Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 19: Year 2

 Psalms [70], 71, and  74;  Job 28:1 to 28; Acts 16:25 to 40; and John 12:27 to 36a

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” (Acts 16:25) 

Imagine, singing uplifting church hymns while being bound after being whipped.  I have heard that this coping mechanism worked for prisoners of war. It got them through the most difficult time in their lives.

Then there was a divine earthquake that released the prisoners.  “When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’ The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.  Then he brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They answered, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’  They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.  At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay.  He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.”  (Acts 16: 27 to 34.)

The jailer was well acquainted with the merciless system in which he lived and worked.  There would be no excuse for prisoners escaping. He now moves from beating Paul and Silas with rods to using his own sword on himself.  Death would be better than the wrath he would face, not to mention the demise of his family and home.  But Paul, freed from fetters, still feeling the sting of the rod while singing hymns, calls out to save the jailer from himself.  How powerful is this kind of love?  Who today would prevent our tormentor from harming himself given the chance?  Folks, this is Christian love, this is Agape love.  There is nothing else like it in all creation, and it’s ours for the asking.

The jailer was so moved by Paul and Silas that he realized that they had their sights set on a salvation beyond this life.  He wanted this, for himself and for his family.  “He brought them outside and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’”  Paul tells him and us, “‘Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’  I take this to mean, not just to believe in Jesus, but also to amend one’s life and live in accord with your belief about our Lord Jesus.  It means not only not returning evil for evil, but to bless those who curse you, to feed those who, are not only hungry, but have stolen from you.  Folks, this is Christian love, this is Agape love.  There is nothing else like it in all creation, and it’s ours for the asking. It will save us from ourselves and it brings us salvation.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 19: Year 2

Psalms 72; 119:73-96;  Job 42:1to17; Acts 16:16 to 24; John 12:20 to 26

“One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling.”  (Acts 16: 16)

There is so much in this Acts reading. First of all, did the slave girl recognize Paul and his partners as fellow slaves, even though she says they were slaves of the Lord almighty? (Perfect Freedom)

Second, I’m guessing Luke is the silent partner as he records the Acts and says, “While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, ‘These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.”  (Acts 16: 17)  She gave insight to those who did not know salvation, that is, a Way to eternal live, and a path to achieve it. This is “next life” stuff.

Third, “She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And it came out that very hour.”  (Acts 16: 18)  So we are to understand that Paul, through the Name of Jesus, took away the slave girl’s “gift.”  She was devalued in the eyes of her master.  But she was freed in terms of her own autonomy.

Fourth, “But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market-place before the authorities (Acts 16: 19).  So it turns out that it’s all about the money.  Perhaps not much has changed, even for us today.

It is awful the way we use money to misuse others.  It is equally awful the way we retaliate against those who hold us accountable for the dignity of others. “When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, ‘These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.’ The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods.”  (Acts 16: 20 to 22)  This was clearly an anti-Semitic attack on this group of Jewish believers in Jesus, and was only brought about because of the loss of money.  

The lesson for me in all of this is to remember to be decent to others always. We must not look for ways to bring hurt on those who hold us accountable.  We should not have needed it, but if we do, better to be held accountable in this life rather than the “next life.”  Paul removes the spirit that was at work in the girl but does not attempt to use his divine gift to resist or retaliate against his oppressors.  Decency towards others and discernment of the spirit are key here.  We all can do this.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 19: Year 2

 Psalms 61, 62,  68:1-20(21-23)24-36;  Job 40:1,41:1to 11; Acts 16:6 to 15; John 12:9 to 19

“They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia.  When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them.” (Acts 16: 6 and 7)

I often ask my followers to be attentive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  The idea is that the Spirit is moving us to go here or there or to do this or that.  I ponder, from this passage in Acts, that sometimes the Spirit is telling us not to go here or there, or, not to do this or that.

Maybe such guidance is more important than the doing, or saying, or going, or anything that requires action or moving ahead. Maybe there is something to be said for being quiet and being still.  This message is about hearing the Holy Spirit say “stop.”  Do not move another step.  Do not say another word. 

Even sin comes packaged in commission and omission.  We ask for forgiveness for things done, and left undone.  So too, we must hear the Spirit say “this is what you should do, and, this is what you should not do.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit forbids us from certain courses of action. And, sometimes the Spirit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will not allow us to do certain things. My brothers and sisters in Christ, even the Ten Commandments are constructed with do’s and not do’s.  Half of them say what we shall do, the other half say what we shall not do. The point in all of this is that there are real occasions when we are guided by the Holy Spirit to not do a certain thing; to not go to a certain place, and to not say certain words. This is often expressed as a gut feeling, or a bad feeling. We must always heed the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper19: Year 2

 Psalms 56, 57, [58]; 64, 65; Job 40:1 to 24; Acts 15:36 to 16:5; John 11:55 to 12:8

“Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.)”  (John 12: 3 to 6)

This is what happens when we look at each other around Jesus instead of through Jesus.  Judas, who the evangelist informs us, is less than honorable, gazes upon Mary with contempt. This looking around Jesus is also reported in the Gospel of Luke. I think it was at the same time, with the same people, in the room, but seeing something different.  “Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.  She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.  But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”  But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things.”  (Luke 10: 38 to 41)

My point in both of these situations is that Judas, in the first reading, and Martha in the second, move their eyes off of our Lord Jesus and look at Mary.  When we look around Jesus instead of through Jesus we see others through our human lens rather than through how God sees them.  If we take the time to see family or the stranger through the eyes of our Lord we would see them with love. If we look around Jesus instead of through him we tend to see people with contempt, disdain, disrespect, and sometimes if they are different than us, with hate. Let’s not see people in this way. Try to always look upon another through the eyes of our loving Lord.

Today is also Holy Cross Day.  Personally, I’m not a fan of the cross. It was a Roman death tool. Our Lord Jesus lived a holy life.  I believe he also died a holy death but that death was our doing while working in the darkness of evil.  The good news is, our Lord Jesus also had a holy Resurrection: Halleluiah!

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

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Daily Office Readinggs for Sunday of Proper 19: year 2

Psalms 24, 29;  8, and 84; Job 38:1,18-41; Rev. 18:1to 8; and  Matt. 5:21 to26

“Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind: Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth? Declare, if you know all this.  Where is the way to the dwelling of light, and where is the place of darkness, that you may take it to its territory and that you may discern the paths to its home?” (Job 38: 1 and 18 to 20)

This fable of the Hebrew story of Job has always fascinated me, especially chapter 38 and beyond.  God patiently listens to Job’s lament in previous chapters.  In chapter 38 however, God calls Job to task.  In spite of all that he has suffered, Job has no idea of what it means to be God.  Yes, bad things do happen to good people, but because God is so loving and merciful and compassionate God will make all things right in the hereafter.  Maintain faith no matter what.

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New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 19: Year A

Romans 14:1 to 12 and Matthew 18:21 to 35

 “But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”  (Matthew 18: 28 – 35)

This gets back to our Lord’s Prayer, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us.”  We should plead with those we have offended for forgiveness, and whether we receive forgiveness or not, we must have compassion for those who come to us and plead for the same. We all admit that we are fallible.  Therefore it should not surprise us when we err.  We must remember that when we see the unrepentant, that except for the grace of God, there go I.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 18: Year 2

Psalm 55, 138, and139:1to 17(18-23) Job 38:1to17; Acts 15:22 to 35; and John 11:45 to 54

“We have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth.” (Acts 15: 25 to 27)

So four disciples (Barnabas, Paul, Silas and Judas (also called Barsabbas) went to Antioch to give “word of mouth” testimony about how the believers should behave.  I am as much concerned about method as I am content of the message.

I am required to preach now while wearing a mask.  I don’t like it.  But I am loyal to the instruction of my Bishop.  Perhaps preaching through a mask is one step above sending a note or letter, or for that matter, social media.  There is something very human about hearing the word directly from lips that we can see as well as hear.  While I know that hearing challenged people rely on reading lips, I think we all do a little of the same as a way of affirming what we think we hear.  It is word of mouth. It is the ancient way of spreading the Gospel.  Remember, in the beginning was the Word, not the book or the print.

Many times in the Bible we are directed to “Hear O Israel.”  Most notably these words appear in the Deuteronomy 6:4.  This directive entails the receiving and retelling of our dedication to God and it is done by word of mouth.  This instruction to hear is found throughout the Bible and is meant to be read aloud in the hearing of the people. 

Read letters were the way our forbearers received the Gospel and the letters of Peter, Paul, John, James and the preacher to the Hebrews.  We are a word of mouth people.  This word of mouth is spoken through us, the saints of God. So when the opportunity presents itself, and it will,  be a speaker of the Good News of the Gospel, that “We are all loved by God and there is always hope, no matter what.” First, listen to yourself say these words, and then deliver them to someone else by word of mouth.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 18: Year 2

 Psalms 40, 54 and 51; Job 29:1, 31:24 to 40; Acts 15:12 to 21; John 11:30 to 44

“Jesus said to her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”  (John 11: 40)

Jesus does not respond to Martha and Mary in the same way.  As he approaches their home, but not quite there yet, each sister of Lazarus greets him and both say the exact same thing; “If you had been here my brother would not have died.”  While Jesus has a long conversation about the Resurrection with Martha, he only asks Mary where Lazarus was laid.

This difference in how the sisters were responded to may have to do with Jesus’ knowledge of what their faith revealed. “[Martha] said to him, ‘Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.’” (John 11:27)  But maybe Martha didn’t really believe after all. She only said what she thought Jesus wanted to hear.

Jesus says to her, and to us, that if we only believe, we will see the glory of God. Two people can witness the same event and one will sense only a reasonable outcome, (the smell of death) while the other will see the hand of God at work, (Lazarus alive). 

We must make room in our hearts and minds for God to do things outside of what we are expecting.  The waters will still part, we can still feed the multitude with “not enough.”  However, if we don’t believe we can, or that God can, then it can’t be done.  The point here is that we must first believe.  Or as sung in Amazing Grace: “’Twas grace that taught My heart to fear; And grace my Fears relieved. How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed.” This is not just a hymn; it is our Christian code of life.  We must believe, not just say what we think Jesus wants to hear. When we truly believe, God’s presence is made manifest.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings or Thursday of Proper 18: Year 2

 Psalms 50,  [59, 60] or 93, 96;  Job 29:1 and 31:1to 23; Acts 15:1 to 11; John 11:17 to 29

“After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, ‘My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us’” (Acts 15: 7 and 8).

I often converse with others who study the scriptures (professional theologians) who argue that Paul is the designated carrier of the Gospel to the Gentiles, that is, the non-Jewish nations.  However, there is much evidence to show that Peter is also, perhaps the first, to do the same.

Peter knew, and walked with the living Jesus.  Peter was invited to “come and follow Jesus.” Peter was a married man but left family to do the will of God. My point here is that Peter, while often over bearing and outspoken, was an original follower of our Lord Jesus who showed us how to carry the Gospel to those who have yet to know about it. He did this work in both word and deed.

We are not required to be educated theologians to carry the Gospel to others.  All who believe are theologians at some level. Paul was a professional theologian.  He was a Pharisee, although misguided, before the risen Lord changed his path while on his way to Damascus.  Peter was a fisherman.  The message here is that God does not call the qualified, God qualifies the called.

While both Paul and Peter appear to be down playing the requirement to be circumcised, it was Peter who stood up and reminded his listeners, and us, about God knowing the human heart no matter who we are.   And this is the most important message; God knows our hearts and minds.  No matter what our walk in life is, educated, gifted, or basic laborer, the only important quality about us is whether or not we have love for others.

Let me say also that if we feel we don’t have this kind of love, the next thing to ponder is, “do we even want this kind of love?”  Sadly, if we don’t want to love others, we won’t.  If we do want to have love for others but feel we can’t, we need to ask God for help.  We should pray using the words, “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of [my heart] by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that [I] may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (BCP 355)

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 18: Year 2

Psalms 119:49 to 72,  49;  Job 29:1,30:1 to 2,16-31; Acts 14:19 to 28; John 11:1 to 16

“Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow-disciples, ‘Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16)

I am so glad that I get to bring you this passage for its own use.  I often have to make it an aside when talking about Thomas not being a doubter. Thomas is willing to give his life to follow Jesus.  Jesus requires no less from us today.

The good news for us (in addition to the Good News of the Gospel itself), is that we don’t follow Jesus to a real and painful cross.  We dedicate our lives to our Lord Jesus by dedicating our lives to prayer, study and charity while living a life of love.

When we are baptized, we are baptized into the death of Christ.  This always needs an explanation when baptizing an infant.  Death is the last thing on the mind of parents and family of the baby.  But death is the unavoidable path of all life in creation. However, being baptized into the Death of Jesus we are raised into the Resurrection of Christ as well (Romans 6:3 and 4).  The one brings about the other.

We cannot ransom our lives.  We all are destined for death. But in death life is not ended, life is changed. “For to your faithful people, O Lord, life is changed, not ended; and when our mortal body lies in death, there is prepared for us a dwelling place eternal in the heavens.” (BCP 382)

There have been many martyrs in our Church history.  These were people who gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel of God in the Name of Jesus Christ.  Thomas was willing to give his life by following Jesus, even to the cross.  How about you and me?  Let’s start by dedicating our lives to prayer, study and charity while living a life of love.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 18: Year 2

  Psalms 45  47 and 48; Job 29:1 to 20; Acts 14:1 to18; John 10:31 to 42

“When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.”  (Acts 14: 14 and 15)

In today’s John Reading, as well as this Acts passage above, people witnessing God’s work are misguided in what they see.  In the Gospel of John people are upset because they say that sense Jesus is only a human being, how can he say that he is God (John 10:33).

In the Acts passage, people see what Paul and Barnabas are doing and want to worship them as gods.  In both cases the people who see what God is doing want to focus on the instrument of God rather than God.  They forget that it is God who is at work.

The same is true today.  God works through us to do the will of God. But God works through people of faith to do this work. Miracles still happen.  People are miraculously healed.  People miss having accidents through no foresight of their own.  Such events are not coincidental. They are the will of God.

Our experiences are all about what God is doing.  If we don’t like what God is doing and think the person is undeserving, as in the John passage, we should calm down and ponder the greater benefit to our community.  If we really like what we see God doing in someone, a doctor or teacher or pastor, or anyone, we need to realize that such a person has allowed themselves to be used by God through faith. If we want to honor people for some good deed, we should honor their obedience to God’s call on his or her life and their willingness to obey.

God is good, all the time.  And God is at work all the time.  The only thing that God needs in order to help us is our faith.  If we believe in God and submit to the will of God, God’s will, will be done.  God uses us to fix us.  All we have to do is be faithful, user friendly, and thankful.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do.  John