Under the Pier 8/28/16 "The Eagle Flew Off The Page"

But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31(NKJV)

"She was homeless but whenever I offered to help out she took me to lunch! So I would pick her up and head out of town and let her buy me a dollar hamburger and small soda. I went a little out of town because I didn't want others to misconstrue a homeless person buying me lunch. Then one day she asked to be taken to Walmart to pick up a few things she needed. As I got out of the car with her I was nervous. Who will I run into what will they think... as these kinds of thoughts an through my mind the Lord said, "I am the King of kings and the Lord of lords and I'm not ashamed to be seen with... YOU!" It was a profound moment, life changing." A personal story shared under the Surfside Pier.

It was that kind of morning.

​It has become increasingly obvious that among our small ranks something has happened. Our lives are being touched by the Lord in a way that our vulnerability to others and our overflow from the blessings received at The Lord's Table overflow to others in our daily lives.

Sharon: I saw a target in front of me just before I had Communion then in the bread of life as I ate I saw an eagle's head and then the drawing of an eagle in flight in front of me on a piece of paper. In the wine of Jesus' blood the eagle took off from the paper and started soaring into the sky! Isaiah 40:31 has always been my life scripture, like a theme to me.

Bob: as soon as I ingested the Bread of Jesus' flesh I heard "Its springtime in heaven!" and then "That is... many springs flowing, pouring out from heaven on you" then in the wine of Jesus' blood the voice of the Lord continued, "Pouring out My eternal life in you."  

Camille: As I ate the Blessed Bread I saw Jesus in the Bread and He just said, "Everlasting Life!" and then as I had he blessed wine Jesus held the wine and toasted us! (As if for all eternity it was the one thing He always looked forward to.)

Joe: I don't usually see something but right away I saw pages flying... I think it was a Bible... then with the Wine I got my super peace... (Joe just received a Bible from his wife this week... and said... maybe I'm supposed to read more Scriptures!)

Mary: In the bread I thought of Jesus welcoming the little children and then in the wine I heard John Denver singing "Fly Away" (Are you kidding!? Wow!)

Veronica: I was thinking about a prophecy someone gave me in 2010  and as we prayed, "Lord I want to do more for you!" Then when I received the Bread of Jesus' flesh The Lord said, "Now is the time! The best is yet to come! Then when I had the cup of the precious blood, the Spirit said, "Hold-On!!!!"  Note: It has begun - "Little Missions to Pray with People"

George: I couldn't stop from thinking about a show that I saw about Divine Intervention. One motorcyclist was struck by lightning and when the paramedics had given him up a lady appeared and placed a Bible on his chest and then she got up and left and the man was came back to life. There was another story about a fireman, seasoned veteran who was surrounded by fire and he knelt down knowing this was probably it for him and a lady showed up in his line of vision and she pointed toward a wall. He got up and went there and when he pushed on the wall it was a door and he fell through it to the parking lot! 

Don: I saw a flat bright laser light come through between the bottom of a door and the floor and the light digitized into a human form and it was Jesus surrounded by the light of glory. Then I saw the stone rolled away.. and in my heart I felt like shouting "Ta-Dah!" 

August 28, 2016 
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 126

Reading 1 SIRACH 3:17-18, 20, 28-29

My child, conduct your affairs with humility,
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find favor with God.
What is too sublime for you, seek not,
into things beyond your strength search not.
The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs,
and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise.
Water quenches a flaming fire,
and alms atone for sins.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 68:4-5, 6-7, 10-11

R. (cf. 11b) God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The just rejoice and exult before God;
they are glad and rejoice.
Sing to God, chant praise to his name;
whose name is the LORD.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

The father of orphans and the defender of widows
is God in his holy dwelling.
God gives a home to the forsaken;
he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.

A bountiful rain you showered down, O God, upon your inheritance;
you restored the land when it languished;
your flock settled in it;
in your goodness, O God, you provided it for the needy.

R. God, in your goodness, you have made a home for the poor.


Reading 2 HEBREWS 12:18-19, 22-24A

Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.


Alleluia MATTHEW 11:29AB

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord,
and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel LUKE 14:1, 7-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor. 
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
‘Give your place to this man,’
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place. 
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. 
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 
Then he said to the host who invited him,
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

"Fly Away"
By John Denver
​
All of her days have gone soft and cloudy, all of her dreams have gone dry.
All of her nights have gone sad and shady, She's getting ready to fly.
Fly away, fly away, fly away.

Life in the city can make you crazy for sounds of the sand and the sea.
Life in a high-rise can make you hungry for things that you can't even see.
Fly away, fly away, fly away.

In this whole world there's nobody as lonely as she,
there's nowhere to go and there's nowhere that she'd rather be.
She's looking for lovers and children playing, she's looking for signs of the spring.
She listens for laughter and sounds of dancing, she listens for any old thing.
Fly away, fly away, fly away .

In this whole world there's nobody as lonely as she,
there's nowhere to go and there's nowhere that she'd rather be.
All of her days have gone soft and cloudy, all of her dreams have gone dry.
All of her nights have gone sad and shady, She's getting ready to fly.
Fly away, fly away, fly away, fly away.

Where are my days, where are my nights? Where is the Spring? I wanna fly, I wanna fly: