Author: John Thomas Frazier

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday Proper 12 of Year C

Track 2 Genesis 18:20-32  Psalm 138 Colossians 2:6-15, (16-19)  Luke 11:1-13

“And he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’  I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.” (Luke 11: 5 – 8)

God hard wired us to seek and to assist.  It is our human nature to solve mysteries, be it the rotation of the universe or the cure for cancer. We look for answers.  We have inquiring minds and we want to know stuff.  Today Google is flooded with people finding information about myriads upon myriads of all kinds of things.  We are born to ask, both for what we want and for what we need. 

Within the tradition of humanity is also the concept of hospitality.  From time to time we all find ourselves in need.  When thus found, we need the help of others. This is probably how pot-luck got started.  It is nothing to be ashamed of. It is our human condition.  Every person that hears the request of another has to deal with how they will respond to each situation.  I have a very dear friend who carries in his upper left pocket 2 or 3 small envelopes which contain a dollar and a Bible verse in each.  When a person approaches him for money he hands the person an envelope and bids them peace. I myself will adopt this response. A dollar is not much but it is a response. It helps satisfy that human need to respond. Even if the timing is bad, we will help if we listen to our hearts. We have this drive to respond to the need of others (friend or stranger). I believe there are more Good Samaritans among us today than there used to be.  We are born to help.

So we ask for help, and when we can, we render help to others.  This is God’s desire for us to be a loving community.  Yes, we still have way too many bad apples.  But we don’t give up because of them.  We endure. We pursue what is good and upright.  When we need help, we ask for it.  It is not a matter of pride that we should suffer loss.  We ask someone to help us that we also may help another down the road.  All resources come from God.  We’re just borrowing from God anyway.  And we should keep our eyes open for our brothers and sisters who may not ask, yet be in need.

Being born to ask, and born to help, means that we are born to live in harmony with each other.  I know people who are too proud to ask for the help they need.  And perhaps if they are criticized about it they ought to be reluctant to ask.  So those of us who can help must be vigilant in making sure that we are “grateful” to know that an unexpected opportunity to help has come to us. And never, never shame, or in any way speak down or look down on anyone who needs our help.  One day it could be us.  If we can Google about the universe, we surely can ask about, and respond to, our needs, and the needs of others in our midst. We want to take comfort in knowing that we live in a community that takes care of God’s own. We are all God’s own.

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John+

Readings for Saturday of Proper 11 for Year 1

AM Psalm 55; PM Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23) 2 Samuel 1:1-16; Acts 15:22-35; Mark 6:1-13

“And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.” (Mark 6:6)

Jesus was amazed at the unbelief of the people of Nazareth, the town in which he was raised. Because they thought they knew Jesus and his family, they doubted that God would be made manifest in such a person.  They didn’t know God, and for that matter, they didn’t know Jesus either.

While Jesus was amazed at the unbelief of the people of his home town, that did not stop him from spreading the word of salvation and hope.  As soon as he experienced their unbelief, “then he went about among the villages teaching.”  Jesus kind of said, “so be it.”  He kicked their dust off his sandals and moved on.  This is when he drew the twelve in and enlisted their help in carrying out the message of salvation and hope. This is the message that was needed then, and the same message we still need today.

In Jesus’ day one needed a good pair of sandals for this work and a dedicated partner.  It required a lot of walking.  Today, people carrying the message of salvation and hope need a reliable laptop and internet service but still need a spiritual partner to, among other things, edit what is published, as well as, someone to talk to day to day so as to keep grounded in the faith.  Jesus sent them out two by two for this reason, to accompany each other on the Way. That’s six pairs for you math minded folks. 

Today we need not worry about taking stuff with us.  We just hit “send,” or in my case, “publish,” and it’s out there.  Sometimes later in the day I might be told by someone who reads my message and cares about me that I used the wrong word or even let a misspelled word slip in.  But this is done with the utmost care and I appreciate it. It is a way of me accepting what and who is put before me in love and kindness.

There is always amazement for Jesus and for us for people who fail to believe. But that must not stop us from carrying the message out. We, at least I, must keep “publishing.”  It is my prayer that my message of salvation and hope is received in as many homes as possible around the globe.

People that knew me from my earlier days as a Marine or even a reckless youth from Nashville, Tennessee might well ask “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him?” (Mark 6:2)  I will answer that Jesus has sent me out with a message of hope and salvation for all the world.  Some will receive this message and some will not.  But this is really not about me; it is about Jesus acting through me, and through you.   Thank You Jesus.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through (and to) God’s people. John+

Daily Office Readings for Friday Proper 11 of Year 1

AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51  1 Samuel 31:1-13; Acts 15:12-21; Mark 5:21-43

“But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.  He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.’ (Mark 5:33 – 34)

A question often asked at our weekly Cursillo group is “With what unexpected opportunities has The Lord accomplished something through you.”  My group members smirk when we raise this question because they know I don’t like it.  My argument has been that if it is “unexpected,” it can’t be good can it? And how can something you didn’t see coming be an opportunity?   It wasn’t anticipated or planned for. I’m a strong “J” on the Myers Briggs Personality evaluation.

Jesus models a loving way to respond to such occasions.  Jesus is on his way to the home of Jairus to attend to Jairus’ daughter who is thought to be dying.  While on his way he is touched by a woman who has been sick for twelve years, bleeding as it were, and has tried everything she could with the doctors of her day.  She has exhausted all her money and is no better off.

But she says to herself, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”  So she does just that.  Jesus, while on his way to a crisis, stops, turns, inquires, and assures.  He tells her that her faith has made her well.  She, like we, have the solution to all our problems already inside us.  But we are not able to make use of the fix for ourselves.  Jesus takes what God has put in us and fixes us. After this, Jesus continues on his way to the home of Jairus where he indeed brings the little girl back to life and full health.

The lesson here is simple. Never think you are too busy to care for someone God has put in your path. This harkens back to the story of the Good Samaritan where the Samaritan was already in route to somewhere when he happened upon the man left for dead, (Luke 10:30 – 37) This is a retold story where the names and places have changed but the lesson is the same.  This is the way I learn God’s Way, repeated lessons. I’m slow, but God’s patience is eternal. Thank you Jesus.

Often, as I make hospital visits or am traveling while wearing a clerical collar a stranger will approach me and ask if I might pray with, or for them.  Of course, I do.  Jesus has taught me in this Gospel lesson that unexpected opportunities are the ways in which good comes into being.  So, I no longer think of unexpected opportunities as something that good cannot come from.  How about you?  That person that gets in your way, may be the way, that person gets in the Way.

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John+

Daily Office Readings for Thursday Proper 11 of Year 1

AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 8, 84  1 Samuel 28:3-20; Acts 15:1-11; Mark 5:1-20

“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; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.” (Acts 15:7 – 9)

I find chapter 15 of Acts very interesting.  We have Peter who stands up to talk but in the verse following our reading for today we have for verse 12 “The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.”  This is a switch that goes unexplained. It also struggles with Galatians chapter 2.

Both Peter and Paul have this tension about the “It was I who God chose to take the message to the Gentiles.”  I find Ironic humor in that our Church assigned them the same day for their commemoration which is June 29.  They both may still be quarreling over that in heaven.

I have met some wonderful people in my life time. Many of these people changed my life, some in ways they will probably never know.  They brought God in Christ to me.  I saw Jesus in them. They may not even know it.

It seems Peter and Paul got hung up on “who” God chose rather than the importance of the Gentiles getting the word. They got hung up on the “It was I” part.  God just wanted the job to be done so that the Gentiles, or nations – the ones that didn’t know Jesus, were informed about Jesus. It was not as important as to how the word got to them, but, that it did.  It is the Word that is life changing, not the messenger.

This is still our job today.  It is about being in a room and witnessing about how God in creation loves all of us and all creatures.  I saw a man two nights ago that I do not agree with (on many levels).  But something came over me that said love him anyway.  He is who he is right now.  He (or I) may not get any better.  But he needs people to care about him.  I can’t explain this compassion that just happened to me. But it made me see this man in a new way.  I may never be recognized as the life changer, but that’s ok. The message of compassion was delivered.

Also, because of my fear of snakes I was one of those people who fully embraced the term, “the only good snake is a dead snake.”  But God placed two messengers in my presence at two different times, who may not even know each other, that changed me.  One just said, “Don’t kill snakes.”  It was spoken with authority. The other rescued a copperhead with a tree branch an flung it back into the woods and remarked “it didn’t deserve to die.”  These two messengers gave me new perspective about God’s creatures.  Neither of these saints were about themselves.  They were about living out who God made them to be and I hope to be like them too. Peter said, “And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us.”

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to (and through) God’s people. John+

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Readings for Wednesday Proper 11 of Year 1

AM Psalm 119:49-72; PM Psalm 49, [53] 1 Samuel 25:23-44; Acts 14:19-28; Mark 4:35-41

“When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles.”  (Acts 14: 27)

In the Cursillo Movement we are given a little card for our reunion groups.  This card is used to lead us through our small group gatherings as we come together and it asks us about the past week.  One of our old cards would ask, “What has the Lord accomplished through you, in your work, your family, and your friends?”  I thought this was an interesting way to frame this question.  It makes me realize that it is not I that accomplish the good deeds but God working through me.

The Apostles realize that as they go from place to place God is working through them.  The same is true today.  Our hands, feet, lips and minds are the instruments of God to bring peace to our world.  We just need to get out of the way and let God do God’s thing.

I also like the way “they called the church together.”  We are church even when we are not together.  Richard Hooker (1600), in my view, one of the greatest Anglican Theologians ever contends, “Concerning the nature of the Church, Hooker wrote: “The Church is always a visible society of men; not an assembly, but a Society. For although the name of the Church be given unto Christian assemblies, although any multitude of Christian men congregated may be termed by the name of a Church, yet assemblies properly are rather things that belong to a Church. Men are assembled for performance of public actions; which actions being ended, the assembly dissolveth itself and is no longer in being, whereas the Church which was assembled doth no less continue afterwards than before.” (Taken from Great Cloud of Witnesses for November 3) Hooker is a person of his time and therefore the gender “men” would now be “persons,” even, I am sure, by Hooker himself.  My point is, that we, individually are the Church and we should conduct ourselves accordingly at all times. 

There can be hardships and personal costs involved in this miracle work.  Paul was stoned and left for dead. “Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.  But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city.” (Acts 14:19 – 20)  This almost seems funny if not so tragic.  Today, and in this country, you and I would probably not get stoned or in any way harmed for trying to preach peace and harmony.  So why are we not out promoting it?

Maybe one of the reasons for calling the church together on Sundays is to “relate all that God had done (and is doing) with them (and us).  Church  (assembled) should be a check-in time. And like the little cards maybe we should ask the question “What has the Lord accomplished through us, in our work, our family, and our friends?” But we must remember, that in the “doing” it is not us, but God acting in us who is doing the real work of opening the door of faith to all the world.

Let us ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John+

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 11 of Year 1

AM Psalm 45; PM Psalm 47, 48  1 Samuel 25:1-22; Acts 14:1-18; Mark 4:21-34

“But the residents of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to maltreat them and to stone them, the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; and there they continued proclaiming the good news.” (Acts 14:4 – 7)

I have traveled much in my life.  The one thing that I have learned is that there are good and bad people in every walk of human life.  I have been to several places in Asia, in the Middle East, in Europe, in the South Pacific, in Africa and of course here in the Americas.  It matters not the ethnicity of a people.  Some folk just want to be mean or evil.  And some (I believe most) want to be good. 

So when I read that “The residents of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to maltreat them and to stone them” I am not surprised.  Such behavior is consistent with what I have experienced in my own time and travels around the world.

Some people have compassion for others and some do not. I think it only takes a few minutes to be with someone to get a feel of where their heart is.  I can normally tell by how they refer to those who are different in some way; racially, ethnically, nationality, or whatever.  I can also get a sense of how some people refer to those who do not think in the same way they do regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality or whatever.

I saw a skit once where a comic said he and his brother were bigots.  They didn’t like anybody that was different than they were in any way.  And finally he said, he was even thinking hard about whether or not he even liked his brother.  After all, his brother wasn’t he, himself.  Perhaps some people are just made to be unsettling.

I have noticed that in order for evil to play itself out it requires others.  Acts of revenge, retaliation, jealousy, and hatred requires a focus on other human beings. O sure, people can be mean to animals too.  And that is sad.  But maybe these disgusting acts are clues as to what might develop later.

Love on the other hand, can focus on ourselves, on others, and on the creatures of the earth and on the Creator God, God’s Self. Love has no bounds and does not withhold compassion. If the person who tries to love the other is denied their good intentions, the lover flees to another place, “and there they continue proclaiming the good news” of love.

The methodology remains the same for the followers of Jesus: where the people receive the Word, we stay and preach and teach.  Where it is not received, we move on.  We try to plant.  Where it takes hold and grows only God knows.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.  John+

Eucharistic Readings for Mary Magdalene

Judith 9:1,11-14 Psalm 42:1-7    2 Corinthians 5:14-18 John 20:11-18

Today we remember Mary Magdalene. “Mary Magdalene is mentioned in the Gospels as being among the women of Galilee who followed Jesus and His disciples, and who was present at His Crucifixion and Burial, and who went to the tomb on Easter Sunday to anoint His body. She was the first to see the Risen Lord, and to announce His Resurrection to the apostles.”  (James Kiefer at http://satucket.com/lectionary/Mary_Magdalene.htm)

“Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.”  (John 20:18)

This is the second of the greatest (and shortest) two sermons ever preached.  The first also comes from a Mary, It comes from Mary the mother of Jesus where she looks beyond the pages of the Bible and tells us, the servants or Jesus, to, “Do whatever he tells you.” (John 2:4)

We hear lots of biblical figures telling us what Jesus did or said.  But these two women give us instruction about how we are to relate to Jesus as our Teacher. Mary, his earthly mother, bids us to obey Jesus.  But Mary Magdalene shares with us the power of God in the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead. And then she runs to tell the apostles and us.

Of course they don’t believe her and have to go and see for themselves. Jesus chooses who He will.  He chose Mary of Magdala to carry the word of his Resurrection!  And that, she did.

Mary’s whole identity was caught up in, and based on, her relationship with Jesus. So also my real identity is defined by my relationship with Jesus. Jesus has released me of the demons of racial identity.  I am not so much a black person as I am a Christian person.  I am not so much even a man as I am a Christian.  I am not so much an American as I am a Christian.  I could go on and on in topics of political party, sexual orientation, branch of service, fraternities and so on. It would be easy to be controlled by any of these kinds of demons.  All of these identities can be demons if they consume me.  Mary Magdalene had seven demons that Jesus ridded her of (Luke 8:2).  She, and I, became who we truly are in the realization of who Jesus is to us, our life coach and Teacher.

My heart goes out to Mary Magdalene when she stood outside the tomb crying because her Savior was gone, dead!  All hope was gone as far as she knew.  Who would protect her from future demons now?  And then Jesus calls to her, Mary!  And her life is renewed!  Praise Jesus.

My brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, we have choices.  We can accept the tags and demons that society places on us or we can self identify as disciples of our Teacher Jesus.  None of the labels that society places on us are eternal.  Only Jesus calling us out into the light is eternal.  Jesus knows our true identity.  Jesus knows our true name and he will call us by that name just as he did with Mary.  And we too will reply, Teacher!

Ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John+

Eucharistic Readings for Sunday Proper 11 Year C Track 2

Genesis 18:1-10a Psalm 15  Colossians 1:15-28 Luke 10:38-42

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing, Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41- 42)

This is a story about hospitality. It is also a story about priority.  The hospitality part shows how important listening to our guests is over making them comfortable. This Gospel lesson is paired up with the Genesis story of the three visitors to Abraham as he sat by the oaks of Mamre at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. (Genesis 18)

Abraham makes provision for them and then stands by them as they refresh themselves.  He listens to his guests.  He is present with them as Mary is present with Jesus in our Gospel lesson from Luke today.

This last week we hosted our Vacation Bible School. We opened our parish and our hearts up to the children of our community and we were present with them. We were present with them in storytelling. We were present with them in arts and crafts.  We were present with them in shared meals and we were present with them in singing hymns.  We were attentive to their needs and they blessed us. We had laughter. We shed some tears.  We were challenged with diverse concerns and behaviors and habits. We hope we also created new habits.  But we loved them through it all and we still love them now. Love is eternal. We did not let ourselves get worried and distracted by many things.  We were attentive to the better parts and we thank God that it will not be taken away from us, which brings us to the priority part.

The priority part causes us to be mindful of the presence of Christ over all else and the “this will not be taken away from her” part, shows its eternal nature. Food and work comes and goes.  Being in the presence of the Son of God is eternal.

I have been, and still become both Martha and Mary.  Martha is an excuse to use when we don’t want to face what’s really going on.  I need to straighten out my check book. But I’ll go out and straighten out my tool box now; only to find out I have never replaced a broken wrench. The broken tool can’t be replaced of course, until I straighten out my check book.

Maybe I should sit and talk with someone about some personal concerns I have. I’ll do that as soon as I finish the 2000 piece puzzle that I have yet to purchase. Martha comes in all kinds of ways. Martha is herself a distraction; a temporal distraction.  Inevitably the reality of the eternal sets in.  We must choose the better part.

Within the context of hospitality there is a priority that should be established.  This is true whether your guests are old friends or neighborhood children. Our house rules require us to listen, learn and love.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to (and through) God’s people. John+

Daily Office Readings for Saturday Proper 10 of Year 1

AM Psalm 30, 32; PM Psalm 42, 431 Samuel 22:1-23; Acts 13:26-43; Mark 3:19b-35 :

“David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, ‘Please let my father and mother come to you, until I know what God will do for me.” (1 Samuel 22:3)

David is in trouble. Saul wants to kill him and is searching for him to do just that.  David is in a tight spot but remains faithful to God and what God will do for him.  David has been in trouble before and has always counted on God, even when he, David, is in the wrong.

God is faithful even when we are not.  When we have established a personal relationship with God we have every faith that God, our Old Friend, will not let us down.

Sometimes the problem is however, convincing the people we need in our lives that we are waiting on God and that God will come through for us.  David takes his parents to safety and begs the king of Moab to keep them until he is informed about what God is going to do.  Does not this require the king of Moab to have some faith and trust in God also? Maybe the king’s faith and trust was in David only.

This faith in the person who has faith, is something I am used to.  People come to me all the time to go to God for them.  I constantly tell them they don’t need me to do that for them, that God is just as open to them as God is to me.  I’m wasting my time.  They listen patiently (sometimes rolling their eyes or glancing at their watch) and then tell me what they want God to know. Bless them.

I served with a fellow Marine once who ran the unit substance abuse program.  I’ll call him Rob.  Rob told me that he worked with many people suffering from addiction that never knew God or had any church or religious experience or even knew how to pray.  The Higher Power identification was, and is, a good way to gather these suffering souls into a collective wherein they can depend on a Power greater than themselves.  But for some this didn’t work.  Rob told me he told them to believe in his (Rob’s) God.  He told them when they try to pray just say, “Dear Rob’s God, …”   This is not so distant from our ancient ancestors praying to The God of Abraham, The God of Isaac and The God Jacob.  When we are week, we lay our foot in the path and footsteps of those who have trod before us.

Perhaps the king of Moab just had faith in David alone.  This is faith in those who have faith.  This too is another reason to have faith.  We of faith witness it to those who have it not. This does not mean that we are perfect, far be it.  Faith does not mean that we do everything right but that we believe in the Creator and the One sent by the Creator. For it is written, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Those of us with faith show it to others by what we ask of them like David asking, “Please let my father and mother come to you, until I know what God will do for me.”

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to (and through) the people of God. John+

Daily Office Readings for Friday Proper 10 of Year 1

AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 351 Samuel 21:1-15, Acts 13:13-25; Mark 3:7-19a

“He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.  And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons.”  (Mark 3:13 – 15)

There are a couple of things here to notice.

 First, Jesus called those whom he wanted and these were called his disciples.  From this gathering he called the twelve. These twelve are further the named “apostles.”  They are called apostles because they are “sent out” to proclaim the message of the kingdom of God, and to have authority to cast out demons or any kind of sickness.

Second, these twelve apostles are divided up into pairs. They go out partnered. Interestingly Jesus picks brothers (James and John; and Simon and Andrew) who already have a bonded relationship as a pattern of the love such paired persons should have for one another. I think this is a very important concept that may be over looked.

I have noticed how Jehovah Witnesses as well as Mormons who go out in pairs (this latter on their bicycles) to visit households.  And in a lighter observation, as a Star Wars enthusiast myself, I notice the Jedi tend travel in pairs as they go to negotiate with other governing authorities.  Although this latter is totally fiction, the idea, it can be argued, comes from established biblical patterns.

There are many such biblical patterns like, Adam and Eve; Moses and Aaron; Naomi and Ruth; Elijah and Elisha; the two on the road to Emmaus from the Gospel of Luke, and Paul and various others of the New Testament.  The pattern of these biblical stories shows how we can advance our call to be who God wants us to be by partnering with a prayer partner.

“Prayer Partner” is the term we use in our Cursillo Movement in the Diocese of East Carolina to designate how Team Members are yoked together for the purpose of praying for pilgrims and persons who are giving talks.  I like the term.  Maybe before we partner for the purpose of even marriage we should first become prayer partners.  There could be a strong argument that if we can’t pray together we can’t stay together.  There is a beautiful prayer in the Apocrypha of the Bible, in Tobit, where Tobias and Sarah are about to be married and make vows to each other.  In fact, it is the only place in our Holy Writings where we actually have wedding vows. (Tobit 8:4 – 8)

Prayer Partners don’t have to be married.  But they should have at least a similar understanding of who Jesus is in their lives.  The prayer part itself does not have to be something said out loud but understood to be sacred and binding for both. Something in a relationship should be bigger than both in the relationship. This relationship is spiritual not sexual but does not exclude sex as something negative.  It is wholly human and holy divine.

It is one thing to be a student or disciple where we are learning only.  It is something totally more advanced to be entrusted to be apostolic, “sent out” to proclaim the message.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to (and through) God’s people. John+