Twelve and seven

The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ They answered, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ And they answered, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Are you still without perception?’(Mark 8, 14-21)

The twelve baskets represent the twelve apostles who will have see to the evangelisation and distribute the Eucharist. The number seven, relating to the advanced sports in the second multiplication, in the Jewish mentality represents the whole world, being the sum of the four cardinal points and the three parts in which reality takes place, heaven, earth and hell. The mission to which the apostles are called is therefore universal, addressed to all peoples of the earth. Yet, the apostles, instead of their souls, are concerned with bread for such a great task. Jesus reproaches them for this. What do you really give primary importance to? Is it to the body or to the soul?