John Thomas Frazier

Pondering for Saturday, January 8, 2022

Daily Office Readings for January 8: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 117 and 118; Evening, Psalm 112 and 113;
Exodus 17:1 to 7; Colossians 1:15 to 23; John 7:37 to 52:

“They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’ (John 7: 52)

The “they” in this exchange are the Pharisees. They are jumping on Nicodemus for asking, “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” The Pharisees did not know the whole story of our Lord Jesus. He in fact was born in Bethlehem. But I say even beyond his birth place, they should have taken in for consideration his compassion and deeds of power. Sometimes they, and we, have our minds so fixed on what we think God is doing that we don’t leave room for what God is really doing.

I visited Galilee in February of 2018. I loved Galilee more than Jerusalem and Judea. Galilee is where our Lord Jesus began his ministry. Galilee is where our Lord Jesus called his disciples to follow him. Capernaum is the first place Jesus went of his own free will and accord. He was born in Bethlehem, taken to Egypt as a baby, and then taken to Nazareth where he was raised to adulthood. But of his own choice he went to Capernaum where he met fishermen.

The Pharisees want to accuse even the temple police of being deceived. Nicodemus will be seen again at the end of this Gospel account bringing ointment for the dead body of Jesus. Nicodemus was a closet disciple. Many of us are as well. I pray that we come out of the closet of denial and stand boldly in the faith, the faith that proclaims Christ as Lord and God’s salvation plan for us all.

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

Pondering for Friday, January 7, 2022

Daily Office Readings for January 7: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 103: Evening, Psalms 114 and 115:

Deuteronomy 8:1 to 3: Colossians 1:1 to 14: John 6:30 to 33 and 48 to 51

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)

From the Gospel according to John we learn of God’s plan for us through Jesus who is to give us eternal life through a human body which is the very Word of God, and where the Holy Spirit of God is pleased to dwell in His human body. It sounds confusing.

Perhaps this fulfills the prophetic word of our Deuteronomy reading for today where we are told, “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

So we must feed on the material food of this world to fortify our material bodies. But this material world is a temporary world, not an eternal one. Jesus, born into our created material world through a human mother whose pregnancy was made manifest by the eternal Holy Spirit, makes possible our eternal life through that same Holy Spirit. Yes, it sounds confusing, but I want it. How about you? To get it we must believe it and live it out in our daily lives.

“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.

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

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

Pondering for Thursday, January 6, 2022

Eucharistic Readings for the Epiphany: Years A, B, and C

Isaiah 60:1 to 6; Psalm 72:1 to 7 and10 to 14; Ephesians 3:1 to 12; Matthew 2:1 to 12:

“In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2: 1and 2)

I find it amazing that a non-Jewish people, albeit a studied group of ancient scientist, came to the realization that an astronomical power favored a human existence and pointed the way through their studies – the stars – to where this special existence is taking place. It should not surprise us however because the same thing happened with the shepherds. In Luke’s Gospel account, Shepherds tending their flocks were visited in their vocation by celestial beings who pointed to where God was at work in that same baby. (Luke 2)

These wise men of Matthew’s Gospel account let go of any ethnic pride they might have had in order to see what God was doing regardless of what people it was happening. This meant they had to go where their studies led them, in this case to Judea and specifically, to Bethlehem. If we are wise people today we must do like-wise. God can appear in any people, anywhere at any time. Here’s the thing, God always “points” to where God is. And God often does this within the very way we make a living. We just have to be aware and follow the clues no matter where they lead. The clues may lead to the incarcerated, the terminally ill, to non-English speakers or even to people we don’t particularly like. Moses was led back to Egypt where he was guilty of murder. But he followed the instructions of the burning bush that pointed him back to Egypt.

The Always is, (clue-dropping) God, loves us and is trying to add light to our lives. This is the theme of Epiphany, the season of light. As light is added to coming light in this season after the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere, let us follow God’s leading light wherever it may lead as we too go in search of what God is doing for us today in this new year of 2022.

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

Pondering for Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Today is the Twelfth Day of Christmas

Readings for Morning Prayer, December 5^th: Year 2

Psalm 2, 110:1 to 5;
Joshua 2:2 to 9; Ephesians 6:10 to 20; John 11:17 to 27 and 38 to 44:

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6: 14 to 17)

St Paul has placed many gifts under our Christmas Tree right before it’s taken down; the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for walking the Gospel, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Wow, he has given us many last day Christmas gifts.

Above all, let us take the Word of God as our guiding light forever. Merry Christmas: Day 12

Let us strive to maintain the light of Christ in the world all year long. Merry Christmas: Day 11

Let us always listen, learn, love and lead with the mind of Christ. Merry Christmas: Day 10

I pray that we too may come to the realization that we should not have any pride in our so-called racial make-up, but be happy and thankful for being children of God. Merry Christmas: Day 9

May your Christened name be blessed forever. Merry Christmas; Day 8

We thank you Lord Jesus for being born like us, for us, and saving us. Merry Christmas: Day 7

If being forgiven is the greatest gift we can ever receive from someone, then it is also the greatest gift we can ever give to someone. Merry Christmas: Day 6

It is an extraordinary gift we have, to believe. All Christians need to live into what we believe. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe. Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death. Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead. Merry Christmas: Day 1

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

Pondering for Tuesday, January 4, 2022

Today is the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for January 4^th: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 85 and 87; Evening, Psalm 136;

Joshua 3:14 to 4:7; Ephesians 5:1 to 20; John 9:1 to 12 and 35 to 38:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9: 5)

The Gospel of John opens with words explaining that Jesus, the Logos of God, He is the Word of God and the Light of the world. This light is more than just visual illumination. The light of Christ is a moral plumb line into right behavior; a plumb line by which we can adjust ourselves. It is as the Christmas song says, being good for goodness sake.