What glorious lessons we have this week about the lavish providence of God, the prodigality, the plenitude! The feeding stories testify to the bountiful generosity of God’s love, providing more than enough to satisfy our needs so that we are overflowing with leftovers to share with others. As Paul puts it, God, “who is the power at work within us [sanctifying us, transforming us into the imago dei] is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine.” The fullness of God is there for us, if we have eyes to see, hearts open to receive. That is the truth we find over and over in scripture. It is the message of the manna in the wilderness that God provides to hungry people on the way. It is the message of the Promised Land, that bounteous land described as flowing with milk and honey, as so fruitful that a single cluster of grapes had to be carried on a pole by two people (Num. 13:27, 33). It is the message of Elijah and the widow of Zarephath whose jar of mead and jug of oil was inexhaustible as she fed the prophet in the time of famine (I Kgs.17:8-16). It is the message of the psalmist as he acknowledges God’s sustaining care: “You open wide your hand and satisfy the needs of every living creature.” (145:16) It is the message of Jesus’ parable that we know as the Prodigal Son (Lk.15:11-32) which shows us that the Father’s unconditional love knows no bounds. It is the same message we find in Jesus’ parable of the outrageously generous landowner who paid the vineyard workers who worked only one hour the same as those who had worked all day (Mt.20:1-16). It is the same message that Jesus proclaims elsewhere in John’s gospel (10:10), “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The fullness of God is available to us here and now. God wants to bless us, each of us and all of us, to fill us with the Divine Presence, to do for us “far more than all we can ask or imagine,” because of the abundant and steadfast love the Beloved has for us and for all creation. The Holy One is looking for open, receptive hearts. Is yours ready to receive the fullness of God?