Author: John Thomas Frazier

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 9: Year A 

Romans 7:15 to 25a;  Matthew 11:16 to 19 and 25 to 30:

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11: 28 to 30)

When our Lord Jesus invites us to come and take his yoke upon us, this is not an exchange of yokes, as I once thought.  No, this is an invitation to join him in his yoke.  And it’s more than that; it’s an invitation to connect with Jesus through someone we know in Christ Jesus.

This is an invitation to come and be a Trinitarian partner. We partner with another believer and become yoked with Christ in a yoke-fitted for three. I am learning to play guitar and piano.  I am blessed to be led in my musical instruction by fellow Christians – fellow Christians who may not follow Christ in the exact same way that I do, but then, we are all evolving theologically.

With my guitar teacher, we mostly play Christian music for Cursillo songs and we are comfortable knowing that our Lord Jesus binds us together in a common brotherhood, a blessed yoke of learning. The same is true for my piano teacher. The weight of trying to learn to play these instruments on my own is more than I can bear.  But Jesus assists me through my albeit younger teachers, to share the load in Jesus’ name. 

The Bible is replete with examples of pairs of people through whom God (or Jesus) works through for our communal good.  Some examples are; Moses, God and Aaron; Ruth, God and Naomi; Elijah, God and Elisha; Simon Peter, God and Andrew; John, God and James; and Paul, Glod in Christ Jesus and several others.  My point is, that in our biblical tradition, we are called to seek out our Lord Jesus through another believer and share the burden of doing the work put before us with God’s help.

Most of the tasks before us are far more serious than playing music, but I needed to show an example of what we are able to do when yoked with Christ. Today we have racism, sexism, and just plain ego-ism. We need to partner with one another in fighting the “isms” of today.  I begin to see that all isms are bad but cannot be overcome without teaming up with a fellow believer wherein we are yoked with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The work before us is plentiful but we laborers are few. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Who do you know in Christ that you could work with for our communal good?  Let’s be fitted in the yoke of Christ, and get to work.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 8: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 137:1-6, and 144; Evening,  Psalm 104;
1^st  Samuel 14:16 to 30; Acts 9:10 to 19a; Luke 23:32 to 43:

“One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are you not the Messiah?  Save yourself and us; (Luke 23:39).

Often as we read scripture we are led to think or believe in the way the writer wants us to.  I always ask those with me to be aware of the writer’s bias. The writer of Luke, whom I admire and from whom I learn so much, I still must hold accountable. 

As we have our Lord Jesus crucified but still alive, we have the words of the people; “And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” (Luke 23:35).   And in the next verse we hear from the Roman soldiers; “The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, ‘If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”  (Luke 23:36 and 37)  We have these words about saving himself from people walking around but not on a cross.

This is why I look carefully at the words of the crucified men.  We are told by Luke that the first crucified speaker “derided” Jesus saying “Are you not the Messiah?  Save yourself and us.”  I think it is the, “and us,” part that draws me to him.  As I too am a man that knows well that I am a sinner I want our Lord Jesus to not only save himself but to save me also.  I too am on my cross as I deserve to be and I want our Lord Jesus to save me as only he can. 

We must remember that Luke never met Jesus.  Luke received the stories of Jesus from Peter and Paul, (Paul, who also never met Jesus before he was crucified) and Luke passed these words on to us with the interpretation he was given when he received these words.

But this so-called deriding criminal was the only one that asked for his own salvation as well as Jesus saving himself.  Sometimes one has to be in a situation where death is near to really appreciate the need for being saved. And my beloved of the Lord, that’s where we all are today; we are crucified with our Lord Jesus.  We have sinned and strayed from the ways of God and are in need of our Lord Jesus saving himself and us.  And Jesus does exactly that. We too look for the day we are in paradise with our Lord Jesus. When we learn to love we also learn not to rush to judgment.  The man on the cross may not have been mocking Jesus as we are led to believe and as were those who were walking around thinking they are not going to die (ever).  There is truth in his words about the need for salvation for us all. 

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Week 8: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1-12:
1^st  Samuel 13:19 to14:15; Acts 9:1 to 9; Luke 23:26 to 31

“Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.” (Psalm 141:3)

If only I could think before I hit the “send” button on my mouth.  My blogs are like this also. I really ponder over my words and even have them read aloud by a computer voice before I hit the “publish” button. And even then occasionally the wrong meaning is floated.

 As we interact with people, both, the people we like, and the people we don’t particularly like, we should be very careful about our choice of words. While it is sometimes difficult when done face to face, it is even more challenging with the widespread use of text messaging and emails, and without the use of facial expression and body language, the wrong message is sometimes sent.

In setting a watch before our mouths and a guard on the door of our lips we must go deeper inside our selves, and to our hearts.  It is in our hearts that our attitudes and feelings are first developed before they make their way to our mouths and lips.  Words and hands can help or hurt depending on the heart source from which they originate.  And how do we adjust the thoughts of our hearts?  We don’t, without God’s help.

God did not give us the ability to fix our selves or heal ourselves. God intends for us to first believe in God, and as a result of our belief, to ask God for the assistance needed.  Therefore, we pray, “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (BCP 355)

I have heard it said that the squeaky wheel gets the grease.  Therefore, before we speak, perhaps in prayer we should squeak.  We need our words to be true to what we feel.  But what we feel needs to be something we are proud of before God and our neighbors. It is only with God’s help that I; “Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, and our schools.

 “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom. 

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 8: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 131 and 132; Evening Psalms 134 and 135;
1^st Samuel 13:5 to 18; Acts 8:26 to 40; Luke 23:13 to 25:

“Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Get up and go towards the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ (This is a wilderness road.)” (Acts 8:26)

As I read this Acts lesson I am reminded of how geographical God is.  God finds the people with the faith and personality traits desired, and then moves them to where God needs them.  This is repeated throughout the Bible. God moves Abraham from his father’s house to a land the God will show him; God moves Ruth to Naomi’s people; God moves Moses back to Egypt to free the Israelites;  God moves David away from and then back to Jerusalem; God Moves Joseph to Egypt and back again with the baby Jesus. And God moves Philip to the eunuch in our Acts reading for today.  God is a mover and shaker.

But today’s Acts passage has several preaching points.  After God, through the angel, moves Philip to the path of the Eunuch where God has him to begin the explanation of the Christian life from where the Eunuch was, rather than the beginning of the Bible.  This is a lesson we could all learn. When we are asked to help someone understand, we should start with where they are, and go from there.

 Another preaching point is the unexpected opportunity to Baptize. Philip wastes no time when the Eunuch points to available water. While the Eunuch was perhaps not allowed in the Temple due to his physical disfigurement (which makes him a eunuch), he none the less is accepted into the household of God in Christ Jesus through Baptism.  Thank You Jesus.

Then God moves Philip to Azotus where he continues teaching and preaching the Good News. There are many lessons in this passage.

As we began July we are asked to remember that on the first of this month, two great Women: Pauli Murray, civil rights lawyer and Episcopal Priest; and  Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”  I invite you to research these women who also allowed God to move them as God saw fit.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 8: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:145 to176; Evening, Psalm 128, 129 and 130;
1^st Samuel 12:1 to 6 and 16 to 25; Acts 8:14 to 25; Luke 23:1 to 12:

“That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies:” (Luke 23:12).

It is from earlier words in this Luke passage that we learn the geographical boundaries of authority for both Herod and Pontius Pilate.  I don’t think they were equally real rivals given that Pilate had the support of the Roman Empire. Nonetheless, to do an evil thing, they came together.  It is so sad when people do this kind of bonding. You can’t tell when you might be next to be plotted against.

From other studies I have learned that the phrase “Friend of Cesar,” was more a fraternity than just a casual reference.  Friend of Cesar could have a “rising star” kind of social status that meant quick promotion within the Roman hierarchy.  For Pontius Pilate, it meant keeping the peace on the Judean outpost of Rome.  Aftterall, Judea was not the most sought after place to be for an up and coming military officer, even if the officer was the governor of the region. If one could handle little skirmishes like that of this Jesus fellow and the local trouble he was causing, such a governing officer could get on with his career.

As Judeo- Christians this is not who we are.  This “Jesus” fellow, has changed all that for us.  Our Lord Jesus says the great ones among us are the ones who serve.  We do not strive for higher human horizons, especially at the cost of another.  We are friends of Christ Jesus, and we are unashamedly pretty proud of it.  We do not drop our morals in order to be friends of the boss, the politician, the priest, the teacher, or even the parent. If such people are living moral lives as for as we can see, then we are friends focused on love and the equality of all people.

We Christians partner with others for the enhancement of our communities, and that is for all in our communities.  We certainly don’t partner with anyone for the degradation of anyone else. It’s just not who Jesus wants us to be.  Jesus instructs us in the kind of friendship that can be trusted and will only focus on you if you come into trouble.  And the response will be loving, not a plan for your demise.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Deuteronomy 10:17-21;  Psalm 145;  Hebrews 11:8-16;  Matthew 5:43-48:

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11: 16)

I decided to use our National Hymn verses for this Fourth of July blog.  What I take from our Hebrew reading is God’s will for this planet to have, as President Reagan once said, a “City shining on a hill.” In the years to come, Winthrop’s “city upon a hill” sermon would become “the shining city on a hill” of President Reagan: a celebration of individual freedom, material prosperity, and American power—above all, a call for Americans to renew their optimism and believe in themselves again.”  “Beginning in the 1970s, Ronald Reagan placed that line, from that sermon, at the center of his political career. Tracing the story of America from John Winthrop forward, Reagan built a powerful articulation of American exceptionalism—the idea, as he explained, “that there was some divine plan that placed this great continent between two oceans to be sought out by those who were possessed of an abiding love of freedom and a special kind of courage.” (https://www.neh.gov/article/how-america-became-city-upon-hill)

So let us sing: “O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars, through the perilous fight, o’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?  And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.  O say does that star spangled banner yet wave o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

I never realized that 2 questions were asked in the first verse of our national anthem.  The answer to both however is “Yes.”   Did you know there is a second verse, and in my humble opinion, a more powerful verse?  It too asks a question, but it makes a declaration also.  Here it is;

“O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand between their loved homes and the war’s desolation! Blessed with victory and peace, may the heaven rescued land praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation?  Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto, “In God is our trust.”  And the star spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.” (Francis Scott Key: Hymn 720 of The 1982 Hymnal ). I know that some people will struggle to see bad in everything, but not me. Free men for me means not being ruled by a king or dictator. I pray Ukraine holds fast to our example of determined freedom, and that we support them.

I am a black man as racist see me, but standing proudly, I say, “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, One Nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”  

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Monday, of Proper 8; Year 1

Morning, Psalm 106:1-18; Evening, Psalm 106:19-48;

1^st  Samuel 10:17 to 27; Acts 7:44 to 8:1; Luke 22:52 to 62:

“He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by, its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken by lot. Finally he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man, and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. So they inquired again of the Lord, ‘Did the man come here?’ and the Lord said, ‘See, he has hidden himself among the baggage.’ Then they ran and brought him from there. When he took his stand among the people, he was head and shoulders taller than any of them. Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ And all the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!: (1^st Samuel 10: 21 to 24).

I would like to compare the two Sauls we have, one of the Hebrew Testament and one of the Christian Testament, who after his Conversion was named Paul.  They are both of the Tribe of Benjamin. They are both named Saul, perhaps a Tribal name that continues to be made anew. The Hebrew Saul is chosen by lot because the people demanded a king over them.  The Christian Saul was selected by God in Christ Jesus resurrected for the propagation of the Gospel for people beyond Israel- you and me. A further difference is physical. The Saul of the Hebrew Testament was a tall, handsome man, head and shoulders taller than everybody else.  The Saul of the Christian Testament was a short, bald, bowlegged man, considered by most of his day as very unattractive. The first was chosen because God was giving in to what the people wanted, but did not know what they were asking.  The second was totally God’s decision for the real benefit of all human kind. 

Can any good come out of the Tribe of Benjamin?  I think it can and did. But it has to be God’s doing. God can bring good from any tribe, parish, family, or any place on earth. This includes you, no matter where you are on the planet, in Ecuador, or North Carolina, God can, and will, use you, not as a king, but as one, like Paul of Tarsus, who lived out the Gospel of love in Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter how tall you are, or your looks, language, nationality, or gender, or sexual orientation. The only thing that really matters is your devotion to the Gospel and your effort to at least try to love all people.  Praise Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 8: Year A

Romans 6:12-23 and  Matthew 10:40 to 42:

“Jesus said, “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple– truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.”” (Matthew 10: 40 to  42)

This first sentence of Jesus reminds me of a reverse Trojan Horse, on steroids.  I say reverse, because while the original Trojan Horse brought inside destruction to those who received it, we, carrying Jesus inside us, should bring grace and joy to all who receive us.

If we go forth in the Name of our Lord Jesus, we present Jesus to all whom we encounter, if we get out of the way.  We are the gift-wrapped package of Jesus.  Jesus then, is the package that contains God, like the Trojan Horse of the Greeks who secretly entered Troy.  So within each baptized Christian is hidden our Lord Jesus, and within Jesus is God Almighty. Delivering God to anyone is wonderful but especially to those who may not know God. It is the most important thing any of us can do. And we don’t do it alone.  We let go and let God; we let God work through Jesus and through us.

Now, after this opening statement, comes the “reward” language, which I don’t particularly care for.  The prophet’s reward, the righteous person’s reward, and even the compassionate person’s reward, seems to encourage us to do good in order to receive the appropriate (and expected) reward.  Let’s just be like Mary, and be God-bearers.  Mary partnered with, and co-created with God not for herself but for the salvation of the world.  Let her words resonate within ourselves, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1: 38)

All the prophets who came before our Lord Jesus preached about the love God has for his people. Jesus came and walked among us as a final testament to this prophecy. We must remember that our Lord Jesus pointed to God, not himself. Jesus teaches us to pray with the opening words, “Our Father.” This makes us sisters and brothers of Jesus and in the sharing of his body and blood, he dwells in us and we in him.  This means God is in us through our brother Jesus.  It is in this way that we are changed from whoever we think we are through our respective human families, to that divine and eternal family whose dwelling is in that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  This then is the almighty God we live by and bring to others that do not have this secret knowledge that we have. Whoever welcomes you welcomes Jesus, and whoever welcomes Jesus welcomes God.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 7: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 107:33-43 and 108:1-6; Evening, Psalm 33;
1^st Samuel 9:15 to10:1; Acts 7:30 to 43; Luke 22:39 to 51

“He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.’ Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.’ [[ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground.]]  When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial:” (Luke 22: 39 to 46).

Before I ponder about these Luke verses, I just want you to know that the bracketed verses above (43 and 44) are not found in some ancient manuscripts.  It doesn’t mean that angels weren’t there; it just means that some Luke accounts didn’t have it.

Having said that, my emphasis for these words is focused on Jesus’ regular round of prayer.  Jesus often found a quiet place to be alone and pray. We should copy this Jesus trait.  This was a Thursday evening.  Jesus has just celebrated what we call the Lord’s Supper, also known as our Holy Eucharist.  He is about to be arrested, beaten and then crucified.

If this situation was put before me, the option of running away would still be on the table. Perhaps prayer would still be there as well, but it would probably be prayer for a speedy escape.  But our Lord Jesus had you in mind.  He wanted you to be cleansed of all human sin.  The sin of jealousy, and of hatred, and of prejudice, as it was shown in Judas Iscariot and the Temple authorities, and the Romans. All human sin was packaged together and saddled on Jesus as he is taken to the cross.

His response on our behalf is prayer. He prays for the strength necessary to endure because he loves us, He literally loves us to death, even death on the Cross.  Maybe I wouldn’t run after all. After all, dying to my mortal self is not the end of my life; Thanks be to our Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, and our schools.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 7: Year 1

 Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1 to 32;
1^st  Samuel 9:1 to 14; Acts 7:17 to 29; Luke 22:31 to 38:

“He said to them, ‘But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.  For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, “And he was counted among the lawless”; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.’ They said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ He replied, ‘It is enough: (Luke 22: 36 to 38).

I have studied the Amish.  What I admire about the Amish is that they really walk their faith. Their faith however, includes pacifism. They are among the most pacifist people on the face of the earth.  Because of this they were completely decimated in Europe because of their refusal to defend themselves. They found safety in the “armed” American Colonies, Pennsylvania in particular.

The Hebrew Testament is replete with examples of God assisting the fighting efforts to fulfill God’s plan for the Israelites, and, by extension, all humanity. Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and others fought to accomplish God’s will for us today.  Now, in our Gospel reading for today, we have our Lord Jesus saying “sell what you can and buy a sword because the day is going to come that you will need it.”

The sword was the personal protection of that day. The sword was not a hunting tool which could be said of the spear or bow and arrow.  It was not used to prepare food as is a knife. No, the sword was specifically made for use as a weapon against human oppression. Today’s sword is a pistol. 

As a thirty year United States Marine, now retired but still true to what it means to be a Marine, I support the right to have and use guns as personal protection.  Some may ask how I balance being a gun owner with being a priest.  I think our Lord Jesus, speaking to the future Christian priests of the New Testament, answers that question.  “He replied, [regarding having two swords], ‘It is enough.”  Some interpreters and commentaries will try to read something else into Jesus’ words.  I say, Jesus said it, and it is, what it is. 

Let us learn from the European lesson in the history of the Amish, as well as God’s guidance with Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David and others. And let us hear what our Lord Jesus says about protecting our continued way of Christian life after His sacrifice. This is something we each must ponder with God’s help in our Sabbath time.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, and our schools.

 “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom. 

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John