WATCHWORD:
The following are the scripture lessons for tomorrow, the 18th Sunday after Pentecost. Pull out your Bible, and do some meditation on these Holy Words:
Isaiah 5:1-7
Philippians 3:4b-14
Gospel Lesson: Matthew 21:33-46
Prayer of the Day:
Beloved God, from you come all things that are good. Lead us by the inspiration of your Spirit to know those things that are right, and by your merciful guidance, help us to do them, through Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Bulletin Board:
It’s Saturday. Let’s have some fun –
As you unscramble each word, consider its significance in your faith journey. The key is buried somewhere in this Watchword. Good Luck. From Stan just for you.
FAITH WORD SCRAMBLE
— — — — — 1. R S C S O
— — — — — — 2. R D E G N A
— — — — — — 3. E L T M E P
— — — — — — 4. N E H E V A
— — — — — — — 5. A L V C Y A R
— — — — — — — 6. L E G I E L A
— — — — — — — 7. S I W N E T S
— — — — — — — 8. R E J C O H I
— — — — — — — — 9. I P E L D S I C
— — — — — — — — — 10. A N E U C A M R P
Ready for another Shaggy Dog Story?
A woman is walking through the park when she sees a very attractive man sitting on a park bench. He’s reading a book and eating some fruit out of a Tupperware container. Slowly the woman gathers the courage to go ask the man out. So, she walks over and takes a seat next to him on the bench, turns to him and says, “Sorry to bother you. I know this may be a little forward but I would love to grab coffee with you some time.”
Flattered, the man responds, “Sure… but what makes you so certain you and I would get along so well?”
“Well,” the woman says, “A couple things, actually. I noticed you were wearing an Iron Maiden t-shirt. Iron Maiden are my favorite band of all time. When they went on their reunion tour in 1999 my parents took me to see them in Cleveland. I was 12 years old, it was the first concert I ever went to. I absolutely love Iron Maiden. “
The man can’t believe it. “I saw them play Cleveland in ’99! First concert I ever went to on my own. My best friend Jimmy Spitz and I told our parents we were sleeping at the others’ house, snuck out, took a bus into the city and saw them play at the Plain Dealer Pavilion!”
Naturally, they’re both shocked.
“If that isn’t weird enough,” says the woman, “I noticed you’re reading Mark Twain. I was a communications major in university and I actually wrote my thesis on Mark Twain, how he used satire as a lens to comment on current events of the time, comparing him to satirical news sources of today. He’s my favorite author”
Now the man is really taken aback, “Get out of here. I was an English major in university! I specialized in 19th century American literature, this is like my fourth or fifth time reading Tom Sawyer, I absolutely love Mark Twain.”
They both can’t believe it, this has got to be a match made in heaven.
“Ok,” the woman says, “well, buckle up because here’s the icing on the cake. I noticed you’re eating a prune. Prunes are my absolute favorite fruit. When I was a kid, my grandfather lived on a farm. He had an orchard that mainly grew apples and some lemons, but he knew how much my sister and I loved prunes so he kept a couple of plum trees. Every year at the end of the summer, we’d go up and harvest the plums with him. He’d dry them and by the time we’d go back to his place for Thanksgiving he’d always have those prunes saved just for us. They’re my favorite fruit! I love prunes, you’re eating a prune, this has got to be fate. What do you say?”
The man puts down his fruit and responds, “It’s a date.”
Key: 1. CROSS 2. GARDEN 3. TEMPLE 4. HEAVEN 5. CALVARY 6. GALILEE 7. WITNESS 8. JERICHO 9. DISCIPLES 1O. CAPERNAUM
Morning Prayer:
(This is one of the good prayers from Thomas Merton.)
Heavenly Father, we do not need to know exactly what is happening, or where all this is going, or even how this will end. What we do know is that your presence in our lives calms our fears and anxieties, and because of that, we can obey your command of ‘Peace, be still’. What we do pray for, Lord, is that you would open our eyes and tune our hearts to know the possibilities and graces offered by this present moment and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope. We lift up to you Lord this entire world and all of its people, for we are sharing this present moment with all of mankind. Help us to have gratitude in our hearts, Lord, for those touches that we can offer to bring calmness and peace to others. The courage we ask for, Lord, is the courage to reach out, to be your hands, and your voice, and the instrument your peace to others. We give you all the honor and the glory, Father, in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
