Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 6: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;
1^st  Samuel 1:1 to 20; Acts 1:1 to 14; Luke 20:9 to 19:

“Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him; (1^st Samuel 1:17).

This opening of 1^st Samuel is important as it opens for us the beginnings of the prophet Samuel. But there is a lesson here about parental responsibility.  Hannah is distressed because she has not given birth to a child.  While her husband’s other wife has given birth to a few children.  So she prays for the ability to become pregnant. Eli, the priest also had sons but his sons did not follow the pattern of the parent, they were rude and gluttonous and disrespectful.  Eli did not hold them accountable. Such negligence will come back to bite him later.

While Hannah is devoted to God in her inmost self, the priest, Eli, doesn’t know her well enough to see that she is a pious woman. He assumes the worst, and he is wrong. To his credit however, when he sees his mistake, he works with God to grant her petition.

Our Church today is wrong when it takes part in judging people.  We forget that we, the Church, are not called to judge, we are called to love, and to love unconditionally. But even our Church must hold parishioners accountable less they too become rude and gluttonous and disrespectful.

As each of its members are the Church, we each must maintain accountability for how we conduct ourselves. We must listen past the surface of what we see or hear in others, and in ourselves.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday Proper 6:  Year A

Genesis 18:1-15; Psalm 116:1, 10-17; Romans 5:1-8; Matthew 9:35 to 10:23.

“When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child.” (Matthew 10: 19 and 20)  

It is very difficult to talk about a father betraying his child, especially on Father’s Day.  But it is good to remember that it is our Father in heaven that will speak through us in our time of trial.

We all face times of trial. It stresses us out.  As Father John, I am often called to be the spiritual father of many who cannot deal with the stresses of life on their own.  I have had some troubled people in counseling sessions to just stop, breathe and concentrate on a clock, or their watch.  I had them to specifically focus on the seconds.  As the seconds ticked by, I would remind them that they survived those seconds successfully.  When a minute was reached it seemed almost appropriate to celebrate, just a little.  Maybe even silently saying the Lord’s Prayer, which begins with “Our Father.” This prayer given to us by our Brother Christ helps to pass the seconds and minutes. But don’t stop noticing the seconds and minutes that tick by.  And maybe an occasional “Help Me Jesus” would fit in between prayers; tick, tock, tick tock.

On Father’s Day I am reminded of our Saint Joseph, the earthly father of our Lord Jesus.  We cannot talk about fatherhood without mentioning Joseph. Only in this Gospel according to Matthew, and Luke, do we hear the history of Jesus being born and raised. Joseph, the husband of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the best example of fatherhood there is. And even though Matthew and Luke tell the story of Joseph, neither have any words that come from the mouth of Joseph.  Joseph keeps his silence. Yet he is obedient to any and all instruction that comes from above. “Do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

If we look, we will find that while Joseph was planning to discretely dismiss Mary because she was already pregnant, an angel spoke to him and explained the that his fatherhood of Jesus was God’s plan for the salvation of all humanity, (Matthew 1). And later Joseph was told to take the baby to Egypt, and then even later return to Israel, (Matthew 2). All this Joseph did in silent obedience to God. As fathers today we are distressed but we are not to worry about how we are to speak or what we are to say. We follow Joseph’s example until the Lord gives us words.

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 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 75 and 76; Evening, Psalms 23 and 27;
Ecclesiasticus 46:1 to 10; 2^nd Corinthians 13:1 to14; Luke 20:1 to 8:

“Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever:” (Last verse of Psalm 23).

I think Psalm23 is the most famous Psalm of all. Many people know it by heart, including me.  For this evening we also have Psalm 27.  There is a related verse in it. It reads, “One thing have I asked of the Lord; one thing I seek; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life:” (from Psalm 27). There is a difference here. Psalm 23 proclaims “for ever,” whereas Psalm 27 asks for as long as the Psalmist lives.

I know it sounds petty but my requests are “eternal” requests.  I don’t know what the eternal life is like.  Do we eat food in the next life? Do we even get hungry?  Do we breathe, in the next life? Do we need air?   I am of this earth and I don’t know any other way to exist. “O God I need you to help me understand.”  I want dwell in your house regardless of what that existence is like. But I am afraid. I need your help and your counsel. Or else I am not sure I will be able to handle eternal life which I so desperately want.

“Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; have mercy on me and answer me. You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” Your face, Lord, will I seek. Hide not your face from me, nor turn away your servant in displeasure. You have been my helper; cast me not away; do not forsake me, O God of my salvation:” (Verses from Psalm 27). This is my prayer as well.

I truly feel that God is the God of my salvation.  I believe that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, for whatever that living is like. God’s ears hears my tears. And I am so thankful.  I also remind myself that God is the God of loving surprises. We must expect the unexpected.

Pray with me if you will: “Surely God’s goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and with God’s guidance, we will dwell in comfort and joy in the house of the Lord for ever, Amen:”  Thank You 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 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 69; Evening,  Psalm 73;
Ecclesiasticus  45:6 to 16; 2^nd Corinthians 12:11 to 21; Luke 19:41 to 48:

“As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, ‘If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes:” (Luke 19: 41 and 42).

We have a slightly different take on Jesus’ emotions from the Gospel of Matthew as he assessed Jerusalem; He says, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Matthew 23: 37) 

But even from our Luke version we learn that it is not so much the place, (Jerusalem), but the recognition of the events that make for peace. I borrow from Abraham Joshua Heschel in his book “Sabbath,” where he writes, “The Bible is more concerned with time than with space. It sees the world in the dimension of time. It pays more attention to generations, to events, than to countries, to things; it is more concerned with history than with geography:” (pages 6 and 7).

In February of 2018 I visited Israel for 10 days.  Our tour started in the Galilee area of Israel and concluded with Jerusalem.  I, personally, was more impressed with the events of Jesus’ baptism, healings, sermon on the Mount, changing water into wine, walking on the water, Transfiguration, the feeding of the multitude with only a few fish and loaves, his discussions with Pharisees and the woman at the well, and many other events that Jesus did in Galilee, rather than the what we did to him in Jerusalem; that is, killing him.  The whole earth is the holy land because God made the whole earth.

For me, in the Bible and in our lives today, first and foremost is the “What;” then, the “why.”   Of course then there is the “Who.” And, lastly, the “where,” becomes obvious. 

I have found that this formula works today. If we first ask what needs to be done, and then why it needs to be done, and then who should do it, we are well on our way to resolution.  The “where” will become obvious but in the end, it makes no difference.  Resolution happens where the problem is, whether its voter suppression in the South, cyber attacks or a virus from other countries, or whatever. We must ask what the problem is, why we need to resolve it, and who should lead the work with God’s help. But first, let us remember our sacred time given to us by God.

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 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 70 and  71; Evening,  Psalm 74;
Ecclesiasticus 44:19 to 45:5; 2^nd Corinthians 12:1 to10; Luke 19:28 to 40:

“And now that I am old and gray-headed, O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come:” (words from Psalm 71).

I went to our state DMV a couple of years ago to renew my driver’s license. The DMV clerk asked me to take the standard vision test and she looked at me and gave me the description of 6 feet tall, brown eyes and black hair.  Two weeks later I went back for my “Real ID Driver’s license and another clerk looked at me and gave me the description of 6 feet tall, brown eyes and gray hair.  Perhaps this truly is my “Real ID.”  I am in my seventies now.  I don’t deny it. And yes, my hair is mostly gray now. 

God has invested a lot in me all these years. And I pray, “O God, do not forsake me, till I make known your strength to this generation and your power to all who are to come:” This is in part why I write this blog.  I want people to know about God and God’s loving care for all of us, gray haired or no haired.

I practice music and much of my music is centered on hymns and spiritual songs.  My favorite is “Praise to the Lord,” it is Hymn number 390 in the 1982 Hymnal of the Episcopal Church. But I have heard it from different hymnals and from different Churches.  The third verse says in part, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, when with His love doth befriend thee.” 

I am of the English tongue. It is who I am. There is no denying it. Some people try to express who or what they are based on their skin color or ethnic ancestry. Not me. I am the language I speak. I don’t know how to even express it any other way. I am who I am. I love people of all languages.  I just happen to be an English speaker.

To take it to the next level, beyond the language I speak, I also sing in the same language. These are the hymns and songs of faith that I pass on to children and their children after them so that they too might have faith. Our reading from the Psalm 71 continues, “Therefore I will praise you upon the lyre for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing to you with the harp, O Holy One of Israel: (Words from Psalm 71). The Psalmist continues from his soul, “My lips will sing with joy when I play to you, and so will my soul, which you have redeemed: (words from Psalm 71).

I just talked about the importance of our souls yesterday. You might want to review it. Whether we are aware of it or not, our souls long for God’s salvation.  Beloved of the Lord, we must put our hope and trust in God’s Word and God’s guidance in our everyday lives, gray haired or no haired.

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 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalm 119:73 to 96;
Deuteronomy 31:30 to 32:14; 2^nd Corinthians 11:21b to 33; Luke 19:11 to 27:

 “My soul has longed for your salvation; I have put my hope in your word:” (Psalm 119:81)

I understand that Psalm 119 is patterned after the Hebrew alphabet with each alphabet having eight verses. From the letter Kaph, and in our verse 81, we have the above words, words of hope for our salvation. 

We have souls.  For far too many of us we are not in touch with our souls.  Our souls are our connection with God. It is within our souls that we have hope.

Hope, as Paul explains, is not something seen, but rather, unseen, God’s unrevealed plan for us is coming into being in spite of ourselves.  And by God’s design, we are clueless. We can never see it coming.  Paul says, “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen?  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience:” (Romans 8:24 and 25).  So, we are driving blind.  We trust in God to work God’s magic. The Israelites did not see the sea parting for their escape from the oncoming Egyptians. No one saw, or expected, God almighty to come to us as an infant.  God always surprises us, but at the same time, fulfills our hopes in ways we don’t see coming.

In my quiet moments I come into close contact with the presence of God. It is the almost, but not yet.  It is Peter, James and John at the transfiguration. It is about feeling the presence of the Almighty, the Creator of all that is, and yet, concerned about humanity, about you and me.

There really is hope for all of us.  God has implanted a soul in each of us. We are special among living creatures.  We need to be more attentive to the nudging we get from God in our daily lives. God wants good for each of us.  God wants it for us more than we want it for ourselves. Yes we hope for what is not seen and yet desired.  This too is the action of our God given souls.  I believe the hope that is in us is part of the Image of God who is the God of hope. Paul prays for us in saying, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit:” (Romans 15:13).

Whether we are aware of it or not, our souls long for God’s salvation.  My beloved of the Lord, we must put our hope and trust in God’s Word and God’s guidance in our everyday lives.

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 Tuesday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalm 68:
Deuteronomy 30:11 to 20; 2^nd Corinthians 11:1 to 21; Luke 19:1 to 10:

“Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” (Luke 19:8)

Meeting Jesus changed Zacchaeus in good ways. But this Jesus experience requires us to look deeper into what’s going on.  Zacchaeus is the only tax collector in the Bible referred to as a “Chief” tax collector.  Such a title would even further remove him from the house of Israel.

Zacchaeus says that, “if,” he has defrauded anyone he would pay it back four times as much.  This was the requirement of the Law of Moses, the upholders of which, have rejected Zacchaeus from their society.  But Zacchaeus remembers and respects the house from which he came.  From pondering this statement it is quite possible that Zacchaeus has not knowingly cheated anyone. He limited his authority to only what was required. We can’t assume that people in positions of authority are evil.  Remember, our Lord Jesus was very deliberate when he stopped under that sycamore tree and looked up at Zacchaeus and invited himself to his home.  People are not always who we think they are, but they are always who Jesus knows them to be. And that includes you.

Regardless of how the temple authorities and the people have labeled Zacchaeus, our Lord Jesus has circumvented their authority and positioned Zacchaeus in a place of honor – a place of honor that predates the Law and its often misguided interpretations. “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham: (Luke 19:9). Yes, a son to Abraham. This is a place of real honor. Jesus says something that might get past an inattentive reader. He says “salvation has come to this house.”  Yes Lord, because you are the salvation of the world and you are in his house.

Lastly Jesus says, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost,”(Luke 19:10). I think some of us are lost. But I think, like Zacchaeus, some of us are thrown away. Being thrown away also makes us lost, but let us take a page from Zacchaeus’ playbook.  Even if we are rejected from our community of faith, let us remember the practices of prayer and our baptismal covenant and commandment of loving others anyway.  Zacchaeus remembered the Law of his tradition even though he was rejected by them. Bless Zacchaeus. Bless the lost of today. Our Lord Jesus has come to seek you out.

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 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 56 and 57; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65;
Deuteronomy 30:1 to 10; 2^nd  Corinthians 10:1 to 18; Luke 18:31 to 43:

“As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’  Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him,  ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’  Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it,  praised God.” (Luke 18:35 to 43)

Jesus had just finished telling the twelve about what was going to happen to him in Jerusalem but they couldn’t see it.  This blind man asked what was happening and when he heard that it was Jesus, saw very clearly what was good for him to do regardless of the pushback from the crowd.

The crowd tried to hold him back but he was persistent. “Have mercy on me.”  Often we are denied the call of our faith through pressure from our friends, (social media, virtual or face to face). We must learn about what is good for us. We must see clearly even before we are given our moral sight back.

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”  What would you ask our Lord Jesus for if given the one opportunity?  The blind man in our passage for today just wants to be back where he was when he could see and know the difference between good and bad. He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.

Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you. Again, his cure was already in him just as ours is already in us, our faith. We must take our faith to the living Jesus who is waiting to do for us whatever we want. This blind man did and, “Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God.”  I wish we had his name. Are you following our Lord Jesus? Do we have your name?

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

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 5: Year A

Hosea 5:15-6:6; Psalm 50:7-15; Romans 4:13-25; Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26

“Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up.”  (Hosea 6:1)

I searched diligently to find words in our Gospel reading that would capture both the beginning verses and the last verses.  I could not even use the middle (Matthew 9: 14 to 17), which is left for our own reading at home. It is about new wine in new wineskins. Basically, Jesus gives us the new interpretation of all the words written before he walked among us, which is The New Testament. And even though we, in many ways, have been misdirected, Jesus is our return to grace and love. Jesus meets the very author of this Gospel, Levi, or Matthew, and gives him the words we all need to hear, “Come and follow me.”  Matthew hears the invitation,  “Come, let us return to the Lord.”  And he leaves his tax collector booth and follows our Lord Jesus.

The second part of our Gospel follows the power of faith as it is witnessed by a synagogue official concerned about his daughter who has died, and a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years. 

The synagogue official would be someone well versed in the Hebrew tradition and teachings. But faith in what he sees in our Lord Jesus makes him realize that Jesus is truly the summation of all he has learned. So he comes to Jesus in a desperate effort to restore his daughter.

The words “unexpected opportunities” come to my mind here. In our Cursillo Reunion group the question often asked is, “with what unexpected opportunities has the Lord accomplished through you?” This question has given me cause for concern.  If a situation is unexpected, meaning, we didn’t see it coming, how can it then be an opportunity?  But Jesus shows me, shows us, how we are to deal with unexpected opportunities. When a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years, and who has sought help from physicians to no avail, now places all her hopes on Jesus. While Jesus is focused on the synagogue leader’s daughter, he pauses to help in an unexpected opportunity. This woman needed Jesus. This faith of hers, makes her well. Jesus uses the faith in us to heal us.

The tax collector, the leader of the synagogue and the bleeding woman, as well as you and I, must see our life situation as fixable only through our Lord Jesus.  “Come, let us return to the Lord; for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us; he has struck down, and he will bind us up.” Perhaps this is new wine in new wineskins.

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 the Saturday of Proper 4: Year 1:

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening,  Psalms 138, and  139:1-17:
Deuteronomy 29:2 to 15; 2nd Corinthias 9:1to15; Luke 18:15 to 30

“You stand assembled today, all of you, before the Lord your God—the leaders of your tribes, your elders, and your officials, all the men of Israel, your children, your women, and the aliens who are in your camp, both those who cut your wood and those who draw your water— to enter into the covenant of the Lord your God, sworn by an oath, which the Lord your God is making with you today; in order that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I am making this covenant, sworn by an oath, not only with you who stand here with us today before the Lord our God, but also with those who are not here with us today:” (Deuteronomy 29:10 to 15)

While this is a huge bite from Deuteronomy, it packs a lot to ponder. We Christians “stand here,” attending our Churches and at some point in the service, we recite our statement of belief, our Nicene Creed.  We have priests, we have our bishop, we have our Deacons for our Deaneries. In us you have the leaders of our tribe, the elders and officials of our faith in this Diocese.

As the Baptized, all of us, (lay and ordained), have entered into a covenant with God through our Lord Jesus.  We have those among us who are not as sold on our faith as we are.  And while they do not cut our wood and draw our water, they look to us whom they assume to be knowledgeable about Godly living. We have a responsibility of faithful leadership, Christian or not.

Here is an amazing thing. Moses says to the people and to us, that God says, “I am making this covenant, sworn by an oath, not only with you who stand here with us today before the Lord our God, but also with those who are not here with us today,” (Deuteronomy 29:14 and 15).  We are those of whom Moses speaks when he says, “those not (yet) here with us today.”  Moses reminds us of the promise, the covenant, that began with Abraham and is still our call today of a promised land. We are the honest pied pipers of those who believe, and those who say they do not believe. God wants all people in the courts of heaven. You and I are not to judge. We are called to listen, learn, love, live, and lead.  This is what Abraham did. This is what Moses did. And this is what we are also called to do. Lay or ordained, it makes no difference.  All that matters is love for God and our neighbor, all neighbors.

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