Author: John Thomas Frazier

Part 1 of 2

Daily Office Readings for Sunday of Proper 25: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 63:1 to 8, and Psalm 98; Evening,  Psalm 103;
Haggai 1:1 to 2:9; Acts 18:24 to 19:7; Luke 10:25 to 37:

“Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?’ He said, ‘The one who showed him mercy.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do likewise.” (Luke 10: 36 and 37)

This is the conclusion of the parable of the Good Samaritan. Most of us Christians have heard this parable. It starts with the lawyer who is trying to get out of caring for people not like himself.  “Who is my neighbor?” he asks.  Jesus tells him of both a Levite and a priest who pass the injured man by, not wanting to chance touching someone who may be dead and defile themselves, and so be excluded from temple worship. But the Samaritan truly put compassion before Church, The message of the Church is to have compassion for all people. The Samaritan got it. And he did it. How about us?  Hearing the parable is one thing.  Going, and doing likewise, is another.

Part 2 of 2

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 25: Year B

Hebrews 7:23 to 28 and Mark 10:46 to 52  (Reprinted from April 4, 2020)

“So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.” (Mark 10:50)

This is the healing story of blind Bartimaeus son of Timaeus who asks for his sight again.  What is often kind of glossed over is Bartimaeus throwing off his cloak.  Think about it, if you are blind you become well aware of keeping up with things so that you can put your hands on it again. I have my sight and still, I lose things all the time, my keys, my phone, my glasses, many things.

Bartimaeus, knowing he has the opportunity to stand (or kneel) before our Lord Jesus, throws off his cloak.  He lets go of his “security blanket” knowing that being before Jesus will make all things new and secure.

The same is true for us today. The only way we can put our whole trust in our Lord Jesus is to let go of false security.  Our Lord Jesus asks us today, What is it that we want Him to do for us?  What say yee? 

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 24: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 30 and 32; Evening, Psalms 42 and 43;
Ezra 4:7 and 11 to 24; Philemon 1 to 25; Matthew 12:33 to 42:

“My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living God; when shall I come to appear before the presence of God?” (Psalm 42:2)

While all the readings for today have good messages of sound ministry, sometimes I find that the words in a Psalm more readily resonate with me. Verse 2 of Psalm 42 speaks of how my soul longs for the Lord. My cloaked or veiled soul is struggling to be in the presence of God. But as my soul approaches the Holy Presence of God, it brings the rest of me with it. This makes me nervous.

My day to day life is not perfect. I sometimes do stupid stuff, stuff I regret.  My life during this time is the day time of my life.  And at my passing, I will enter my night time. This understanding makes me ponder about verse 10 of Psalm 42:  “The Lord grants his loving-kindness in the daytime; in the night season his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.” (Psalm 42: 8 or 10 Depending on Translation)

Every morning I play and sing hymns to my God.  These hymns go to bed with me every night. I keep this discipline as it feeds my soul. My soul that is athirst for God, athirst for the living God. I can often feel the heaviness of my soul. It might even cause a rise in my blood pressure. I too ask myself, “Why are you so full of heaviness, O my soul? and why are you so disquieted within me?” (Psalm 42). May my soul, as it speaks to God, it also struggles to make me behave and live the most godly life I can.

So, as we try to listen to God, It might be good to listen to our souls as they try to bring us to God. After all, God has given us our souls as the God-spark which guides us along right pathways for His Namesake, (Psalm 23).  My advice to all is to: “Put your trust in God; for I will yet give thanks to him, who is the help of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42: last verse)

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 24: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 31; Evening, Psalm 35;
Ezra 3:1 to 13; 1^st  Corinthians, 16:10 to 24; Matthew 12:22 to 32:

“When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the Lord with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever towards Israel.’ And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.”  (Ezra 3: 10 and 11)

This brick and mortar foundation reminds me of my spiritual foundation which was laid in me in my early elementary years at Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic School.  The Sisters there spoke of the steadfast love of God that endures forever. I remember liking and needing that very much.

The priests and the sisters dressed everyday in their vestments and in fact did station themselves at designated points throughout the school awaiting our arrival every day.  This spiritual foundation would not be realized until I reached my late twenties.  So while a spiritless edifice was built on top of my spiritual foundation, it crumbled over time because of bad decisions, but the foundation held strong. It is of the upmost importance to have a strong spiritual foundation established as early in life as possible.

It was not my parents that built my spiritual foundation, but rather the priests and sisters of St Vincent.  I had some sad moments at this school as well; there was unfair treatment of me first, and then my sister later as she caught up with me during my repeat of second grade.  But the love of the sisters and the priests far over shadowed the cruelty of the one lay teacher who I found out later, didn’t care for my mother and made my sister and me her way of revenge.

At a point in my life when my first marriage was failing I asked a friend about seeing a priest.  He told me that I could talk to his priest. I informed him that he was not catholic and therefore could not have a priest.  He said, “follow me.”  He took be to St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Memphis, Tennessee, where I was eventually baptized. I did not know of priest outside of Roman Catholicism, and now I am one. There is nothing more important than establishing a strong spiritual foundation in our children. Later in life it will save them even if they drift away for a while. Now, let us drift into a Holy Sabbath.

“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

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 24: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 37:1 to18; Evening,  Psalm 37:19 to 42;
Ezra 1:1 to 11; 1^st Corinthians 16:1 to 9; Matthew 12:15 to 21:

“On the first day of every week, each of you is to put aside and save whatever extra you earn, so that collections need not be taken when I come. And when I arrive, I will send any whom you approve with letters to take your gift to Jerusalem:” (1^st Corinthians 16: 2 and 3).

Thus Paul begins the Sunday collection. Sunday has always been known as the First Day of the Week.  And so, we Christians, meet together for our traditional morning worship of our Lord Jesus, as we should.  This is a morning in remembrance of the Resurrection of our Lord so it truly is a re-living of Easter every week throughout the year.  But it is also a weekly collection of the fruits of our labors, that is, some of our money.  And we should do this also. Our Church needs money to pay its bills and staff including its clergy and administrative support. But Sunday is work, not a Sabbath Day in my humble opinion. The Sabbath should still be acknowledged and set aside on the Seventh Day, Saturday. However, I am aware that we have grown away from this.

In our readings for today they all seem to have either a money component or an invitation to the Gentiles, that is the Nations, to come and believe in the One True God. And in the case of the Gospel, to follow our Lord Jesus, to include the Gentiles.

Let us start with money and the Holy Place.  After king Cyrus takes over from king Nebuchadnezzar he assists the Israelites by letting them rebuild the house of the Lord with whatever money of the day that they needed. He says, “and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem:” (Ezra 1: 4). Cyrus is not an Israelite himself,. He is a Persian, of the nations or Gentiles outside of Israel. And then we have Paul.  Paul tells the Church in Corinth in our New Testament reading to collect early so as to expedite the transfer of money to Jerusalem, that city that kills the Prophets. (Luke 13: 34)

In the Gospel according to Matthew, our Lord Jesus knows what the Pharisees are up to and keeps his distance. He does his works of healing and salvation from the fringes and so opens himself to the Gentiles, the Nations. We too are called to care for those outside ourselves. And we are not to value money in any of its forms more than we value God or the body of Christ, that is, the Church. When it comes to the love of Jesus our Lord, there is no “us/them.”  All believers are one body in Christ Jesus. Nothing separates us, not ethnicity, nor country of origin or its language, nor sex or its orientations, and certainly not money. We are a believing body of both the rich and the poor together.

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

Morning, Psalm 38; Evening, Psalm 119:25 to 48;
Lamentation  2:8 to 15; 1^st Corinthians 15:51 to 58; Matthew 12:1 to 14:

“Listen, I will tell you a mystery! We will not all die,but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed:” (1^st Corinthians 15: 51 and 52).

I know Paul is talking about the rising to life again in Christ Jesus.  However, there is also a mystery in the change we go through when enlightened by sitting through thoughtful prayer with colleagues around the subject of Church mission. This is the experience I had last night here at clergy retreat.

The night before last night, I was again affirmed of my call to educate people, that is, to be a pastor-teacher.  I love coaching people in “How” to think, but not what to think. Last night we talked about taking the Church “out” to others. This is not done to bring them in, although we would surely welcome them as part of our family. No, we should go out to those in need in order to “hear” exactly what they need, according to them. We should not go out to them to tell them what they need, for example food.  We always want to feed people, even if their stomachs are full.

It was brought to my attention last night that if we only ask people in need, what they need, we might get answers like clothing, underwear, coats, toilet items, tampons, deodorant, even an occasional comic book to read in order to take their minds off their troubles. So the first thing should always be dialogue. Ask and they will tell us.

If we ask, we will be changed also. We will die to our old selves and be changed into the true loving servants that God in Christ Jesus wants us to be.  It is not about making the needy need us; it is about us making them to be not needy.  And then, for me at least, it is about more dialogue to get them to some kind of place of independence through education and training. I am reminded of the old saying, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for today; teach him to fish and you have fed him for life.” To this I add, that I must first ask him what his way of fishing might look like. That is, how might he think himself best suited to participate in community vocationally? Then I am best able to find the resources to get him “fishing,” his way.

The key is dialogue. Then, as Paul says, “in the twinkling of an eye,” the person once thought dead to society will be transformed. He or she will have dignity again. And he or she will have it in this life before that last trumpet will sound. Thank You Lord Jesus.

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

Morning, Psalm 26 and 28; Evening,  Psalm 36 and 39:
Lamentations 1:1to12; 1^st Corinthians 15:41 to 50; Matthew 11:25 to 30:

“It is sown a physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.  Thus it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  But it is not the spiritual that is first, but the physical, and then the spiritual.”  (1^st Corinthians 15: 44 to 46)

Paul shares with us what he presents as facts; that is, if there is a physical body then there is a spiritual body attached to it.  Really?  He says, “in fact,” our physical bodies are first and then we get the spiritual bodies or presence. Do animals have a spiritual presence as well? I don’t know.  Do all people have a spiritual presence?  I don’t know that either.

What I do know is that when I meditate quietly and alone, I feel the presence of the Other, the Holy Other! Maybe this is where mystics and contemplatives enjoy a richer spirituality than the less meditative personas.  The truth is however, we all, as humans, can receive this.  It is said of  Evelyn Underhill, Twentieth century Theologian and Mystic (June 15,1941), that her “most valuable contribution to spiritual literature must surely be her conviction that the mystical life is not only open to a saintly few, but to anyone who cares to nurture it and weave it into everyday experience:” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for June 15).

If we study Paul’s and Underhill’s teachings, any of us can make use of our spiritual bodies now.  Yes, we were given our physical bodies first. But, being Baptized into the Death and Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ, we also have our spiritual bodies. Both Paul and Evelyn were followers and learners of our Lord Jesus. So are we as Christians of today.  Too many Christian ascribe meditation and mysticism to Mid Eastern and Far Eastern faith traditions. We Christians have a contemplative tradition handed down to us from our Lord Jesus as He Himself often went to a quiet place to pray.

As I write these words, I myself am in a cottage, called the Pelican House, as part of the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina and situated on the North Carolina coast touching the Atlantic Ocean.  I can hear the waves and the wind as I am writing these words. I am here with other clergy for our annual clergy conference that we have had to cancel in the past due to Covid. These mornings and evenings while on my breaks I make time to be with my Lord and God.  I breathe deeply and slowly, and relax into the spiritual comfort of my own spirit and the Holy Spirit of my Creator and Lord.  Thank You Lord Jesus. Wherever you are, settle down into some quiet time and be still, and know yourself, as explained by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, to be a spiritual being who is also learning to be the human animal.

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

Morning, Psalm 25; Evening, Psalms 9 and 15;
Jeremiah 44:1 to 14; 1^st Corinthians 15:30 to 41; Matthew 11:16 to 24:

“But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”  (1^st Corinthians 15:35)

I have talked about this subject not more than two days ago, last Saturday in fact.  I don’t know the answer about how the dead are raised but what I do know is that I want it. I want to be raised into eternal life. So, I’m going to re-post my words from last Saturday about our Resurrection:

[Indeed, it is for life after death that I am hoping in Christ. Except for books and movies, I have no experience or evidence of life before I was born. It is like I was dead before I was alive. It was Mark Twain who said, “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

While I don’t think I fear death, I am very curious about it.  What is it like to not have to breathe, or eat, or any of the human functions we have depended on for all of our mortal lives?  Or, will some of these creature customs continue in the afterlife?  I don’t know.

What I do know is that whatever level of existence God will let me have, I want it.  This is why I am a Christian. As Paul says, being a Christian is not about this life, it is about our resurrection in Christ Jesus. This is our hope. This is why we pray in the Name of our Lord Jesus. This is why we believe the way we do.

Personally, I don’t believe that God has set a date for us to die (as many Christians do), but I do believe that God, in Christ Jesus, is always waiting for us when we do.  While death is untimely, death is not ungodly. God is present in this world and the next.

There are many human beliefs about our relationship with God. Christianity is just one and there are many versions of it.  As our Presiding Bishop says, “We are on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement.”  And, Paul again, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” To this I will add, that our Lord Jesus did teach us how to live in love of neighbor while we walk this earth. And so, I will leave what happens to me after my death in His most capable and loving hands. Thank You Lord Jesus.]

Perhaps the only note I would add for today is that I will do my best to be as compassionate and as patient as I can be with all people while I am still in this life. I want God to be happy to pick me. And maybe my practice of compassion and patience will be of some value in the next life as I see who else is there, some of whom, I might have thought shouldn’t be there. 

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

Part 1 of 2

Daily Office Readings for Sunday of Proper 24: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 148, 149 and 150; Evening, Psalms 114 and 115:
Jeremiah 29:1, and 4 to 14; Acts 16:6 to 15; Luke 10:1 to 12 and17 to 20:

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.   You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.” (Jeremiah 29: 11 to 14)

Several times the word “welfare” appears in this reading. Another word for welfare is Well being. However, our well being depends on our willingness to look for God.  We must call upon, that is, pray to God for God’s help.  When I read words like “gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile;” I take this to mean state of being more than geographic location.  God wants us in a prayerful state of being.  It is then that we will have “well being,” the welfare of God.

Part 2 of 2

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Proper 24: Year B

Hebrews 5:1 to 10 and Mark 10:35 to 45:

“And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came up to him and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What do you want me to do for you?”  (Mark 10: 35 and 36)

Can we listen and yet, not hear?  Jesus has just finished telling the twelve about how he is going up to Jerusalem to be handed over and to be tortured and killed.  While Peter is trying to tell him it shouldn’t be, James and John are trying to secure good seats in the kingdom. Do they not know that the Way is paved with suffering?  Do we also not know this? 

But Jesus wants to be clear about their requests. He asks them, “What is it you want me to do for you?”  For me, the emphasis is on the word “You.”  Is it the plural You as in “Ya’ll.?” Or is it a self-serving, first person you, as in only James and John?.  Our Lord Jesus again refers to the Cup of Life and asks if they, (and we) are able to drink from it after our Baptism in Him? Like James and John, we too answer, “Yes.”  So, are we also ready to suffer whatever it takes?  Ponder this.

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 23: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 20 and 21:1 to 7; Evening, Psalms 110:1 to 5, 116 and 117;
2^nd Kings 25:8 to 12 and 22 to 26; 1^st Corinthians 15:12 to 29; Matthew 11:7 to 15:

“If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1^st Corinthians 15:19)

Indeed, it is for life after death that I am hoping in Christ. Except for books and movies, I have no experience or evidence of life before I was born. It is like I was dead before I was alive. It was Mark Twain who said, “I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.”

While I don’t think I fear death, I am very curious about it.  What is it like to not have to breathe, or eat, or any of the human functions we have depended on for all of our mortal lives?  Or, will some of these creature customs continue in the afterlife?  I don’t know.

What I do know is that whatever level of existence God will let me have, I want it.  This is why I am a Christian. As Paul says, being a Christian is not about this life, it is about our resurrection in Christ Jesus. This is our hope. This is why we pray in the Name of our Lord Jesus. This is why we believe the way we do.

Personally, I don’t believe that God has set a date for us to die (as many Christians do), but I do believe that God, in Christ Jesus, is always waiting for us when we do.  While death is untimely, death is not ungodly. God is present in this world and the next.

There are many human beliefs about our relationship with God. Christianity is just one and there are many versions of it.  As our Presiding Bishop says, “We are on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement.”  And, Paul again, “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” To this I will add, that our Lord Jesus did teach us how to live in love of neighbor while we walk this earth. And so, I will leave what happens to me after my death in His most capable and loving hands. Thank You Lord Jesus.

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 23: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 16 and 17; Evening, Psalm 22;
Jeremiah 38:14 to 28; 1^st Corinthians 15:1 to 11; Matthew 11:1 to 6:

“But by the grace of God I am who I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain.” (1^st Corinthians 15:10)

When, and if, we ever come to the realization that we did not bring ourselves to where we are, and we seem to be doing okay, we realize that the Grace of God has guarded us along the way. I can look back on many occasions where things could have gone very differently, and in a bad way. But it didn’t. I am thankful for being “carried” past conflict and then allowed to try again.

I just heard on a Western that I like to watch where the star says, “I don’t judge a man by where he’s been, but rather, by where he’s going.”  I have found that there are two kinds of people who were mistreated as children or young adults.  Some want to mistreat others because they were mistreated.  Others, because they were mistreated, not only won’t do it to others, but they also will not allow it to be done by anybody else if they can prevent it.  Where we have been and what we have experienced will have an impact on us now. We can do evil or we can do good. The decision we make about this determines our character and shows the caliber of our moral compass.

If we read good books, including The Good Book, especially the New Testament, and watch good movies, especially the old Westerns where the good guys always won, and if we surrounded ourselves with people of integrity, we will still need the Grace of God Almighty to make us people of righteousness.

We need to be people of meditative prayer in order to open a way for the Grace of God to enter into our souls and guide our hearts.  If we were abused as a child, or bullied as an adolescent, or wrongly convicted of a crime for which we served time in prison; none of these evil experiences have to make us an evil person. With God’s Grace we overcome our tragic histories and make promising futures with God’s help.  Nothing is impossible for God, the Creator and Sustainer of all life. And, when graced by God, we cannot let this divine intervention be in vain. Ponder this during our Sabbath time.

“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