Author: John Thomas Frazier

Eucharistic Readings for Ascension Day 2020, RCL: Year A

Acts 1:1-11   Psalm 47  or Psalm 93  Ephesians 1:15-23  Luke 24:44-53

“Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures.” (Luke 24:45)

This “opening of their minds” is the action of the Resurrected Jesus.  Jesus spent a lot of time with his followers before he was crucified, preaching and teaching about the scriptures and how the scriptures foretold of his destiny. You can see much of this in chapter 5 of Matthew’s Gospel where he says several times, “You have heard that it was said, …. But I tell you…..”  In this way our Lord Jesus re-interprets the Law.

But now, Jesus goes beyond explanation to revelation. He “opens their minds.”  We have words written in the Bible that have been translated from Aramaic, to Greek, from Greek to Latin, and then for us, from Latin to English. Even this last translation is from old English to modern and American English.  Has anything been lost or misrepresented in this human work? 

How wonderful it would be for us today for Jesus to “open our minds” so that we too can have a better understanding of the scriptures.  I think when we believe that our purpose is to love God and love one another to the best of our ability we will indeed understand all the Law and the writings of the Bible.  And, what we come to understand may even be better than what our old recorders wrote.

I remember readings somewhere in a Jewish fable that someone asked an old teacher of the Torah to explain the Torah while standing on one foot.  The response was, “What is hateful to you, do not do to others.”  That is the whole Torah. It is another way of saying the Golden Rule. “Do unto others as you would have them do onto you.”

The only other piece I would like to add about opening our minds is the opening of our hearts. Sometimes the words (heart and mind) are interchangeable. Sometimes they are not.  The heart piece adds in the love component.  Psychologist within the last hundred years have found that the children of loving parents who hugged their children and spent time with them showed higher intellectual ability than the children of distancing parents.  Love matters. Bless those psychologists.  But then, bless our Lord Jesus who told us this over 2000 years ago.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

 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 after the 6^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 119:97-120; Psalm 81, 82; Lev. 26:27-42; Eph. 1:1-10; Matt. 22:41-46

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”  (Ephesians 1:7 – 10)

These are the opening words to the Church in Ephesus by Paul or someone writing for Paul. The writer, through revelation from God, shares with us that the forgiveness of our sins has been God’s plan from the beginning of our time, to be made manifest in the fullness of our time. This is free grace that is lavished on us from God through the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ of whom we partake of at our Holy Communion.

As adopted children of God through our brother Jesus, we are called to continue in the work of gathering all things (all people) to God. I look at us Christians as the care takers of the world, both people and all creation. Hints from Genesis suggest that after the world was made the caretaker creatures (we) were placed onboard to maintain this place.  We are the caretakers.  “With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us the mystery of his will.”

Our own human selves are not excluded from our own care. Just as charity begins at home, so too does human self-care.  Among the human species, the Christian is like unto a flight attendant.  Flight attendants serve to make the passengers comfortable and safe while on their journey.  Flight attendants are not recruiting more flight attendants.  We Christians also are here to serve all people, Christian and non-Christian alike and not trying to make all people Christian. “With all wisdom and insight he has made known to us [Christians] the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things [all people] in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”  This is what I believe the Spirit of God told the writer of the letter to the Church in Ephesus, and this is what I believe the Spirit is saying to us still.

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 after the 6^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 78:1-39; Psalm 78:40-72 Lev. 26:1-20; 1 Tim. 2:1-6; Matt. 13:18-23

“This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1Timothy 2:3-4)

I know that I am not perfect. I have many flaws and imperfections.  I am so thankful that we have a loving and merciful God and Savior in our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul speaks of everyone being saved and everyone coming to the knowledge of truth. I think the key word here is “everyone.”

The word needs to get out to everyone that God desires all people to be saved. Contrary to our normal fear of scarcity, heaven does not run out of room. Perhaps the biggest problem we mith have is sharing total freedom and glory with our neighbors, all neighbors. The only thing hindering us from that glory is our personal story. However, once we understand ourselves, knowledge and truth will assure our place in God’s divine plan.

The word needs to get out that God desires everyone to come to the knowledge of truth. Like most of us I was raised with certain prejudices and biases that caused me to not see the inclusive love o God.  As a Christian and with some good Christian education, I have come to, and am still coming to,  the understanding that God, in Christ Jesus, came among us to both know about us and experience what it means to be us first hand.

Being saved and coming to the knowledge of truth is the message our Lord Jesus gave to Paul for Timothy and for us. This message is for all of us to hear. But I think more especially for Christians as we have that calling to model, as our Lord Jesus did, love for all people regardless of who they are or what they think they believe or don’t believe.  There is more than enough room and comfort for all in heaven. Therefore we should be holding dear to us in prayer everyone from the president to the homeless; people of other countries (friend or foe); and people we have been taught not to trust.  All are invited by God to be with God.  We Christians are God’s helpers for all humanity.

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 after the 6^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 80; Psalm 77, [79]; Lev. 25:35-55; Col. 1:9-14; Matt. 13:1-16

“He answered, ‘To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.  The reason I speak to them in parables is that “seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.”  With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
“You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive.”  (Matthew 13: 11 – 14

I think that the part that says, “You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive,” is that sometimes we are so hard-hearted and set in our own fixations that we literally block out the truth. If we already think we know what the speaker is saying before he or she finishes what they are saying, our hearts are hardened and we don’t get it.  In such a case, “even what we do have will be taken away.” Listening is an underdeveloped art.

Only when we let go of any and all our preconceived ideas can we fully see what our Lord Jesus is doing.  Only when we truly and objectively listen to another person will we discern what is in their heart.  If there has to be a bias, make it of love. I once preached a homily wherein I challenged my listeners to draw a heart with ears.  A few did and the hearts with ears on either side looked pretty good.  I challenge you to do the same.  Regardless of your drawing skills, draw a simple heart and then draw a pair of simple human ears on each side of it.  This represents listing with your heart.

I think Jesus’ surface point is that we hear what we want to hear.  I also think the deeper point is that we should want to hear Good News.  We should listen optimistically as well as lovingly. In this way, even if we don’t understand the message of parable, we will continue to delve deeper until we get it. If we seek, we will find. To their credit the disciples of Jesus stuck with him and followed him and pressed him until they got the parables unraveled.  Maybe their determination for the truth was what they all had in common. Are you determined to be a disciple of Jesus?  If so, listen with the ears of your heart and seek the Truth.

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 

Eucharistic Readings for the Sixth Sunday of Easter: Year A

Acts 17:22-31    Psalm 66:7-18  1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21

“This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” (John 14:17)

Later in the Gospel of John, Pontius Pilot asked Jesus, “What is Truth.”  Rowan Williams remarked that this was the most profound question in the whole of the New Testament. This former Arch Bishop of Canterbury, a very learned and respected theologian, lifts this question up from the lips of a Roman governor as the most profound question of the New Testament.  The truth is so powerful and yet our Lord Jesus proclaims the truth is part of who he is. He says of himself, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Jesus promised us the Spirit of Truth. But Jesus also says that sometimes we are not able to hear the truth, that the truth is more than we can bear.  This reminds me of Jack Nicholson in the movie, “A Few Good Men” where he protests, “You can’t handle the truth.”  The Church too has had difficulty handling the truth.

Early in the history the Church we supported idea that the earth was flat. A little later, the church refused to believe that the earth was not the center of the universe and that the earth revolved around the sun.  The Church accepted the false notion that the sun was the little light that rose in the East and sat in the West as God had appointed it. People, early astronomers, who taught differently, were condemned by the Church as heretics. It was hard for the Church to believe the truth that we were not the center of the universe.

What truths are we faced with now that we are not ready for or “can’t handle?”  Do you think that perhaps large crowds are to be no more, ever again? Perhaps protective masks will be expected clothing attire from now on, perhaps even matching our attire and fashionable.

We know our Lord Jesus because he abides with us.  And we know him because he is in us. Jesus also says that he has more to tell us but we aren’t ready yet.  This is 2020.  Perhaps we ought to be getting ready for a major shift in human existence. We need to prepare ourselves for, not only a new normal, but also to receive more truth.

Jesus says it is the Spirit of Truth that we will receive and that we know him because he abides in us. Therefore:

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 

This homily can be seen and heard at: https://youtu.be/QcyP40k_GfQ

Daily Office Readings for Saturday after the 5^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 75, 76; Psalm 23, 27; Lev. 23:23-44; 2 Thess. 3:1-18; Matt. 7:13-21

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it.  For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”  (Matthew 7:13- 14)

I often remind my congregation that Christianity is not for the faint of heart.  It’s hard work.  If you have ever been in line to get through a narrow door, or even in heavy traffic where one lane is closed and drivers must merge into a single lane, you have some idea about the need for patience.  Also, the road is difficult.  Christians must undergo some uncomfortable experiences.

We are being downsized as we assemble due to COVID 19.  Many Christians of “Mega” churches don’t like it. Full disclosure, neither do I.  However in the beginning of the Jesus Movement, we assembled in the homes of believers.  We were small groups around a table. We may be back to that now.  Those who brought the Word, themselves worked jobs only to show that they were not trying to profit from the Gospel, rather, they were prophets of the Gospel.

In our 2^nd  Thessalonians reading for today we read, “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us; we were not idle when we were with you,  and we did not eat anyone’s bread without paying for it; but with toil and labor we worked night and day, so that we might not burden any of you. This was not because we do not have that right, but in order to give you an example to imitate.  For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: Anyone unwilling to work should not eat.”  (2 Thessalonians 3: 7 – 10)

I am one of those clergy who truly believes that I should have a regular job as I study and prepare to preach the Gospel.  Not a lot of Clergy agree with me, and that’s fine.  In my way of understanding the clergy role it should be the bishop whose sole focus should be his or her diocese. The argument will be raised, “who wants to go to three years o seminary only to work part-time.”  Our  Gospel reading says, “For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Over the years I have learned that all believers are theologians at some level. First we believe. As we believe, we try to respond in prayer and study.  Some people say that they are “Spiritual” and not religious.  And there are some who say they are “Religious” who live alone and live the monastic life.  Sometimes labels are just a method of splitting hairs.  Our life as believers comes down to believing, praying and following God’s lead even through the narrow door, over the hard roads, while supporting ourselves and others.

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 after the 5^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 106:1-18; Psalm 106:19-48;Lev. 23:1-22  2 Thess. 2:1-17; Matt. 7:1-12

“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7)

I believe the most significant lessons of our lives come as a result of the questions we ask. We live in a wonderful time.   With our phones we literally have world libraries in our pockets.  We can ask anything in the world.  This does not come without a caution however.  The old saying is true, “garbage in; garbage out.”  Readers beware.  And again, advice from a friend of mine, “ask a question and question the answer.”

When it comes to Godly concerns, we can read the Bible but I don’t recommend it to be done in isolation.  Find a priest or trusted theologian to consult with or at least a recommended commentary.  There are also Bible Study classes that can be taken to help you. And with this I recommend such classes to open and close in prayer.  It is also necessary when asking such questions to go beyond the Bible to the saints of old and the saints new.

Many of the saints who have gone before us have answers to our questions. But let’s place this passage where it belongs; our Lord Jesus is talking about judgment, specifically, not judging others. He uses examples of the speck in our neighbor’s eye and the log in ours.  And then he goes into how we treat our children whom we love as God loves us.  The point here is that we want what is best for those we love remembering that God loves us all.  Sometimes we really don’t know what is best given that we bring our own baggage (or log in our eye) into the situation.  So we must ask God for what is best, knowing that God’s response may be uncomfortable at times.  From one of our saints who has gone before us we have a prayer in our Book of Common Prayer that I think addresses what we should ask for;

A Prayer attributed to St. Francis

Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Where there is hatred, let us sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is discord, union; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Grant that we may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen. (BCP 833)

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 Thursday after the 5^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm [70], 71;  Psalm 74; Lev. 19:26-37;  2 Thess. 1:1-12; Matt. 6:25-34

“And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?” (Matthew 6:27)

I am a champion worrier.  And I realize that the worrying itself often does more harm than the issue I am worrying about. I think worrying is somehow related to fear. They must be cousins.  I heard in a movie once that basically fear is a deep concern about some event that has not happened yet, and may not happen at all. And yet here we are, ready to give up or worse yet, do something regrettable.

Our Lord Jesus makes the point that worrying really can’t help us, only hurt us.  Our Lord Jesus tells us regarding things we worry about that, “Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6: 32 – 33)

I also ponder about the next verse and how God’s time might apply here.  Our Lord Jesus says, “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew 6:34)  So tomorrow!  Is that this life or the next?  I fear, I worry still.

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 after the 5^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 72; Psalm 119:73-96; Lev. 19:1-18; 1 Thess. 5:12-28; Matt. 6:19-24

Today we remember Frances Perkins: Public Servant and Prophetic Witness, 1965

“Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve a President of the United States as a member of the Cabinet.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13)

“As a young adult, she discovered The Episcopal Church and was confirmed at the Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois, on June 11, 1905, and she remained a faithful and active Episcopalian for the remainder of her life.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13)

“President Roosevelt appointed her to a Cabinet post as Secretary of Labor, a position she would hold for twelve years. As Secretary of Labor, Perkins would have a major role in shaping the New Deal legislation signed into law by President Roosevelt, most notably the establishment of the Social Security program.”  (Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13)

“During her years of public service, Frances Perkins depended upon her faith, her life of prayer, and the guidance of her church for the support she needed to assist the United States and its leadership to face the enormous problems of the time. During her time as Secretary of Labor, she would take time away from her duties on a monthly basis and make a retreat with the All Saints Sisters of the Poor in nearby Catonsville, Maryland. She spoke publicly of how the Incarnation informed her conviction that humans ought to work with God to create a just Christian social order.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13)

All of the above comes from The Great Cloud of Witnesses for May 13. I decided to just dedicate today to her in my pondering for today.  I am very impressed with the dedicated devotion of Frances Perkins. Many of us have busy lives.  Perkins too had a very busy life but she made time monthly to refresh herself by taking a retreat.  We could all learn from her example.  We become more effective when we carve out some time to be with God in an intentional way.   Thank you Frances

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 after the 5^th Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 61, 62; Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36 Lev. 16:20-34; 1 Thess. 5:1-11; Matt. 6:7-15

 “For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.  For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Matthew 6:7 – 9)

I like thinking of myself mostly as a day creature (maybe).  I rise before the sun comes up and go to bed shortly after it sets.  However, as I take a distant look of the solar system through space cameras and art I realize that during the day, wherever we are standing, the earth is facing inward toward the sun.

But at night, our view is toward the universe, the vast expanse of interstellar space.  Hey, I’m “pondering” here ok.  Our night time view is one of taking in the stars and planets, and the universe that God created. I have become familiar with the “Big Dipper” and “Orion’s Belt” the occasional visitation of Venus and Mars and other planets and constellations as they make their journeys in their God-given paths.

So for me, night is more than just a time for sleep, it is also a time of wonder. I agree with Kallistos Ware as he says, “It is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers to every question, but to make us progressively aware of a mystery.  God is not so much the object of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder.”

Therefore, in pondering reflection, I think we are both day and night creatures.  And as Matthew says, we are on our own God-given path to salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

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