of the leaven to show the vitality of his teaching. Here, “leaven” is used in the sense of bad disposition. In the making of bread, leaven is what causes the dough to rise; the Pharisees’ hypocrisy and Herod’s dissolute life, stemming from their personal ambition, were the “leaven” which was poisoning from within the “dough” of Israel, and which would eventually corrupt it. Jesus seeks to warn his disciples about these dangers and to have them understand that if they are to take in his teaching, they need a pure and simple heart. Sr. Chris Koellhoffer says, “I suspect that if my mother had been present for the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, Jesus would not have had to remind her of the fragments. With a large family, she honed her skills at bringing leftovers to life in a new and appealing form. So vigilant and careful was she that hardly a crumb in our home ever went to waste under her thoughtful planning of meals.” In Jesus’ question to the disciples, we can hear his frustration at their difficulty in “getting it.” Beyond that, perhaps his question to them, “Do you not remember?” also reminded them that he left nothing behind. When it came to the significance and dignity of the human person, Jesus was forever mindful of what others might deem useless, forgotten, and leftover. Jesus, as we enter this Lenten season, help us to savor your words.