I don't know. Good question. I think the multiplication of the loaves was Christ giving us an example of how it is possible he can take one loaf and feed a whole bunch of people with it. Christ is the one loaf and he can feed everybody, but the symbolism buried in the numbers are something I've always wondered about, with the whole seven loaves, etc. If anybody has any suggestions I would like to hear them too.
Perhaps he was teaching us to "waste not want not." I don't know. We make our own unleavened bread for church and it always leaves crumbs on my fingers and so I try to get as much of them as I can.
There is a quote from the Church Fathers saying to be careful not to lose even a crumb of the sacred bread, but I can't find it right now.
