Author: John Thomas Frazier

I am a retired U. S. Marine of 30 years and now an Episcopal Priest serving in the Diocese of East Carolina. I am a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. I am originally from Nashville, Tennessee now living in Raeford, North Carolina.

Pondering for Monday, June 9, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 5: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 56 and 57; Evening, Psalms 64 and 65;
Deuteronomy 30:1 to 10; 2nd  Corinthians 10:1 to 18; Luke 18:31 to 43:

“As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, ‘Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.’  Then he shouted, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’  Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him,  ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.’  Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.” (Luke 18:35 to 43)

Jesus had just finished telling the twelve about what was going to happen to him in Jerusalem but they couldn’t see it although they had their visual sight.  This blind man asked what was happening and when he heard that it was Jesus, saw very clearly what was good for him to do regardless of the pushback from the crowd.

The crowd tried to hold him back but he was persistent, saying, “Have mercy on me.”  Often we are denied the call of our faith through pressure from our friends, (social media, virtual or face to face). We must learn about what is good for us. We must strive to see clearly for this is how we are given our moral sight back.

Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”  What would you ask our Lord Jesus for if given the one opportunity?  The blind man in our passage for today just wants to be back where he was when he could see and appreciate the difference between light and dark; sight and blindness; indeed, right and wrong. He said, ‘Lord, let me see again.

Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has saved you. Again, his cure was already in him just as ours is already in us, our faith. We must take our faith to the living Jesus who is waiting to do for us whatever we ask. This blind man did and, “Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God.”  I wish we had his name. Are you following our Lord Jesus? Do we have your name?

Today we remember Columba, abbot of Iona and Missionary (June 9, 597) and his information may be found at: Columba.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Most Holy Lord Jesus, The Holy Spirit of God Incarnate, keep us mindful of Your promise to ask You for whatever good we might need and to ask with confidence knowing that You will satisfy our needs as may be best for us in order that we will also will care for our neighbors through You O Lord; Amen.

Pondering for Sunday, June 8, 2025

Two of the Eucharistic Readings for the Day of Pentecost: Year C

Acts 2:1-21; John 14:8 to 17;

 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever.” (John 14:16)

These words from The Gospel according to John were recited and remembered well before the writings of the Acts of the Apostles, in our Acts reading for today.  But even in John’s Gospel, Jesus tells of a coming time when God will send the Holy Spirit to be with, and lead our assembled Church.

What does “another” advocate mean?  Our Lord Jesus was an advocate for us, not so much for human authorities, but for believers, as the real intercessor of our faithful presence before God.

Perhaps the greatest harm that Covid did to us was to stop us from coming together as Church. Many of us have now gone to live-streaming worship or other Church telecommunications as a way of worship. I fear something is missing with “e-worship.”  Our parish has gone to ending our Old and New Testament readings with the words, “Hear what the Spirit is saying to God’s people:” rather than “The Word of the Lord.”  The Holy Spirit of God can speak two different meanings to two different people sitting side by side using the same words. It is far more important to feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit than to be fixated on the literal words that were read. But we must be together for this to happen. We have become so accustomed to not coming to Church that some find it difficult to come back now that Covid has declined.  We need to turn this around. 

In Acts we have New Testament people recalling Old Testament prophecy. What we have this time in our Acts reading is a repeat of the Prophet Joel, Chapter 2, verse 28 to 32. Whether it’s Acts or Joel, the point is that God will pour out the Spirit of God on all “gathered” community who accept it and call on God so that they will be saved. Saved in this sense is different from cured.  This “saved” refers to life after death, eternal life. 

The Acts message is so inclusive that it is spoken by people who did not know the language of the Gentiles for whom the message went to, but was heard clearly by those Gentiles who never knew Jesus.  It makes no difference.  If they call on Jesus, they will be saved. If we call on Jesus, we too will be saved, forever.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Day of Pentecost: Whitsunday BCP p. 227)

O God, who on this day taught the hearts of your faithful people by sending to them the light of your Holy Spirit: Grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in his holy comfort; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Pondering for Saturday, June 7, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 107:33 to 108:6; Ezekiel 43:1 to 12; Hebrews  9:1 to 14; Luke 11:14 to 23;

Eve of Pentecost: Psalm 33; Exodus 19:3 to 8 and 16 to 20; 1st Pet. 2:4 to 10; 

“Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites:” (Exodus 19: 5 and 6).

These are some of the words we read for the Eve of Pentecost, of which, tomorrow is Pentecost, the Day we remember as the Day the Holy Spirit descended upon us to be with us and guide us.

The Holy Spirit can be heard as the Voice of God speaking in our hearts and minds. This Voice is heard by our souls. Our souls are in dialogue with God.  Then our souls try to lead us, if we will listen and heed its guidance.

The whole world, and all the people that walk the earth, belong to God, but too few believe, or follow the connection that our souls make with God. For those of us that do, we are a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.  The path to becoming a part this kingdom and holy nation, is believing. Believing in God and what God wants of us changes the way we live our lives.

We are commanded to love God and then to love our neighbor.  It has to be in that order. If not, we tend to put God on the back burner. But it is only through God that we have our very existence; the One in whom we live and move and have our being.  If we didn’t exist we couldn’t love at all. But please know this: God is God even if we never existed.  So let’s be thankful, trusting and loving: thankful to be here, trusting that God wants what’s best for us and then let us be loving back to God and all who God has made, including ourselves.

My own personal creed is: “I Trust in the Creating Word through the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word, in whom we live and move and love and have our being, and to whom we must give an account.”  What do you believe?  Write a short statement about what you truly believe. It may evolve over time. Don’t be afraid to capture your faith in your own words. You don’t have to share it. But it’s a start in your own spiritual development. Do you believe in God? What path to God are you on?  Go ahead, write something down. Then, revisit it from time to time and examine how you have moved, or not.  No matter how real you think you are, the Creator is the ultimate reality. “Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples;” (Exodus 19:5).  We now have the Holy Spirit of God through Christ Jesus.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)      

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering for Friday, June 6, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1 to 32; 
Ezekiel 34:17 to 31; Hebrews 8:1 to 13; Luke 10:38 to 42:

“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  And they shall not teach one another or say to each other, “Know the Lord”, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest.” (Hebrews 8:10 and 11)

This quoting of Jeremiah 31: 31 to 34 by the writer to the Hebrews is affirmation for me as it has been one of my favorite quotes of the Bible.  It basically says that after the presence of our Lord Jesus in the midst of humanity we all “know the Lord.”  We may pretend like we don’t but Jesus has made an indelible mark on the human soul, and it’s there forever. We just need to listen to our souls.

I am having a hard time with the writer to the Hebrews where he says, “In speaking of ‘a new covenant’, he has made the first one obsolete. And what is obsolete and growing old will soon disappear:” (Hebrews 8:13).  What does the writer mean by “disappear”?  I like, and hold on to, these ancient words of the Hebrew, (Old), Testament. There are very valuable lessons within these precious writings.  I think even the writer using the Jeremiah text indicates that he does too.

The main point to ponder here is that God has planted in EVERY human heart and mind an awareness of God. We don’t, (and can’t), figure God out.  The awareness of the presence of God is God’s free gift of grace to human kind. Personally, I don’t think human beings are the only creatures in God’s creation that has an awareness of God. Some other earth creatures are among the “infants” within creation and are very aware of God’s presence.

We humans however, must try to prove everything so that we will believe. According to Anselm, (Archbishop of Canterbury, 1109); that’s not the way to live into our faith. Anselm says about his own belief, “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)  We truly do have to “Let go and let God.”  

Let us take some time this Sabbath time and ponder the presence of God in our lives.  All of us have God in our lives. We just have to quiet ourselves and listen as did Mary in our Gospel reading for today from Luke.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Today we remember Ini Kopuria, Founder of the Melanesian Brotherhood, 1945 and his information may be found at: Ini Kopuria

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom. 

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP p. 832)

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to thee, so guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we may be wholly thine, utterly dedicated unto thee; and then use us, we pray thee, as thou wilt, and always to thy glory and the welfare of thy people; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pondering for Thursday, June 5, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 105:1 to 22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45;         
Ezekiel 18:1 to 4 and 19 to 32; Hebrews 7:18 to 28; Luke 10:25 to 37:

“Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.”  (Luke 10: 31 and 32)

This is the story of the Good Samaritan. It is in response to a lawyer who asks, “Who is my neighbor?” and answered by our Lord Jesus.  Jesus begins by showing the unneighborly acts by persons thought to have compassion for all people, but did not.

Passing by on the other side seems to be the ancient way of avoiding difficult situations. We still pass by difficult situations today. We don’t want to have the difficult conversations about the sins of racism, or mental illness, or reconciliation with those who have been wrongly incarcerated, or even those who have differing opinions than ourselves.  Too many of us would rather have no contact or communication with the details of a problem than to do the hard work of unraveling it. It is like unraveling a tangled set of Christmas lights. We do this avoidance knowing that once done, the results will be beautiful.

Human language is a beautiful thing. We have ways of reasoning through the spoken and written words that other forms of life on earth life do not have.  However, we fail to use dialogue in the best ways, ways that will bring us together in more loving relationships.  But the truth is, we must want the virtue of compassion for ourselves first. We must want to be able to live in harmony with others. There should be nothing, no subject, that we cannot talk about. Such conversation requires discipline. We must have in place rules of respect and tolerance.  But like the Good Samaritan, we must start with compassion. We have been passing by on the other side for far too long. Let’s fix this, or at least, begin to.

Today we remember Boniface, Bishop, Missionary, Martyr (June 5, 754) and his information may be found at: Boniface

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Help us, O help us Dear Lord to have compassion for one another. Let us use the gift of compassion and mercy to unravel our languages in a way that allows us to feel the hearts of our neighbors knowing that all of humanity are our neighbors, and that as we do this, we too will be Good Samaritans, and pleasing in Your sight; Amen.

Pondering for Wednesday, June 4, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Psalms 101 and 109:1 to 4 and 20 to 30; Evening Psalm 119:121 to 144; 
Ezekiel 11:14 to 25; Hebrews 7:1 to 17; Luke 10:17 to 24:

“At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”  (Luke 10:22)

There are several phrases within our readings for today that jump out at me as I observe human nature and compare us today with our ancient writings.  I notice that our Lectionary excludes verses 5 through 19 of Psalm 109. These verses wrap any kind of justice up in revenge, for example; “When he is judged, let him be found guilty, and let his appeal be in vain:” (Psalm 109:6).  Today, when I hear people call for justice I hear revenge in their voice and in their heart. This is sadness for me.  I’m glad we have the opportunity to skip such verses.

The Hebrew Testament offers some relief where Ezekiel reports, “I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God:” (Ezekiel 11:19 and 20). Perhaps it is with a heart of stone that we have lost all compassion. We need the heart of flesh – the heart of compassion so that we shall be God’s people and God will truly be our God. This is better than sadness.

In the Gospel reading for today after the seventy returned from doing the Lord’s work, “At that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit:” This is from our Gospel reading for today as printed above. It is not often that we can contemplate a happy Jesus, and even less is it talked about. This is a move away from sadness. I believe we were made to be a happy people.

If we pay close attention to this Luke verse we will notice that our Lord Jesus is actually praying in his rejoicing.  He prays, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”  He is not praying from a state of sadness. How often do we seriously pray in our rejoicing?  I know that personally, I like to give out a big “Thank You Jesus,” whenever something good happens in my life.  It just feels good to say it out loud. I also like looking at these words on the sign posted in my front yard. A happy Jesus makes me happy too. We are happiest when we pardon or forgive one another and not carry the burden of hate, jealousy, racism, and revenge under the veil of so called justice. Give it a try; be happy!

Today we remember John XXIII (Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli) Bishop of Rome and his information may be found at: John XXIII (Angelo Guiseppe Roncalli)

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:                                                                                        

O Lord Jesus, open our eyes to see the good and the happiness in our world. Receive our thanksgiving in prayer to you for such occasions and help us to spread Your happiness and glory throughout our community and the world; Amen.

Pondering for Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99;  Evening, Psalm 94,
Ezekiel 7:10 to 15 and 23 to 27; Hebrews 6:13 to 20; Luke 10:1 to 17:

“After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, “Peace to this house!” And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the laborer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, “The kingdom of God has come near to you.”  But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, “Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.”  (Luke 10:1 to 11)

I bit off a huge portion of this Bible text from the Gospel according to Luke. But it’s important. It is about mission and it is about message.

In my Education for Ministry Zoom class one Sunday a few years back, one of our participants reminded us of a Church in Fayetteville that started about 17 years ago in a barn.  They were very small. Over the years they did the Lord’s work of feeding the hungry of Fayetteville and other such charitable acts outside of their barn. They were sent. They didn’t necessarily try to get people into their Church; they got their people out of the Church and into the streets fulfilling the needs of the people and bringing the Good News of the Salvation of Christ.  Now they appear on the evening news from time to time as they help with needs of the community. Now they have satellite Churches in several locations around Fayetteville.  Now, like the seventy in our reading for today, they are filled with joy because they are doing wonderful things in the Name of the Lord. The lesson that I am learning from their experience is that the Lord’s work is done where the need is, rather than where we are gathered.  Yes, we should come together to worship. It is good and right so to do. But the fruit of our gathering should be made manifest in the help and enhancement of the lives of our neighbors.  And we should not do it in order to grow, but rather, grow as a result of doing it.  Life is hard everywhere today. It really does feel like we are sent out like lambs into the midst of wolves. But a Church among us has set the example. We would be wise to follow.  Let us live to love, more than just love to live.

Today we remember The Martyrs of Uganda (June 3, 1886) and their information may be found at: Martyrs of Uganda.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP p. 824)

O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering for Monday, June 2, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 7th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 89:1 to 18; Evening,  Psalm 89:19 to 52; 
Ezekiel  4:1 to 17; Hebrews 6:1 to 12; Luke 9:51 to 62:

“Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)

I think the point that our Lord Jesus is making is that once we have set our minds, our sights, on where we are going, we need to stay focused.

I joined the United States Marines at the end of May, 1972.  Basic Training (Boot Camp), was a big step for me. It was my first ever flight on an airplane. It was the first time away from home without my Dad with whom I had always been with as we worked for United Van Lines, movers.

It is an old story that still happens today. I arrive finally on a bus with other recruits on Parris Island, South Carolina somewhere around midnight. We were “greeted,” if that’s what you want to call it, by a man wearing a Smoky-the-Bear hat and he appeared to be very angry – angry at us.  I think he was mad because we were there and made him have to work.

This new chapter in my life required me to stay focused on whatever was about to happen next.  I had no time to think about, “those at my home,” back in Nashville, Tennessee.  I needed to be attentive to what was happening next. I did not want to fail. After much training, successes, some failures and some accomplishments, I graduated Honor Man for my platoon on August 28, 1972. I made it!  But it required me to not look back and second guess my decision to join the Marines in the first place. I retired after 30 years but before retirement, events in the Corps led me to the Episcopal Church and to Jesus where the same is true about the decision to follow Jesus. There is no looking back.  It must be face-forward, eyes on Him always. With hand to plough and no looking back, we make straight rows.

Today we remember Blandina and Her Companions, The Martyrs of Lions (June 2, 177) and their information may be found at: Martyrs of Lyons.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Help us, O help us Dear God to first see the path You have set before us, and then, help us again to stay the course. Help us to keep our focus on where You lead us and to never get distracted or deterred by earthly events which hinder our will to always follow Your lead. Amen.

Pondering for Sunday, June 1, 2025

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Seventh Week of Easter: Year C

John 17:20 to 26:

“Jesus prayed for his disciples, and then he said, “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.” (John 17:20 and 21)

Jesus prays not only for those standing with him more than 2000 years ago, but also for us today who have come to believe through their writings, teachings and tradition of worship. The story of Jesus is the greatest “hand-me-down” gift we could ever receive, or give. And, to believe, in order that we all might be one with our Lord Jesus, is life-saving and redeeming.

As we continue to follow the apostles and disciples of Jesus, their words continue on from Jerusalem, through the Church in Rome, and for us, on the Episcopal path, through England to, and through, Christ Episcopal Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  We have the Gospel words of Matthew, Mark, and John, . And we have Paul, Peter, James and others.  I didn’t forget about Luke, but Luke did not know Jesus personally as did those Gospel Evangelists I named. Luke, like us today, is a recipient of the original follower’s words in which we too come to believe, just as Jesus prayed that “also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one.”  These sacred words are still being passed on to us, and from us, to those put in our path today, child or adult, family or friend.

We are a mouth-to-ear people by way of reading our sacred text to one another. We talk about our Lord Jesus and we try as best we can to follow him. It is by word and deed that we show who we are, and who Jesus is. The Word of Jesus is to Love God and love our neighbor as Jesus loved us. And Jesus loved us to death. So too, we are called to love others in the same way, to death.  I will confess there are people that I am willing to lay my life down for.  I will also say that the more people that are in danger, the more likely I am to give my life, and yes, especially children.  I enlisted in the Marines and was sent to many hazardous clime and places during my 30 years on active duty. It could have cost me my life for this nation. And I understood that.  Last weekend we remembered all who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.

As long as I am confessing, let me say that I know some people that I will not give my life for.  I have (perhaps wrongly) judged them not worthy because of what I have observed of them.  I have looked upon their addiction, their lack of compassion for others; their hatred of those different than themselves. I am not Jesus. Jesus would still die for those I deem unworthy.  I don’t think I would die for a child abuser or murderer. I’m not Jesus. Jesus loves each and every one of us to death. I struggle with my lack of desire to be more like Jesus. Sadly, I don’t think I even want to be that much like Jesus. I am not proud of how I feel. I am being very honest. Jesus, God Incarnate, loves all people, without exception. As for me, I have heard the Word and I do believe.

Each Sunday we, as a community of the faithful ask God in Christ Jesus to be imbedded in the bread and wine that we then consume. In this way, He is in us and as God is in Him, God Almighty, dwells in us and is refreshed each week as we make our way here together. So the complete verse is, As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us.” (John 17:20 and 21)

As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Seventh Sunday of Easter: The Sunday after Ascension Day (BCP p. 226)

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

Pondering for Saturday, May 31, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Saturday, of the 6th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 87 and  90; Evening,  Psalm 136;
Ezekiel 3:4 to 17; Hebrews 5:7 to 14; Luke 9:37 to 50:

“John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.” (Luke 9:49 and 50)

I understand these words from Jesus as a lesson in ecumenicalism, specifically, dialogue and action between different Christian denominations resulting in good works for a community.

What makes Christians Christian is the belief in, and use of, the Name of Jesus to bring about good. John, in our Luke reading for today, is upset that a Jesus believer is someone whom he does not know. But he is making good use of the Name of Jesus. Jesus tells him to let him be.  Ironically, the Gospel of this same John records Jesus saying, “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd:” (John 10:16).

I think different gatherings of today’s Christian Church focuses on different agenda. Some are concerned with the forgiveness of sins; some on equality of life; some are about the afterlife; some are about our historic church; some are about who Jesus is and what he wants of us. some are about inclusivity and love for all. None of the Christian Churches, that I can see, have a perfect program. Perhaps the ecumenical approach is best. But in no way am I saying the “Non-Denominational Church is the perfect answer, or for that matter, my own faith choice, the Episcopal Church.  While we all are sometimes terrified and often amazed by trying to follow the Jesus path, we all have stumbling blocks.

I pray that as we all mature spiritually, that we evolve in a way that looks like “devolving.” That is, we begin to look and act more and more alike.  It seems to me that we got where we are today by “splintering” over divisive issues.  We must learn to have dialogue rather than debate; consensus rather than election where voting makes winners and losers.  For the most part we all have something good to do in the Name of our Lord Jesus. And we are all called by him into one fold, under One Shepherd.

Today we remember The Visitation of The Blessed Virgin Mary, and her information may be found at: The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)      

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.