“twelve wicker baskets full”
The miracle of the feeding of the five thousand is in every Gospel. Saint Mark’s Gospel says that seven baskets were left over from the five loaves, while the other three Gospel writers say there were 12 baskets left over.
Do the left overs matter? The left overs tell us that there was more than enough. Saint Ambrose says that the number seven, the seven baskets of left overs in Saint Mark’s Gospel, is reserved for the privileged favorites of grace. “There are many souls here below who are incapable of rising, beyond a certain limit, towards the divine and substantial light which is the nourishment of the spirit. To these, therefore – and they are the majority, and are represented by the five thousand men who were present at the first miraculous multiplication – the five loaves of inferior quality are an appropriate food, and one that, by its very number, is in keeping with the five senses, which, more or less, have dominion over the multitude. But, as for the privileged favorites of grace, - as for those men who are not distracted by the cares of this present life, who scorn to use its permitted pleasures, and who, even while in the flesh, make God the only king of their soul, - for these, and for these only, the Bridegroom reserves the pure wheat of the seven loaves, which, by their number, express the plenitude of the holy Spirit, and mysteries in abundance.” [1]
Does the number seven matter? Saint Ambrose says that seven is significant because it is on the seventh day that God rested and gave mankind the Sabbath to be at peace and to rest. Our Lord Jesus in giving the beatitudes speaks of peace in the seventh beatitude when He says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” [2] The seven baskets of left overs therefore “express the plenitude of the holy Spirit, and the mysteries in abundance.” It is in the mystery of Christ that we find true rest and peace. It is through the gift of the seven Sacraments that we live out the mystery of Christ as children of God.
What does the number twelve in the other Gospels mean? Saint Ambrose does not mention the number twelve, but we do know that just as seven is significant in scripture and salvation history, so is the number 12. There were twelve tribes of Israel and twelve apostles. The feeding of the five thousand is a prefiguring of the Last Supper, the Mass and the Banquet of the Lamb. It will be the twelve apostles that will be present at the Last Supper for the institution of the Eucharist and the Priesthood and it will be the twelve apostles that will “do this in memory of me” taking the Eucharist to the whole world and thus feeding the “thousands”. There are also twelve articles of the Creed and twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is only the Eucharist that gives us the strength to persevere in our belief and co-operate with the Holy Spirit to bear much fruit.
Whether it is seven baskets of left overs or twelve the importance is that Christ is never done feeding us. When we eat a meal with several courses there are usually four courses, the entrée, main course, salad and dessert. In the Gospel of the feeding of the five thousand, there are two courses. The first course is the five loafs, which represent the five senses. In this course Jesus feeds the body. There are five thousand that eat of this main course. The second course is the seven or twelve baskets of left overs, which represent the plentitude of the holy Spirit and mysteries of abundance in Christ. In this course Jesus feeds the soul. None of the Gospel’s tell us how many eat of the second course. Perhaps the Gospel writers don’t tell us, because they are asking each of us if we will come back for the second course. It is likely that very few from the five thousand came back for the second course. Once their temporal bodily needs were met, they were full and did not desire the greater hunger of their soul.
We can assume from the Gospel that there are three areas that we can fit in, because there are three types of people in the Gospel. The first type of people is the five thousand, which eat of the five loaves. This group is the focus of the story. There are two other groups however, they are not stated directly, but implied. The second group is the people that did not even show up. “It is not, to the lazy people, nor to them that live in cities, nor to them that are great in worldly honors, but to them that seek Christ in the desert, that is given the heavenly nourishment; they alone who hunger after it are received by Christ into a participation of the Word and of God’s kingdom.” [3] The third group are those of the five thousand that will partake not only of the five loafs, but will stay around for the left overs.
What does each group represent and where do we fit in?
Those that don’t show up – this is the group that is not willing to give up what they have. They live in the villages and cities and feel as if they are taken care of. They are not the poor in spirit, because they do not feel that they are in need. Even if there is a feeling of need for something more, they are unwilling to make the sacrifice necessary to seek it out. They do not want to sacrifice and seek and thus they refuse to go into the desert with Christ. How does Christ ask us to seek Him, to sacrifice, to go into the desert with Him? We also remember that the reason Christ is in the desert is because He is mourning the death of His cousin and dear friend Saint John the Baptist. To go into the desert with Christ at this time is to mourn with Him, to suffer with Him. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” This group does not want to mourn with Jesus, and thus they will not be comforted by Jesus. Many times Christ calls us into the desert through this beatitude, to mourn with others, to suffer with others. The opposite of mourning with others is the sin of Envy. When we are envious we are happy when another fails and sad when another succeeds. The sin of envy separates us from Christ and others. This group of people are invited – for Christ invites all to the banquet – but they do not show up to the meal. In regards to the banquet of the Lamb that is offered at each Mass, all are invited, buy how many will not show up.
The five thousand eating from the five loaves – this is the group that makes the effort to seek Christ. They know Christ and desire Christ and thus follow Him into the desert, which is a sacrifice. The five loafs however represent as St. Ambrose says the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste) and the five thousand represent the majority, so this group could be the largest of the three. These are the people that want Jesus to satisfy their temporal needs. They want to see, to hear, to touch, to smell and to taste. They eat of the five loaves and their five senses; there temporal needs are taken care of. This group sees the physical signs that Christ preforms but misses the Messiah’s true mission which is to free men from the sin of slavery. “By freeing some individuals from the earthly evils of hunger, injustice, illness, and death, Jesus performed messianic signs. Nevertheless he did not come to abolish all evils here below, but to free men from the gravest slavery, sin, which thwarts them in their vocation as God’s sons and causes all forms of human bondage.” [4]
Do we seek Christ just because He has the power to help us see, hear, touch, smell and taste correctly? Do we want more or are we satisfied with Christ just healing and satisfying our temporal senses? In regards to the banquet of the Lamb that is offered at each Mass, this group is the faithful that go to Mass each Sunday, but perhaps are just going to “feel” something, to see, hear, touch, smell and taste God. Perhaps this group is going to be satisfied and find peace from the turmoil of the world.
Those that eat from the seven / twelve baskets of left overs – This group is only implied, there has to be someone to eat the left overs. There must be some of the majority that stick around for the second course, those that once having their temporal senses satisfied want to have their spiritual needs satisfied. Once they find temporal peace, they desire spiritual peace. As was stated before this is the group that enters completely into the mysteries of Christ. This is the group that as the numbers indicate eats of the pure loaves. They find rest (7th day of creation) and peace (7th beatitude) and live the Life of Grace (7 Sacraments). This is the group that adheres to the teachings of Christ (12 articles of the Creed) and submits to the authority of the Church (12 apostles) and bears fruit in the Holy Spirit (12 fruits of the Holy Spirit). In regards to the banquet of the Lamb, this is the group that not only comes each Sunday, but comes to satisfy both the temporal and the spiritual. This is also the group that “stays around” for the second course. The group that is in the pews for daily Mass and prayer as Saint Paul says “unceasingly”. This group does not pray or attend daily Mass because they have to, but because they so desire the mystery of Christ that they would not miss it for the world.
Christ is present for all three groups, but desires us to be intimately united to Him, this is why on the Cross He cries out, “I thirst.” He is calling all to the banquet of the Lamb and we as the Body of Christ must also send out the invitation to others and be present at the banquet to welcome them in.
[1] Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.; The Liturgical Year; Vol. 11; Time after Pentecost Book II; page 164-165
[2] Matthew 5:9
[3] Abbot Gueranger, O.S.B.; The Liturgical Year; Vol. 11; Time after Pentecost Book II; page 166
[4] Catechism of the Catholic Church; 549