Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday after the Second Sunday of Easter: Year 2

Psalm 5, 6  Psalm 10, 11   Exod. 15:1-21  1 Pet. 1:13-25  John 14:18-31

“Through him you have come to trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are set on God.” (1 Peter 1: 21)

I think Peter in his first letter is correct.  It is through our Lord Jesus in whom we have come to trust in God.  Often we Christians only focus on Jesus and not on where Jesus was pointing us, that is, to the Creator of all creation. It is in the early hours that I ponder these things. “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; early in the morning I make my appeal and watch for you.” (Psalm 5:3)

God is Creator, Sustainer and Maintainer.  God is everywhere and is always, and is forever.  Peter tells us that through God raising Jesus from the dead in our midst our faith and hope should be set on God, the All Mighty, invincible, God only wise.  We all should be looking to God for answers to all our problems.  God cares for us and wants us to come to God for safety and survival.

Also, today we remember Anselm, (April 21, 1109) monk, archbishop and theologian.

Anselm was born in Italy about 1033, and in 1060 he entered the monastery of Bec in Normandy to study under Stephen Lanfranc, whom he succeeded in office, first as prior of Bec, and later as Archbishop of Canterbury until his death on April 21, 1109

There is much to say about Anselm but for me, two of his most significant contributions are his explanation about who God is; he says that God is, “That than which nothing greater can be thought.”  This says that no matter how great we think God is, God is greater.

The other significant piece for me is his understanding of his own faith.  “Undergirding Anselm’s theology is a profound piety. His spirituality is best summarized in the phrase, “faith seeking understanding.” He writes, “I do not seek to understand that I may believe, but I believe in order that I may understand. For this, too, I believe, that unless I first believe, I shall not understand.” (Great Cloud of Witnesses for April 21)

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 Second Sunday of Easter: Year A

Psalm 1, 2, 3;  Psalm 4, 7   Exod. 14:21-31; 1 Pet. 1:1-12; John 14:(1-7)8-17

“In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2 – 3)

There are few things that can compare with a well thought-out plan. One of the lessons I am still learning is to have a place for things before I get them. It is really upsetting to order and have delivered a new gym apparatus and no where to put it in an already crowded garage.   I’ve gotten to the point that when I am asked to move something for someone, I ask where do you want me to move it to?  If there is something already occupying that space, then the question becomes, where does that item then go? and on and on.

For our eternal home, this work has already been done by our Lord Jesus. Jesus says he has gone to prepare a place for us. This preparing that Jesus speaks of may even be “create” a space for us. The good news is that there is a space, a dwelling for us. You have heard that there should be a place for everything, and everything in its place, right?  We are co-creating a space in our eternal home right now as we go about believing in and following Jesus.

In what I call my “man-cave” upstairs are many photos, plaques, and memorabilia I have collected over the years. It’s not much, it’s just me. Jesus is decorating a room for me with the good works I have done, and hopefully will do, as I await his call to my eternal home. How about you my friend?  What personal souvenirs or memorabilia is our Lord Jesus preparing your space with? The good news is, if you are reading this you still have time to forward some good works or fruit of the spirit forward to our Lord Jesus as he prepares your space. For as he says, “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” Let me be clear, this is not “works righteousness,” but rather, “living the dream.”

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 Second Sunday of Easter: Year A

Acts 2:14a,22-32  Psalm 16  1 Peter 1:3-9  John 20:19-31 

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”  (John 20: 29)

Perhaps we have not “seen” Jesus, at least, not in human form as a Palestinian Jew.  But we see him in the acts of people who believe in him.

In scripture we see Jesus come to people huddled up in a room as did the apostles. They had their own quarantine so to speak. They were behind a locked door but that did not stop Jesus.

Jesus seems to really get upset about people who have first heard and then did not believe. Jesus was upset with the disciples who heard Mary Magdalene declare “He has risen,” but they didn’t believe.  Jesus reprimanded the two on the road to Emmaus.  You see, “In the beginning was the Word! not the sight.  I think Jesus is trying to make the point that we should believe the Jesus stories we are told, at least believe until we find out different. 

But we can see the presence of Jesus through the acts of believers today. I saw Jesus in a Doctor at Chapel Hill about ten years ago, who asked if she could pray with us for one of our teenage high school boys who was run over by a school bus. She asked to pray with us before she performed surgery on him.  I was so moved by her asking.  It is good to witness doctors of faith and the presence of Jesus.

We can see our Lord Jesus in Doctors and nurses and store clerks and truck drivers cooped up in their various environments today in our “stay at home” Covid 19 requirement. They keep wearing themselves out for the healing and care of people stricken by this Coronavirus making sure we get the provisions and care and the products and medicines we need.  “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Even more blessed are those who have come to see our Lord Jesus in the loving acts of his people. I bid you all, to go and be blessed and be a blessing to others. Tell your own Jesus stories so that others may first hear and then see our Lord Jesus in our own day.

This link will take you to a short homily on this Gospel for today: https://youtu.be/HP88dIB1R6A

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

Eucahristic Readings for Saturday of Easter Week 2020: All Years

Acts 4:13-21  Psalm 118:14-18 or Psalm 118:19-24  Mark 16:9-15,20

“But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4: 19 – 20)

This is something we don’t think enough about, that is, what is right in God’s eyes.  No matter where we are or who we are with, God is always present, and looking and listening. I will confess that I still find myself in situations where I am saying things about one person to someone else that I wouldn’t say if the subject person was present.  I forget that God is standing right beside me. I’m getting better, but not quite there yet.

Sometimes it is hard to hear what God is saying.  Many people try to find similar life situations or problems in the Bible in order to discern what God said then and apply it to now.  This does not often work and maybe not what God is saying to us now.  Each time, each situation and each people have their own, and often very different responses, from God.

Peter and John learned from our Lord Jesus that prayer brings about the voice of God. And just as they were partnered in their standing before the rulers and elders and scribes as formerly uneducated men being only fishermen, they consoled with God and fed off each other for even wiser counsel with God in the mix.

Each one of us, clergy or not, needs another person, of whom we respect their caring and nurture, that we can voice our concerns with.  And then we must be willing to heed their counsel given to us. This is not to take away our own “alone” time. But sometimes God needs to use the voice of a trusted friend to say a word or two that will enhance our discernment and decision making. God is good, all the time. God wants what is good for us. Often our church traditions and/or public laws conflict with the good that God wants for us.  We must listen to the Holy Spirit of God speaking through others and understand what is right in God’s eyes. It varies from situation to situation.

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 Friday of Easter Week: All Years

“When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” (John 21:9 – 10)

The just caught fish in this case is an example of the bringing together of new people to Christianity and those who have long been members. They did this around food wherein our Lord Jesus again took the fish, blessed it and divided it up and then gave it to them to eat. Our Lord Jesus seems to be a person who enjoys good friends with good food.  Notice too that there is also the requirement for those joining to bring something where he says, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” We are all participants and partakers in the feast with Jesus.

This was a fish breakfast! I wonder if it is on purpose that this reading is scheduled on a Friday. When I was in seminary a few of us from our dorm would go to Eastern Market in D.C. on Saturday mornings for a fish and grits breakfast.  It was great. Meals are truly the meeting place for people to reduce differences and become spiritual family.  I had an old 1978 Mercury Marquis in those days. It was huge.  Five of us would climb into that car and head for Eastern Market.  There was always excitement about going there and just being together.  We talked and joked all the way there.  This was kind of like the excitement Peter had when he was told that it was the Lord that was talking to them from the shore.

Maybe, just maybe this “stay at home” policy of the Coronavirus is making us re-discover our home prepared meals again. And perhaps on occasion, we will bring someone among us whom we trust to be honest about where they’ve been and the condition they are in. I have been so blessed. Shared meals are the best meals. I so love my friends in the faith and the faith of my friends.

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 Thursday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 3:11-26  Psalm 8 or Psalm 114 or Psalm 118:19-24   Luke 24:36b-48

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses,

What is man that you should be mindful of him? the son of man that you should seek him out?”  (Psalm 8:4 – 5)

I have read somewhere that we are byproducts of star dust.  If we are, I don’t think it is a random act.  I believe God created the stars and used the dust of those stars causing us to be, and it was, and is, intentional. We are so special that God came among us as one of us.

 Sometimes I just like to look up at the stars and be in awe at the marvels of space.  I love our Eucharistic Prayer C which reminds us that “At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home.”

And then the words of the Prayer go on, “From the primal elements you brought forth the human race, and blessed us with memory, reason, and skill. You made us the rulers of creation.” Of course we are also reminded that “we turned against you, and betrayed your trust; and we turned against one another.” (All of this is on page 370 of the Book of Common Prayer) A sad lot we sometimes are but God loves us anyway. We are not a mistake by God.  However we have our God-given free will that we too often misuse.

So, as the Psalmist says, God is so mindful of us that God became born among us to model for us what real love looks like, agape love,  God became the living covenant that holds us together, forever.  God in Christ Jesus overcame death that through our Lord Jesus we too might believe and become born of a heavenly life for all eternity. Thank You Lord Jesus. So, are you thankful for God’s mindfulness? How are you using your God-given free will in expressing agape love? Maybe such a sacrificial love could be used to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus by keeping it away from those of us most vulnerable to it, those with compromised immune systems and the elderly.  Ironically, social distancing is a true expression of agape 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

Eucharistic Readings for Wednesday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 3:1-10 Psalm 105:1-8 or Psalm 118:19-24  Luke 24:13-35

“But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.” (Luke 24: 29 – 31)

Our Lord Jesus walks up and asks what was going on.  The two on the road are taken aback by this unrecognized person’s ignorance.  Only to discover this person knows much more than they do in terms of the destiny of Jesus. To quote Paul Harvey, “now they know, the rest of the story.” In telling the story Jesus starts with Moses.  And he ends with what they knew, that the Messiah was crucified, died, and has been seen alive.

 As it was getting late, they invite this “stranger” to their house for a meal and shelter. The stranger accepts. It was at the table that they come to realize that this stranger is in fact Jesus Himself.  They recognize him in the manner in which he performs his sacred ritual; he takes, blesses, breaks and gives the bread. This is the same thing our Lord Jesus did with his disciples; he took them in, blessed them with teaching, preaching and healing; split them up into pairs like these two we meet on the road to Emmaus.   And now has given us to the world at large to continue His work of teaching, preaching and healing to the best of our ability. So now our eyes too are opened and our hearts burning within us as we are also sent to make people aware of the prophecy of the scriptures, the fulfillment of the destiny of our Lord Jesus.

Today our eyes should be opened in order that we might recognize our Lord in the world today. While we are experiencing dark times with this Covid 19, sickness and death do not win. There is a resurrection in Christ Jesus.  As the darkness of this Covid 19 approaches it is our duty also to invite Jesus into our hearts and homes and have that ritualistic and intimate meal with our family. We are not to lose faith but rather really feel our heart’s desire for the presence of Jesus as did these two we read about while on their way to Emmaus.

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 Tuesday of Easter Week: All Years

Acts 2:36-41  Psalm 33:18-22   or Psalm 118:19-24 John 20:11-18 

“Indeed, our heart rejoices in him, for in his holy Name we put our trust.

Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.”             (Psalm 33: 21 -22)

By most translations, these are the last verses of Psalm 33.  I think “trust” is the key word here.  Some translators have suggested that the English word trust is a more accurate word for believe.  Many translations have the word “hope” in verse 22. But for me, hope has an element of uncertainty about it or, in the least, the possibility exists that one’s hope may not be made manifest. Trust on the other hand, is putting all our eggs in one basket.  It is not having a plan “B” or a back-up plan. It’s God or nothing.

I know that on our currency we print “In God We Trust.”  I hope that is true for all of us but I have heard some self-proclaimed atheist swear there is no God but that same God loves them.  Just as our currency is a communal way of acquiring our personal and family needs, so too should our trust in God be for the welfare of ourselves, our families and our community – in that order. The God that we trust is a personal, family and Communal God.

Our Lord Jesus, an exact Image of God, began life in his earthly family.  His mother Mary, though poor by the world economy of her day, never had want as her Son and Savior could feed thousands with only a few fish and loaves. Mary trusted in Jesus. Jesus later moved out to the community. And the communities in which he visited also followed him and trusted in him, although some didn’t.

Jesus is present in our hearts, and families and communities today.  But folks, we must trust in him, though we have not seen him in a visual way, still we must trust in him.  Today is not a time for doubt.  Today is the time for all Christians to have that unseen Image of God in our hearts, and in our family.  Now in this time of “Stay at Home” we have time to began anew with the love of Christ in our family.  The time will come when we will again explore community.  If we develop the love of Christ during this period in our lives we can create a renewal of the love of Christ in our Communities. Our prayer must be, “Let your loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, as we have put our trust in you.”

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 Monday of Easter Week 2020: All Years   

Acts 2:14,22b-32   Psalm 16:8-11  or Psalm 118:19-24   Matthew 28:9-15

“When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.” (Matthew 28: 12 – 15)

Our Lord Jesus walked into human history at about the same time that coin money made its way into our trading markets, or shortly thereafter.  While money has some good qualities insofar as having a long shelf-life while food (vegetable or animal) can’t be kept for trade for very long.  On the downside money quickly became the ends rather than the means of maintaining life.  So the chief priest and elders gave the soldiers a large sum of money, which is in addition to their pay as soldiers, to perpetrate a lie. 

For me, the saddest part is that these men (chief priest and elders) are supposed to be the faith and moral leadership of the community.  These clergy study and maintain the Ten Commandments of Moses, one of which says, “Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

Being a person of religious responsibility I must keep my eyes and ears open to other faith traditions and always ask if my own tradition could learn something from another faith walk. None of our faiths are perfect. But each of us, clergy or not, has a personal responsibility to monitor our own integrity.  We should not devise schemes that lie about others nor should we become a party to such a scheme if proposed.

Our Lord Jesus was moved, that is, Raised!, not by disciples or soldiers or any human being, but by God as a way of keeping an unbreakable covenant forever.

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 Easter Sunday 2020: Year A

Acts 10:34-43 or Jeremiah 31:1-6  Colossians 3:1-4 or Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 or Matthew 28:1-10 Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24

“ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (John 20:11 – 12)

All of us share with Mary in the fact that it is through Jesus that we even know who we are. We read from the Gospel of Luke that our Lord Jesus casts out 7 demons from Mary. (Luke 8:2) It is in this way that Mary even knows who she is. She owes her identity to her Lord Jesus. It was when she heard him call her name, “Mary” that she knew beyond any doubt that her Lord and Savior was back! Which to her means, she can remain who she is supposed to be. Because Jesus lives, she lives.  Because Jesus lives, we live.

We, you and I, are who we are only through our risen Lord, Jesus Christ. I am sure that throughout my life I have had some demons. However, knowing and loving Jesus has enabled me to rid some demons and more fully know who I am supposed to be. Like Mary Magdalene, we come to know fully who we are in Christ Jesus our Savior.  We have a Covenant of knowing ourselves in Christ. This Covenant in Christ Jesus will never be broken.  

God has had many covenants with humanity.  All were broken at some point.  We had a covenant with Noah symbolized by a rainbow; we had a covenant with Abraham that all nations will be blessed through him; we had covenant through Moses with the Law, whether it was 613 or the 10 Commandments: we broke covenant with God every time. 

In Jesus we again tried to break covenant by crucifixion.  But God knowing we are not able to hold a covenant, became one of us and “un-broke” the attempted brake by Raising our Lord Jesus, the living Covenant, thus, not allowing His covenant with us to be broken ever again. In this move by Christ, death has died.  “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues?   Where, O grave, is your destruction? (Hosea 13:14)  And this was reinterpreted by Paul in his 1^st Letter to the Corinthians as “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?”  (1 Corinthians 15: 55) What we get from this is that death does not win.  Our Lord Jesus defeats death and keeps us with him forever in Covenant.

You should be able to see and hear my Easter 2020 presentation on this topic at:  https://youtu.be/IymW_9SIZoM. We have so much to be thankful for.  God loves us and has walked among us to experience what it is like to be us, the good and the bad.  Easter is about God keeping Covenant with us in order that we can be who we are intended to be, a Covenant we are not able to break. Thank You Lord Jesus.  Happy Easter Everybody!

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