Author: John Thomas Frazier

New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Easter Vigil 20 April 2019

Romans 6:3-11 Psalm 114 Luke 24:1-12

Luke

“But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.” (Luke 24:12)

My Pondering

“What?” “ No, it can’t be!” Must have been what Peter thought when Mary Magdalene and the other women brought the disciples the news that Jesus was no longer in the tomb.

So Peter runs to the tomb to see for himself. I guess in all honesty, I might have done the same thing.  But as a Monday morning quarterback and a big fan of Mary Magdalene, I ask why couldn’t the men just believe her?  But since it does sound too good to be true, I probably would have ran to see for myself also.  In John’s Gospel Peter runs with another disciple who outruns Peter but hesitates at the door and Peter rushes right inside the tomb.

Peter has had some life changing experiences with Jesus.  Jesus has become part of who Peter is.  Jesus has become a part of who all Christians are.  Peter however, got to live with Jesus and witness firsthand the power of God working out salvation in a person. While it was difficult to have Jesus to die, it must be amazing to see his burial place be empty.  This is the turning point for Simon Peter. For him, and for us, it means hope!

From this point forward, Peter is a new person.  From the Resurrection forward, for all of us who are Christians, we are new persons in Christ Jesus.  We walk, or run, with Peter and we too are amazed. The tomb of our sins is empty and our future is full.  We have a guaranteed next life that has no end. Thank You Jesus!

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Readings for Good Friday 19 April 2019Holy Week

Isaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm 22Hebrews 10:16-25orHebrews 4:14-16; 5:7-9John 18:1-19:42

John

“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus.” (John 18:10)

My Pondering

So here we have Peter with a sword, and he uses it.  Peter shows courage for the protection and love of Jesus, while at the same time not fully understanding what Jesus is all about. And here’s the thing, after he has done this he follows the mob of Temple officials as they arrest Jesus and carry him away.  Peter is in over his head.

We know that later he is going to deny knowing Jesus but he’s there at this moment anyway.  Maybe he has a plan or maybe he’s looking for a weakness in the sentry guarding Jesus and another opportunity to use his sword; a sword that he was not told to throw away but rather to put back in its sheath: interesting. Jesus does not seem to be opposed to the sword as he informs his disciples that the time will indeed come when they will in fact need a sword (Luke 22:36 -38)

This fisherman, Simon, who was re-named Peter, who is married (and we know this because he has a mother-in-law: Matt. 8:14-15) and has been touched at least twice by God with revelation about Jesus (the Confession: Matt. 16:17; and the Transfiguration Matt. 17) now follows Jesus and is ready to fight for his leader and for the new life his leader has proposed.  Peter is ready to defend the command to love with a sword!  He might well be considered the first Christian Knight.

While this sword play of Peter also shows up in Luke (22:50), only in the Gospel of John does it identify the sword handler as Peter and the person struck as Malchus (John 18:10). Having their names along with the names of Pontius Pilate and others helps to make this story part of our story. 

Today is Good Friday.  This is the day we remember that our Lord, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God, God Incarnate, was taken into our human hands and murdered.  That this happened, we are saved.  God is good all the time, even when we are not.  This is God suffering for our sinfulness.  This is our getting angry about it.  But this is also our being very thankful for the grace and mercy of God to forgive us and allow us to be taken into death with the humanness of Jesus and brought into eternal life with Jesus as well.

This is why this is Good Friday; it is an ironic twist of fate that God’s judgment, of our judgment of Jesus, allows for our salvation. It is a sad day for what we did.  It is a necessary day for what we need. We, like Peter, must show courage even when we don’t fully understand. We too are in over our heads.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Eucharistic Readings for Maundy Thursday 18 April 2019: Holy Week

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 John 13:1-17, 31b-35

John

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

My Pondering

John’s Gospel is written as if the readers already had a deep understanding of the Mathew, Mark and Luke and even Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.  So the words of consecration need not be said again.  Instead this Gospel tells about the foot washing and the servant-hood of discipleship. It talks about loving one another as Jesus loves us.

This explanation of love differs from the synoptic Gospels in that it commands us to love one another as Jesus loved us, not just, love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  With the latter, it could be assumed that we in fact love ourselves.  But if we don’t love ourselves, are we off the hook to love others?  So John’s Jesus commands us to love others as he loves us, that is, all the way to the cross and a painful death- unconditional love, agape love.

Jesus says that if we love others the way he loves us everyone will know that we are his disciples, his students.   People will know that we are trying to follow in the Way, the Jesus movement.  This command is simple, love others, not proselytize others, recruit others, convert others or in any way persuade others into your own way of worship or belief. Just love them.

The foot washing is an important lesson in loving humility.  One must be committed to serve in order to wash another’s feet.  Also, like Simon Peter, we must let go and be served as God intended.  We need each other.  We will not always be able to care for ourselves.  The foot washing is a first step in seeing what it feels like to let a care-provider actually care for you.  It is not about being proud, it is about being humble. It is about letting yourself be loved.

The irony of John’s Gospel is that this is the preferred Gospel for Maundy Thursday.  This is the night Jesus intentionally established the Lord’s Supper.  After this he was arrested. The actual wording used by our Church can be found in one of the selected readings above (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). John’s Gospel however, contains no such wording.  But it does reflect Jesus coming down from that table, wrapping a towel around himself, washing the feet of his followers and then returning back to the table.  This is reminiscent of his coming down from heaven, wrapping himself in human form, teaching, healing, serving and returning to where he was from the beginning. It is powerful imagery. We truly need all the Gospel visions, all the Gospel words to hear what God is saying.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Readings for Wednesday of Holy Week 2019

Psalm 70; Isaiah 50:4-9a; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32

Isaiah

“The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens— wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” (Isaiah 50:4)

My Pondering

These words resonate with me.  Morning by morning I too awake in conversation with the Creating Word.  This Holy Being coaches me through my life.  I am informed, and so I inform.  During the week I lead several Christian study groups.  There seems to be something good to teach every day of he week.  I know this is not something I have achieved.  It is gift. I am humbled by it.  I am also blessed by the people that God sends to me in these different studies.  As I lead, I also follow.  As I teach, I also learn. God gives me words to say that I personally never thought of.  Truly, “The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word.”

There is a real connection between the pastor and teacher as spelled out in Ephesians 4:11.  There is also a real connection between the listener and the counselor.  The pastor in me listens until my listening companion says what is necessary for him or her to hear and indeed, act on.  My job is to be another human being in the room.  I am to be safe, confidential and compassionate.  God helps me do this work.  I am not the only one.  In fact, I am part of a large part of God’s helpers, many of whom do not know that they have been called to do this much needed work. We need more listeners. We need more people waking up with God on their minds – listening to God coach us for being with those who need a pastor-teacher.

If you are reading this blog, please consider if you think God has gifted you with the capacity to sit with those in need of talking. It is very important that you agree to “let go and let God.”  God will do the work. I have learned that if you counsel, you should be counseled.  We all need that time to come to Jesus in the other.  No one is a lone wolf in this Spiritual companion work. As we companion, we are also companioned.   Inevitably it goes full circle. Or as my mother used to say, “what goes around, comes around.”  We are not made to live in isolation. We are hard-wired to be social creatures just as God, God’s self, is Trinitarian.

The weary are all around us.  They need help. They need guidance.  They need someone to talk to, perhaps you. Jesus says all too often, the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. The labor of love is listening.  The fruit of that labor is people turning around and reconnecting with God.

Be expecting God to wake you in the late or early hours  just as God did with young Samuel. (1 Sam. 3) And when it happens, just respond with, here am I Lord.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday 16 April 2019 Holy Week Year 1

AM Psalm 6, 12; PM Psalm 94Jer. 15:10-21; Phil. 3:15-21; John 12:20-26

Philippians

“Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you.”  (Philippians 3:15)

My Pondering

I am an Education for Ministry (EfM) mentor.  It is a Christian Formation program conducted by the School of the South at Sewanee, Tennessee.  It is a four year program conducted at satellite Episcopal Churches and homes throughout the U.S. and abroad.  Each Fall that we begin our academic year in my Fayetteville, N.C. group, we establish “Class Norms.” Along with confidentiality and other norms I always include the norm of deep listening which means accepting where others are in their theological journey.  I always tell them that we all are evolving. Where we are this minute theologically, may not be where we are in a few minutes, a few days or by the time we finish EfM. Further, we must respect where others are and give them the space to grow.

By the time participants in EfM get to Year 4 they have a real grasp of what it means to listen.  They also appreciate the many sessions of “Theological Reflection” that taught them how to process situations and how their Christian Tradition should inform their experiences.  So those of Year 4 are like those Paul talks about who are mature and of the same mind. 

I will also say that I have thought differently from other Christians about much of my Christian development and have taken some radical views about how I continue my journey.  Just one small example is switching from wearing the cross to wearing an emblem of chalice and bread to represent my Christian beliefs.  Our Christian tradition has, for the most part, used the cross to represent our faith.  However it has come to my attention that the cross was a Roman instrument of death.  And while we have Jesus saying “take up the cross and follow me,” such as this was written well after he was crucified.  What we do have Jesus saying in Matthew, Mark, and Luke/Acts is to partake of the bread and wine – body and blood – as often as you do it in remembrance of me. This is a clear directive from Jesus as a way to remember him.  I have other quirks but perhaps for another time.

The point I’m trying to make is that from time to time all of us think differently.  It’s ok.  Because we are free thinking Christians and no one way to follow Jesus should be forced on us.  Paul tells the Church in Philippi and us that “if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you.”

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Daily Office Readings for Monday 15 April 2019 Holy Week Year 1

AM Psalm 51:1-18(19-20); PM Psalm 69:1-23Jer. 12:1-16; Phil. 3:1-14; John 12:9-19

Psalm 51

“For behold, you look for truth deep within me, and will make me understand wisdom secretly. (Psalm 51:7)

My Pondering

Amidst the verses of Psalm 51 regarding sin and the turning away from it, is this verse about God looking for truth deep within us and God’s desire to make us understand wisdom secretly.  I find this interesting because I think deep within each of us is our own truth.   It is a truth we don’t totally share with anyone else.  But God can meet us in our own truth and build us up from there.

There are many great universities in the world.  Many are beyond the affordability of people who could really benefit from their teachings.  They are packed with wisdom but it is public wisdom.  It is wisdom for sale. And maybe what these formal schools offer is knowledge, and not wisdom at all.  Wisdom has more to do with discerning intellect.  Such discerning intellect is perhaps a gift that is born from within and not something taught.  The Psalmist says that God will have us understand wisdom secretly. I think what comes with this secret wisdom is God’s price tag of “Free.”  It is free grace.

I was in a systematic theology class once when after the class I noticed several seminarians, of whom I considered to be really smart students, gathered around the instructor to ask questions that perhaps went beyond what the instructor covered in class.  So I eased down close to see what I might hear and learn.  We were studying the theology of Thomas Aquinas.  Aquinas has written several volumes of books about the Trinity.  However the professor informed us that just a touch of understanding (free grace) from the Holy Spirit will give us even more understanding than the whole of Thomas Aquinas’s works.

This reminds me of the passage in Luke where the Resurrected Jesus appeared before them and “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24: 45)  This is that divine Spirit (that free grace) that only God can give.  This has happened several times in the Bible.  And I believe it still happens today with us.  We just need to be open to what God is doing and pray for such wisdom as did Solomon when he prayed, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?”  (1 Kings 3:9)  In some translations the “understanding mind” is translated “discerning heart” (NIV).  In any case, it is a prayer, and in Solomon’s case, it is so that he will be a better leader for the people of God. God was pleased that Solomon’s request was not self-centered.

We each have our own truths deep within us and God sees and understands our personal truths.  But God can, and does help us with ourselves. Our help indeed may come through formal education from a university that builds knowledge but it does not come without God’s assistance.  Pray then, for that free grace, for that secrete wisdom that only the Creating Word can give.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Eucharistic Readings for Palm Sunday 14 April 2019 Holy Week

Isaiah 50:4-9aPsalm 31:9-16Philippians 2:5-11Luke 22:14-23:56

Luke

“Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31- 32)

My Pondering

There is so much to ponder in the Passion Reading.  I think in all the readings for any of the Gospel Passion readings, Peter is the significant representative of us all.  He wants to be faithful, but fails. We want to be faithful but we too so often fail.  Jesus never gives up on Simon Peter and Jesus never gives up on us.

Satan, or at least sin, is at work against Simon Peter and us as well to reduce us down to manageable fragments in an effort to pull us away from following the love of Jesus. But we have the prayers of Jesus himself, keeping the faith within us, to keep us strong. Jesus says in our Passion passage, “but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail.” Jesus has proclaimed throughout the Gospel that it is the faith within us that enables to overcome the sinful obstacles in life.

Luke’s Gospel is the only Gospel that has Jesus make eye contact with Peter as the roster crows. This is a painful reminder that Jesus told him it would be so. It is also a painful reminder when we too make eye contact with Jesus and are found falling short of what we should be.  However, Jesus also lets Peter know that he will, at some point, turn back, and that we too, will at some point, turn back, and when we do, we, like Peter, are to strengthen our brothers and sisters in the faith.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday 13 April 2019 Week 5 of Lent Year 1

AM Psalm 137:1-6(7-9), 144; PM Psalm 42, 43Jer. 31:27-34; Rom. 11:25-36; John 11:28-44or12:37-50

“When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” (John 11:43)

My Pondering

In the Gospel of John Jesus has several personal encounters with different people.  And we get to listen, in and hopefully, learn something about what and how we are supposed to believe in God through Jesus Christ.

In this passage we see that Jesus treats Martha and Mary differently.  They both say the same thing when each goes out to meet Jesus outside the village.  Each says, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’ (John 11)  With Martha he goes deep into her beliefs (and doubts) about the resurrection of which he tells her that “He” is the Resurrection? 

After that Martha goes back to the village and back into her house and sends Mary out.  Mary goes to Jesus but we notice that Mary kneels at Jesus’ feet and then says the same thing, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’  But Jesus only replies to Mary with ‘Where have you laid him?’ Jesus treats us according to what we need, and how we approach him, with discipline or comfort, or both.  He knows what our needs are more than we do.

The very important lesson here is for us to hear what Jesus was telling Martha, and that is that he, JESUS, IS THE ESURRECTION!  These are the words spoken at funerals, “ I am Resurrection and I am life says the Lord.”  Every one of us who follows Jesus is looking forward to the day that he calls us out of death into eternal life as he did for Lazarus, into paradise. Yes, Thank You Jesus.

I have often thought of Jesus as the embodiment of the portal of God’s creation.  That is the very same portal through which God brought all things into being. That same Creating Portal then reducing itself into an embryo and was placed in the womb of Mary. I get this understanding from the first chapter of this same Gospel where it says, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” (John 1:3)

It only stands to reason then that the Manufacturer of creation also has the ability to re-create or bring back to life any of the created beings that the Creator wishes to.   ‘Lazarus, come out!’

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Daily Office Readings for Friday 12 April 2019 Week 5 of Lent Year 1

AM Psalm 95* & 22; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11(12) Jer. 29:1,4-13; Rom. 11:13-24; John 11:1-27 or 12:1-10

Psalm 141

“Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.” (Psalm 141:3)

My Ponderings

Hurtful speaking today can be compared to sending a hurtful email.  We can type up anything we want to another person we’re upset with. But until we hit “Send” it is still just with us, hasn’t done any harm at all. But once we hit “send” it’s out there.

I know that sometimes I speak before I think.  I hit the send button of my lips too quick.  Once it’s out there, it’s out there. A “Blind Copy” also goes to God!  When words come from our lips there is no “not blind copy.”  Everything we send, we send to God also.

I used to teach service members who, were substantiated of domestic violence, that their violent actions were not an automatic reflex – that in fact no matter how fast it happened, it was a processed thought.  The same is true with words, no matter how fast we respond or say something; it is always a processed thought.

I heard one person whom I respect deeply use the term “filter” to describe the way in which she modifies her words.  I like the term.  I like the prayer of the Psalmist even better, “Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.” (Psalm 141:3)

I think that before we say something, we first think it.  So if we are going to appeal to the Lord for help we should ask for the Lord’s help at the beginning, the very thought itself. Our Collect for Purity asks just that.  It goes, “Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid:  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthy magnify your Holy Name through Christ our Lord. Amen” (p. 355 BCP).

It is so embarrassing to fly-off-the-handle and say things we later regret.  The discipline of restraint requires us to be in continual “think” mode.  It requires us to hesitate at the risk of being late or considered “slow” of wit.  Once we learn to just accept whatever other people think of our hesitation, we learn to speak in more loving and meaningful ways, or not speak at all.  Just as there are loving and meaningful ways, so too are there are evil ways and things.  This brings us back to the Psalmist who teaches us to go to God about our words and actions. “Set a watch before my mouth, O Lord, and guard the door of my lips; let not my heart incline to any evil thing.” (Psalm 141:3)

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday 11 April 2019 Week of 5 Lent Year 1

AM Psalm 131, 132, [133]; PM Psalm 140, 142Jer. 26:1-16; Rom. 11:1-12; John 10:19-42

John

“Many of them were saying, ‘He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?’  Others were saying, ‘These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?’”  (John 10: 20-21)

My Pondering

I’ve always been the kind of person that if I thought what I was hearing from someone (and that person wasn’t a boss or a teacher), I would simply excuse myself and walk away.  I would not try to coerce others into following me or to not accept what was being said.  They needed to figure that out for themselves. I quickly recognize the condescending nature of the first speaker in the short passage from John.  The second speaker tries to use a more analytical approach in figuring out the real value of Jesus’ words. The second speaker says, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?

I have heard a lot of good information in my life from various people, some well educated and some not so well educated.  But what came to me from them was often very good.  And I have also had more than enough garbage spoken in my presence, from so-called well educated and the not so well educated. This latter part I just threw out, not always the smart thing to do.

I must admit that sometimes I have had to climb into the dumpster of thrown-away words to retrieve a sentence that literally opened the blind eyes of my heart and mind. When I was a teenager I hung out with some reckless friends that my Dad did not approve of. He told me, “you know,” he said, “water seeks its own level.”  What? I thought.  I didn’t realize my dad was using a metaphor to enlighten me about the fact that “I am my friends.”  I am the company I keep.  When one or two of my so-called friends began to get in trouble I finally saw the trajectory I was on and regrouped, changed directions.

My Dad was a truck driver, not one of the well-educated speakers in my life but he loved me and wanted the best for me.  His words of love were the kind of words that Jesus used in the presence of all those around him.  Yet many didn’t listen.

It is so important to be around people who speak words that give sight.  Sometimes you don’t see the value of the words at first. So keep that dumpster of thrown-away words in sight. It is also important to be able to tell quickly if the companions you keep are continually negative. Remember, water seeks its own level.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying through and to the people of the Creating Word and then let us “Ponder anew what the Almighty is doing.”  John Thomas Frazier Sr.