Bread of Life

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
Mark 8:14–21
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Bread of Life
As fallen and weak people, we are so often ruled by our passions and appetites. We become so focused on fulfilling the physical needs that we neglect the spiritual. We too often forget we are both body and soul. Similarly, the disciples remembered their lack of bread but forgot about the One who was with them, the very Lord and Creator of all. At times, we, too, become hard-hearted and shortsighted, focusing so much on our need for daily bread that we forget to call upon Jesus, the very bread of life. Still, Jesus patiently teaches us, showing over and over that He alone can satisfy our deepest needs. May the Lord open the eyes of our hearts, so that we see Him as the very bread from heaven, the answer to all our wants and needs.