Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 21: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;

Hosea 4:1 to10; Acts 21:1 to 14; Luke 5:12 to 26

“Once, when he was in one of the cities, there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” (Luke 5: 12)

Therein lays our biggest dilemma.  What does our Lord Jesus choose to do?  Many of us want to be made well.  For many of us, our emotional troubles are as obvious as the physical sores of leprosy.  When we pray, do we even think of the possibility that our Lord Jesus might not choose?

The man with leprosy expressed his humility by first bowing down to the ground.  This is an outward and visible sigh of his totally giving up of himself to Jesus. He said to Jesus, “Lord, if you choose, you can make me clean.” The man held nothing back, knowing full well that it was completely up to Jesus. Jesus was so moved by the man’s surrender that he actually reached out and touched the man.  Perhaps, in more ways than one, he probably touched his heart also.  And when Jesus saw the man’s complete handing over his life to God he had compassion for him and said, “I do choose. Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him.” (Luke 5: 13)

Today we don’t have to lie down prone, prostrating ourselves in such a physical way, although I know of at least one monastic order that does this as a part of taking their life vows. But we are still required to give up ourselves totally to God.  And we must understand that God may not choose to cleanse us in this mortal life.  But let us not be so concerned about a mortal cleansing.  Instead, let us be more concerned about eternal salvation, that is, the immortality that is to come through faith and with it a healthy and complete existence in the next realm.

 Eternal salvation means being in Paradise with our Lord and savior Jesus Christ for all eternity.  This is what we really want, and it is what we really want our Lord Jesus to choose to do for us.  How welcome will be the words from our Lord Jesus when he says, “I do choose [you].” Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep Ukraine in your prayers, our prayers are making a real difference.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 21: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 89: 1 to 18; Evening, Psalm 89: 19 to 52

Hosea 2:14 to 23; Acts 20:17 to 38; Luke 5:1 to 11

“You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions.”  (Acts 20:34)

I think Paul sets a good example for all people in any ministry in these words, that is, to work a regular job and still study and educate people in the Way of the Lord and in the teachings of the Gospel.  This message is not just for ordained persons, it is for any of us who feed the homeless; for those of us who weave prayer shawls; for those of us who have a ministry of driving people to pick up their meds; for those of us who teach Sunday School, and yes, for those of us who are also ordained clergy. I am aware that in a large, main-line Christian denomination, parishioners as well as the clergy themselves, insist on being steadfast in their vocation as pastor.  When I told my spiritual advisor, while still in seminary, that I desired to be a “working priest” he honestly told me that if he was on a search committee he would not even consider me for a clergy position.  That was in 2004.

Today, as the Episcopal Church is reinventing itself, the idea of the working priest, or “bi-vocational” priest is definitely on the table for consideration, especially for our smaller parishes.  There are more benefits to this idea than one might think.  How nice it is to stand before people on Sunday morning conducting the service and your congregants are well aware that you too have worked the whole week just as they have.  And, that working priest then demonstrates pledging and giving to the poor as well.  Paul also says in our reading for today, “In all this I have given you an example that by such work we must support the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, for he himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:36)

I think that people who work in needed secular occupations enhance their lives by also participating in various Christian ministries.  It should not be one in place of the other.  This should be both/and, not either/or.  Perhaps the only exception should be a bishop who is the chief pastor of a diocese which by its size and nature becomes his or her primary vocation.  But even to this occupation such clergy might be inclined to teach a Christian Education class as a side contribution. We all should work in community for the maintenance of that community.  A smart person once told me that “everybody can’t be in the cart, somebody is going to have to get out and help push.” Paul says, “You know for yourselves that I worked with my own hands to support myself and my companions.”  I think these two messages are the same.  Proclaiming the Word should be in addition to work, not instead of work.

Please keep Ukraine in your prayers, our prayers are making a difference.

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

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 21: Year C

Amos 6:1a,4-7; Psalm 146; 1st Timothy 6:6-19; Luke 16:19-31

“He called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames.”   (Luke 16:24)

Referring to another Gospel may be a bit off but when I get what I believe to be related messages I like to call attention to it.  In the Gospel according to Matthew we hear Jesus tell Peter, “ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19); and again the same words in Matthew 18:18 (Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.)

The rich man in the Gospel according to Luke experiences this.  He could not let go of his privileged status.  He assumes that because he was important on earth, he is important in heaven.  His world is turned upside down.  He thinks so much of himself that even in his dire situation he will not speak with Lazarus directly.  He thinks himself above Lazarus.  What he bound on earth has stuck with him in heaven and is witnessed against him.

While you and I are still in this life on earth we have the opportunity to have “loosed” whatever is going to hinder us in heaven.  We must humble ourselves now so that when that time comes (and it will) we will be on the good side of that great chasm from which no one can cross even if we can talk over it as Father Abraham and the rich man did.

The closer our joys and pains are to each other, the less difference it makes if our world is turned upside down.  We should live our lives in moderation. We should appreciate having what we need and at the same time care for those in need as we are able to do so. It is better that we all live safe and comfortable lives than to be so polarized that while a few live very well, a great many suffer hunger and hardship. The Holy Spirit cautions us that the Lazarus of this world could witness against us in the next.

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

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 20: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 87 and 90; Evening,  Psalm 136

Hosea 1:1 to 2:1; Acts 20:1-16; Luke 4:38-44

“After the uproar had ceased, Paul sent for the disciples; and after encouraging them and saying farewell, he left for Macedonia.  When he had gone through those regions and had given the believers much encouragement, he came to Greece” (Acts 20:1 and 2).

To encourage a person is to build their self esteem.  It is to make them confident in their vocation, occupation, faith, and civic duty. In this reading Paul encourages his disciples and others as he travels. First, he encourages his disciples, and then he encourages the people of Macedonia.  He is full of the “lifting up” language.

We have so many people around us everywhere today that need encouragement.  This encouragement does not mean only saying nice things to people who agree with you.  It means giving hopeless people hope.  I am again reminded of a poor woman who came to our parish while I was leading a meeting.  I excused myself to let the woman know that I couldn’t see her at the moment but shortly I would be able to attend to her.  In her urgency, she asked “has this church ever “hoped” anyone.”  I was confused at first.  I then realized that she was using an improper past tense of the word “help.”  She wanted to know if we had ever helped anyone before. Apparently she didn’t want to wait for me if we didn’t tend to help, particularly financially.  As it turned out she did not stay.  But her word did stay with me.

We Christians are to “hope” the hopeless.  Hope is not a verb, at least in its normal use.  But I would like to change that.  Can we not “hope” people?  By this I mean encourage people; give people hope.  Remember, we should not necessarily look only for the like-minded people.  Let’s move our encouragement to all those who are human, and so, created in the universal and internationally diverse Image of God, regardless of their political or religious belief . Let’s lift them up, encourage them, and give them hope, let’s hope them. Amen.

Please continue to keep Ukraine in your prayers. The world is watching, and so is God.  Let’s Hope Ukraine.

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

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 20: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalms  91, and 92:

 Esther 8:1 to  8, and 15 to 17; or Judith 13:1 to 20; Acts 19:21to 41; and  Luke 4:31 to 37

“If therefore Demetrius and the artisans with him have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open, and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges there against one another. If there is anything further you want to know, it must be settled in the regular assembly. For we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.’ When he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.”  (Acts 19: 38 to 41)

The unnamed “town clerk” calls for order and rational conduct in accordance with established protocols. Perhaps he is concerned for people and their property on both sides of the argument.  Where is our town clerk of today?

The better question should be, where are our clergy?  Hey!, that’s me.  Like the town clerk, clergy are called to be outside of the political fray and seek order and peaceful resolutions. Clergy must also remember, and be an advocate for all sides of human oppression or discrimination.  Sure, let us be there for minorities and women, but we must also advocate for white men and police persons too.  Too often in our zeal for corrective action we allow the pendulum to swing too far to the other side. 

Maybe more attention should also be given to scientific evidence regarding climate change.  This subject should not be considered a political agenda, but rather, an earth agenda. The town clerk in our Acts reading is one of their own but takes a stand in order to calm things down.  Today, in America, people are protesting which too often morphs into rioting that destroys family businesses.  The town clerk tells his own people that “we are in danger of being charged with rioting today, since there is no cause that we can give to justify this commotion.”  Maybe I should be doing more of this kind of work.  Town clerk or town clergy, more of us need to step up and take a stand against rioting and vandalism. As I write these words I will ponder more deeply what the Holy Spirit of God is saying to me about these matters. I invite you to do the same.

Please keep Ukraine in your prayers.

“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 is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 20: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 146 and 147; Evening, Psalms 85, and 86:

Esther 7:1 to 10 or Judith 12:1 to 20; Acts 19:11 to 20; Luke 4:14 to 30

“Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, ‘Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.’ And the king said, ‘Hang him on that” (Esther 7:9), and also:

 “She [Judith] came close to his bed, took hold of the hair of his head, and said, ‘Give me strength today, O Lord God of Israel!’ Then she struck his neck twice with all her might, and cut off his head” (Judith 13: 7 and 8).

I have deliberately skipped over the Esther and Judith readings these past days for two reasons.  The first, is that I am so fascinated with what was happening in the Acts of the apostles.  The second, is that I wanted to wait until the climatic parts of these two Hebrew women’s stories came into view; the parts where they cause the destruction of evil men. I did skip ahead with Judith.  The part that I share from Judith today is actually from tomorrow’s reading of Judith.  But I wanted to bring these two stories together to show these two faithful and powerful women.

Sometimes we overlook how God works through us in sometimes wrathful ways.  Haman (Esther) and Holofernes (Judith), were self-serving men of position.  Interestingly, there are other-serving  eunuchs (considered less than men due to their mutilations), in both stories.  These eunuchs play important roles in the fulfillment of God’s wrath (albeit in Judith’s case, not awares).

We tend to play to our strengths, sometimes as if we had no weaknesses. But we do indeed.  And God is aware of our weaknesses.  Arrogance blinds us to our weaknesses.  Often God uses those, thought to be weak by our calculations, to illumine for us our short comings, our weaknesses. I don’t think such illumination is to our death, but it is often emotionally painful. We should use it as a growth moment.

Esther, Judith and the respective eunuchs are examples of God using the weak to overcome the strong.  These stories are similar to the David and Goliath story of 1^st Samuel 17.  God is never concerned about human strength, position or power.  God loves us and God wins every time.  

Please continue to keep Ukraine in your prayers. The world is watching, and so is God.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 20: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:97 to 120;and  Evening, Psalms 81and 82;

Esther 6:1 to 14; or Judith 10:1 to 23; Acts 19:1 to 10;  Luke 4:1 to 13

“He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. When some stubbornly refused to believe and spoke evil of the Way before the congregation, he left them, taking the disciples with him, and argued daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” (Acts 19: 8 and 9)

Paul shows that there are some people that just won’t believe. And we know that this is still true today. The only thing we can do in such a situation is leave.  I would add that we should still keep them in prayer.  But is serves no good purpose to stay and argue for the sake of arguing.

This type of arguing brings up another important problem to deal with.  And that is, the “speaking evil of,” about the Way.  I think it is okay to, “not agree,” but why do people then have to demean those whom they don’t agree with?  I think it was Patrick Henry or Evelyn Beatrice Hall,  who said, “I disapprove of what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”  Regardless of who first said it, the greater point is the respect of the speaker without a sense of contempt for the speaker.  I often tell my listeners that whatever they believe, it is what it is for right now.  In an hour, or a year, it could change or evolve.  It has, and continues to be so for me.  We are all a work in progress. We must be patient and respectful of one another.  We are all created in the Image of God. 

Like Paul and his disciples, we can take our arguments elsewhere and continue.  I really like being a citizen of these United States.  Sometimes I forget that we are a country of fifty United States. That means that different states have different values and priorities.  And even those priorities and values change over time.  We can stay where we are and strive for incremental change and improvement, or we can move to where likeminded people already live.  We are a free country under one federal system where our vote rules.  We elect our state Governors, representatives and senators based on the majority of our values and then continue to argue for an even better life.  We don’t all agree on any particular issue but hopefully, we don’t, (or will stop), lowering ourselves to demeaning those who differ from us.  We must be open to God appearing in them, and in their words also.

Please continue to keep Ukraine in your prayers.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 20: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 78;  1 to 39; Evening, Psalm 78:40 to 72;

Esther 5:1 to14 or Judith 8:9 to17, 9:1, 9 to7-10; Acts 18:12 to 28; Luke 3:15to 22

“He began to speak boldly in the synagogue; but when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained the Way of God to him more accurately.  And when he wished to cross over to Achaia, the believers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him. On his arrival he greatly helped those who through grace had become believers, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus.” (Acts 18: 26 to 28)

Apollos spoke boldly in the synagogue but with limited and often incorrect understanding.  However, he was smart enough to listen to good counsel.  We all could benefit from the example of Apollos.  If we think we know it all and are opposed to listening to others, we could err in our speaking and in some cases, do more harm than good.

Perhaps the best way to practice our faith is to live a life of life-long learning.  I know that for me, seminary showed me how much I did not know. Sense seminary I have continued my theological studies.  Education for Ministry (EfM), a program of study from the School of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee, continues to be a good source of Christian education for me. While EfM is a four year program, I am an EfM mentor and therefore I continue to learn every year as I mentor participants in the program.  Also, clergy conferences, and Bible studies as well as one on one dialogue with people who God put in my path, helps me to learn more and more. 

All of this informs my understanding of what God is doing in the world, and in my own life.  I just have to follow Apollo’s’ example and listen to the people God sends to me.  How about you?

Please continue to keep Ukraine in your prayers.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 20:Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm  77:

Esther 4:4 to 17 or Judith 7:1 to 7 and 19 to 32; Acts 18:1 to 11; and Luke (1:1-4),3:1-14

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”  (Luke 3: 1 and 2)

 Wow!, Really? Look at all the prestigious titles of human achievement exhibited here.  We have Emperor of Rome, Tiberius by name.  We have Pontius Pilate as Governor of all Judea. We have the puppet king Herod, called the king of Galilee, and his brother Philip who lost his wife to his brother Herod as witnessed by John The Baptist.  Philip was the ruler of two small sections of the occupied Palestinian area of Judea; and we have Lysaniaas, ruler of Abilene.  In addition to these, self absorbed government rulers, we have the self absorbed clergy also, Annas and Caiaphas as high priests. 

Now, here is the striking part; The Word of God by-passes all of these self-absorbed men, and goes to the selfless John hanging out in the wilderness sustaining himself on whatever the earth can provide.  He is the empty cup that God can fill because he has room to be filled.  The lesson here is that if we are full of ourselves, there is no room for God. A good friend of mine informed me a few years ago that EGO means Edging God Out. Let us keep in ourselves a holy space for God to dwell.

I ask that we also make room in our prayer life to lift up Ukraine.

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

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 20: Year C

1 Timothy 2:1 to7;  Luke 16:1to13

“He answered, ‘A hundred jugs of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it fifty.”  (Luke 16:6)

In this world of the power of money we should always remember to let compassion for others rule over the cash of others. I think we only created money so that trade for much needed items could be acquired with a less perishable medium.  Live stock, olive oil, grain, fish, fruit and other food items will not hold up for long.  Currency in the form of coins, on the other hand, will often last a lifetime, and can even be handed down to following generations. But money was always about the ability to take care of the needs of the family and community.  This was the idea of people fulfilling their needs and not so much about profit. Money was the means to a needed end.

Then we began to make money the end, rather than the means. We began to pursue money for its own end.  Money soon began to be the object of worship. People with little or no money were regarded as people of little or no value. We somehow forgot that money was just a tool for getting what we need. We forgot we needed each other more than the goods that money would buy. We forgot about being good to those who had less wealth than we did. We should always consider our own fallen state. We are no better than the people we manage or those who have less money than we do. No amount of money advances us in God’s eyes.

After his exposure, the crafty manager in our Gospel lesson wants to be remembered for how he put money aside in order to help his neighbors. Right now, today, we are creating the memory that others will have of us. Our priorities will be evidenced by where we put people in relation to wealth. We can’t have it both ways.  We can’t serve God and money. 

This decision to be nice to people only came about when the shrewd manager was told about the accounting that was about to take place. This “accounting” is going to take place with every one of us.  This, now, is a good time for a review of my personal creed again: “I trust in the Creating Word, through the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word, in whom we live and move and love and have our being, and to whom we must give an account.”  And give an account, we all must.

Now is the time to do what is necessary to be welcomed into the hearts and homes of our fellow travelers. My message to you is not to discount money, but rather, to remind us that money is made for us to use in order to purchase what we need to live on, in order that we, and our houses of worship, being sustained, we might be better enabled to worship God, not the money itself.  This is the trust we have in the Creating Spirit and Word that will enable us to give a good account when our time comes.

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