So often throughout the Bible God's loving care for his people is expressed in terms of food and drink. Melchizedek blessed Abraham with gifts of bread and wine, for they were considered the essentials for life. God's generosity and care is a constant theme and it is expressed in striking ways in the New Testament. In the miraculous feeding, Jesus had only five loaves and two fish, but with his blessing, he was able to provide for 5,000 people - and still with leftovers! It was the same way God provided for the Israelites in the desert during the Exodus. In that journey, God gave them manna, quail, and water. The Eucharist is where we encounter God in a way that sustains and nourishes us. God comes to us in the bread and wine on the altar that become the body and blood of Christ. God always touches us in physical ways. But we should not think that God's presence is limited to the celebration of the Eucharist or that God does not provide for us in different places and in different ways. God is the Sustainer, Provider, and the Nourisher - always and everywhere.