Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 5^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening,  Psalm 68;
Wisdom 10:1 to 21; Romans 12:1 to 21; Luke 8:1 to 15

“Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,”  (Luke 8: 1 and 2)

This is a very important writing from the Gospel according to Luke as it tells us something about how Mary Magdalene was liberated from seven demons.  This casting out of demons explains her sorrow at the death of our Lord Jesus and why she was crying at his tomb in the Gospel of John, chapter 20.

The life of Jesus goes from Herod to Herod; from Joseph his earthly father to Joseph of Arimathaea; from John the Baptist to John the apostle; and from Mary his mother to Mary Magdalene. Our Lord Jesus connects us around him and we come out better after him; our Lord Jesus is God’s plan for us and for our salvation.

While I have named the various to-and-from people of Jesus’ life, our Wisdom of Solomon  reading for today from the Apocrypha of the Bible will cause us to ponder even more deeply about who the writher is talking about.  Some hints would be Adam, Cain, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. Most of these people followed where God led them. Cain of course, ignored the caution to watch his behavior and what he was thinking. And as a result, he killed his brother.

The bottom line is this; God is still connecting with us on all sides. All we have to do is open our hearts and minds to see what God is doing in our very presence. God in Christ Jesus is still casting out demons and helping us to get rid of bad thoughts. Our Lord Jesus will give us back to our true selves as he did for Mary Magdalene.  Thank You Lord Jesus.

Today we remember Alcuin, Deacon, Scholar and Abbot of Tours (May 20, 804) and his information may be found at: Alcuin

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 All Mighty and All Loving God, as You go before us and after us, and the Presence of the Incarnate One is with us, please lead us and guide us from all false choices in direction and thought. And, enable us to listen and heed Your divine guidance through Your Holy Presence; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 5^th Week in Easter: Year 1

Morning,  Psalms 56 and 57,  Evening,  Psalms 64 and 65;
Wisdom 9:1, 7 to 18; Colossians (3:18 to 4:1), 2 to 18; Luke 7:36 to 50:

“Who has learned your counsel, unless you have given wisdom and sent your holy spirit from on high?” (Wisdom 9:17)

While attending a Systematic Theology class at Virginia Theological Seminary we received a lecture on St. Thomas Aquinas.  St Thomas Aquinas wrote volumes on the proofs of God and of the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

On this occasion, as the lecture was closing, I noticed several students making their way towards the instructor.  I followed on the chance that I might learn something. I heard from the Systematic Theology teacher that all of the volumes of St Thomas could not compare with one small glimmer of revelation from the Holy Spirit of God. This was a powerful moment for me. I realized that God can, and will, give us a revelation that we, or at least I, would not be able to put into words.

In our life search for God, it is not our job to “figure God out.”  No, we must only believe in God and create a space within our souls for God to gift us with revelation.   “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, it is so high that I cannot attain to it.” (Psalm 139)  Not only that, Anselm (Arch Bishop (April 21 1109), says that we should be faith seeking understanding. He says we must first believe in order that we might later understand.  Also, another deep thinking contemporary theologian says, “It is not the task of Christianity to provide easy answers to every question, but to make us progressively aware of a mystery.  God is not so much the object of our knowledge as the cause of our wonder.” These are the words of Kallistos Ware. All of these point to the human need to ponder about the mystery of God.

Many denominations want to first understand the scriptures in order that they might then believe. I think this is putting the cart before the horse. But even after our Lord Jesus had taught his disciples all about the Law of Moses and the Prophets they couldn’t understand. It was not until the Resurrected Jesus opened their minds; “Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,” (Luke 24:45).  We can’t understand God without God. We must learn to pray for help.

While I disagree with much of our Colossians readings for today, I will agree with the instruction to pray at the beginning of chapter 4. The writer says to, “Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.” (Colossians 4:1)

Today we remember Dustan of Canterbury, Monk and Archbishop (May 19, 988) and his information may be found at: Dunstan

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 God, Creator of all that is, and knower of all secrets, enable us dear Lord to be able to receive Your Truths, revealed only as necessary to build up and sustain our communities in order that Your will for us, will be done on earth, as in heaven. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Week 5 of Easter: Year C

John 13:31-35

“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)

Jesus gives us a new commandment!  He commands us to love one another.  Why is this commandment new?  Has not the commandments always commanded us to love one another?  Actually, according to the Ten Commandments we are told, in list form, how to “treat” one another.  While this laundry list of commandments attempts to keep us in good relationship with one another, it inculcates what God really wants of us. And that is, for us to love one another. 

This message comes to us as we hear too often of people killed by persons bent on what he or she believes is racial or other forms of vengeance or retaliation. This is very sad. Such sin is based on false teachings drilled into people by other mentally sick people solely based on how we look or live differently from one another. It is not the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus has us to love each other as he has loved us, all of us.  As I have pointed out in earlier blogs, this Command differs from the Synoptic Gospels in that it does not say “love your neighbor as yourself” (Hoping, of course, that you love yourself).  But rather, requires us to love our neighbor as Jesus loves us – and it must be remembered that Jesus loved us all the way to his death on the cross.  This is sacrificial love, unconditional love, agape’ love.

In the first expressions of love the word love is used as a verb, that is an action we are to do, that is to love one another.  Jesus ends with love as a noun.  That is, he says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”  To have love makes love a thing we have, and, we most certainly do. It is in us to share with, and relate to others with care and compassion.

And while our so-called race classifications based on looks differentiate us in many ways, we humans are so good, unfortunately, at finding new ways to not love each other.  Take for example nations that go to war against one another. We have Russia and Ukraine; Israel and Palestine; India and Pakistan. Sometimes it is because of geographic disputes; sometimes it is because of religious differences;  Why? doesn’t God teach love in all faith traditions?  Is there not enough food in the world for all to be fed?  All of these are signs of the lack of love that we are not using, love, one for another. Such lack of love devolves into hatred. I believe hatred is also a form of mental illness. 

Our whole world needs prayer. We need to change the way we see others.  We already have love for one another, God has put it inside us, but we fail to act from our God-given love. So let us listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, and, as Michael Jackson sings,  “make that change.”  It may not be easy, but it’s doable. God is making it possible.

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: For the Future of the Human Race: BCP p. 828

O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening,  Psalms 138 and 139:
Wisdom 7:1 to 14; Col. 3:12 to 17; Luke 7:18 to 35

“And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air, and fell upon the kindred earth; my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.” (Wisdom of Solomon 7:3)

It is the breath of God that brought all creation into being, including us, the “human,” beings.  According to Genesis, God used the words translated as “Let there be….”  And in a series of callings, Creation was brought forth, “and it was so.”  And all creation breathed the common air. In my pondering, the word “common” resonates with me, as in our Book of Common Prayer.  It is common breath to form Common Prayer.

The writer of this lesson from Wisdom also understands that we are all kindred in creation. We are brothers and sisters.  He goes on to acknowledge that our first prayer in thanksgiving to God for our being comes in the form of a cry, our first sound.  To cry is to pray. Our cry is God’s way of bonding with us. God’s ears hears tears.

Nothing will bring us closer to God than our personal prayers. Church services, spiritual music or writings, nor close intimate consultation will bring us God’s glimmer of grace like our quiet, surrendering, personal prayer to God, letting the Spirit pray through us. “Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”  (Wisdom 7:7)

My beloved in the Lord, we have not been left orphaned.  God is with us.  God is watching and listening to us. While Church services, spiritual music or writings, and close intimate consultation in spiritual advisement will enable us to more fully present ourselves open to God, we each need some quiet, private time, to just be with God in prayer. As the Psalmist says, we need to “be still and know that God is God.”  (Psalm 46)

I recall again the words of Blaise Pascal: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”  “Inability?”  I think not.  Therefore, I have restated his words with my own modification: “All of humanity’s problems stem from a person’s “refusal” to sit quietly in a room alone.  I believe we can sit quietly in a room alone if we so choose.  But we’ve been taught that if we are not jamming our ears and minds with continuous commercial noise we are bored, or that our quality of life is less than it should be. We need to trust the quiet. The noise is our ego, or “Edging God Out.”

Today we remember Thurgood Marshall, Lawyer and Jurist (1993) and his information may be found at: Thurgood Marshall

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.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54; Evening, Psalm 51;
Wisdom 6:12 to 23; Colossians 3:1 to 11; Luke 7:1 to 17:

“The centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed.  For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’  When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” (Luke 7:6 to 9)

Here is an example of the inclusivity of our Lord Jesus. A servant of a centurion is sick and dying. The dying servant does not ask for Jesus. The Roman centurion asks for the help of Jesus. And he gets it. The centurion’s faith is stronger than the faith of the Israelites. Jesus is amazed at this and of course, cures his servant.

Jesus heals from a remote location. Even today, Jesus responds to our prayer requests as He sits on His Throne.  Our Lord Jesus does not care about human pedigree.  We can be Israelite, Roman, Greek, German, Chinese, Mexican, Nigerian, or American; Jesus doesn’t care. Our Lord Jesus only cares about our faith. If we trust in Him, He will deliver.  He will deliver for us, and for those whom we pray for if we pray as one who believes in the healing power that Jesus has.

As we prepare for our Sabbath time, let us ponder about how our Lord Jesus answers our prayers, for ourselves, and for those whom we love and pray for. Remember, if you have no words, just cry about it because God’s ears hears tears.

Today we remember the Martyrs of the Sudans (May 16, 1983) and their information may be found at: Martyrs of Sudan

“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:

Most Holy and Resurrected Lord Jesus, as you work within our faith in You, to do those good works and healings for us, increase our faith Dear Lord, in order that we may create and sustain that faith-path that You use to help us, and those for whom we pray for. This we pray for in Your most Holy Name; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 50; Evening,  Psalm [59 and 60] or 114 and 115:
Wisdom 5:9 to 23; Colossians 2:8 to 23; Luke 6:39 to 49:

“But the righteous live forever, and their reward is with the Lord; the Most High takes care of them.”  (Wisdom 5: 15)

In the writings of Wisdom, the writer has shown how the unrighteous are so temporary. They vanish and are remembered no more. The writer uses a ship through water and an arrow through the air as metaphor for how the unrighteous have their time but are soon forgotten as they leave no lasting goodness behind them. 

I can remember times while serving in the Marines our aircraft squadron would visit various air bases of other services. Often we would be put up in old, and seldom used barracks.  Without fail, our Sergeant Major would have us clean and restore the facility in addition to flying the missions we were there for.  He said that we would leave this barracks in better condition than we found it. I am surprised that this word didn’t get out to the whole country and we were “invited” to visit even more bases as a way to renovate old buildings; (just kidding).

The point could be made that if we create and maintain goodness we could be allowed to dwell in that goodness for all eternity. Such goodness applies to human relationships as well as the care of the earth.  “But the righteous live forever!” God is righteousness. And God is eternal. To be righteous then, is to be godly, as best we can. We are visitors here on this earth our fragile and temporary home. And we should strive to leave it better than we found it. In this way we are “invited” into a permanent home, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Our reward is with the Lord who will take care of us for all eternity.

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 Most Holy Spirit of the living God, as you make all things and provide for the same, help us, created in Your Image, to also assist You in caring for one another and all creation. Help us to be a righteous people in Your sight in order that we may dwell with You in Your heavenly abode for ever and forever; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:49 to 72; Evening, Psalm 49:
Wisdom 4:16 to 5:8; Colossians 1:24 to 2:7; Luke 6:27 to 38:

“Do to others as you would have them do to you.” (Luke 6:31)

This is what we call the Golden Rule. It makes so much sense. We all want a fair deal and an equal opportunity to at least apply for jobs, loans, schools and so forth. None of us want our property or identity stolen. This Luke verse simply says if you don’t like something, don’t do to others.  And if you do like something, try to do it for others.

This verse is the other side of the same coin as the “Torah on one foot.”  From the web I found this: “There’s an old story we all learned as children about a stranger who came to the two teachers of the first century, Hillel and Shammai, with an odd request. “Teach me the Torah while I stand on one foot.”…… “So Hillel taught him: “That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah, all the rest is commentary. Zil u’gemar, now, go and learn it.” The entire writing can be found at; ON ONE FOOT – Valley Beth Shalom (vbs.org). It’s well worth the read.

Both of these sayings are good lessons that should be followed closely.  The only way to end the disrespect we show to one another is to learn empathy.  We must learn to be the other as God learned to be one of us in the person of our Lord Jesus.

These are the lessons that we learn from our Lord Jesus.   The Writer to the Colossians says in our Colossians’ reading for today,   “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” (Colossians 2:6 and 7)

Saint Francis of Assisi (Friar 4 October 1226) lived his life dedicated to poverty and the dignity of others. He empathized so strongly with respect for others. There is a prayer in the Book of Common Prayer that really fits his lesson with which I will close with for today. 

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: A Prayer attributed to St. Francis:                          

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening,  Psalms 47 and 48;
Wisdom 3:1 to 9; Colossians 1:15 to 23; Luke 6:12 to 26:

“They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” (Luke 6:18)

Hearing the Word of God in Christ Jesus is still healing today. Sometimes the little things we do to hear the word can be overlooked. The first three words we read is, “They had come.”  It required them to walk to the place where the word was spoken, where Jesus was.

So many people today have stopped coming to Church. Maybe the practice of not going to Church was started during the Covid pandemic. But whatever the reason, high-tech face time through computer websites; or plain laziness, many people who believe in God in Christ Jesus, have not come to hear his words and be cured of their unclean spirits. As with every healing or miracle that Jesus performed, it required some effort on the part of the one receiving it. We need to realize and appreciate the value of Church and go.

A long time ago, in the desert of Saudi Arabia, a few of us Marines would gather together while waiting for our Baptist Chaplain to come and hold a service. And while I was, and am, an Episcopalian, any service will do in a Desert Storm. On one such occasion one of my junior Marines asks me, “Gunny, why do you come to Church?”  I answered, “Because it’s Sunday.” It was no time to give a theological explanation, and I was probably not equipped to do so back then. I just wanted the young man to know that attending a Church service was one of the many good habits that made me successful in the Marine Corps and in life. Maybe hearing my words was healing for him.

We are people of the Word. We were made to hear and believe and follow. We were also made to be physically with each other. 

Today we remember Frances Perkins, Public Servant and Prophetic Witness, 1965,  and her information may be found at: Frances Perkins

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: For the Church (BCP p. 816)                               

Gracious Father, we pray for thy holy Catholic Church. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 4^th Week of Easter: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 41 and 52; Evening, Psalm 44;
Wisdom 1:16 to 2:11 and 21 to 24; Colossians 1:1 to 14; Luke 6:1 to 11:

“This you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow-servant.  He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, and he has made known to us your love in the Spirit. For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.” (Colossians 1:7 to 10)

Some people, even in high political status, say that prayer is not enough.  I vehemently disagree.  In our world of racism where people with dark skin are killed at a higher rate by authorities than people with lighter complexions, some say that we need to do more than pray. I say No!  Prayer works. Prayer is the beginning of whatever action is seen as the solution. And such action, is also prayer.  Prayer brings about changes that some say are a results of action outside of prayer.  Nothing is outside of prayer. Prayer brings about the physical action that makes the change we need.  Prayer is where we start.

For this reason we Christians pray without ceasing for the action of change.  This is why the writer of  the letter to the Colossians says, “we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God.”  My beloved in the Lord, we pray not only for change, we pray for people who pray for change.

Have you ever prayed for people who said that they would pray for something?  As a priest I often let people know that I will be praying for them. Every now and then, some will reply saying that they will also pray for me. I am moved by this. They are praying for the “pray-er.”  I will do that also. When someone says that they are going to pray for someone, or something, or a situation, I will pray for them, that God will listen and that God knows that the person praying is supported by at least one other person praying.  Prayer works.  We must never devalue prayer.

Remember, prayer does not have to be audible words carefully composed, or words from the Book of Common Prayer. Some of the most touching prayers are the silent opening of your heart to the pure love of God, even with tears. God’s ears, hears tears.

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 our God and Parent, we pray now for what You know that we need. As we are not always aware of what we need that enables us to please You, we pray you to gift us and guide us in ways that bring Your goodness into our lives and peace among all people through Jesus Christ our Lord; Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the 4^th Sunday of Easter: Year C

John 10:22 to 30:

“Jesus answered, ‘I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.  (John 10:25 and 26))

Jesus promises us eternal life because he knows those of us who follow his voice.  This is fascinating! This is what our Christian faith is all about.  Our passport to eternal life is through believing in Jesus Christ.  At more funerals than I can count I hear the words “he or she is in a better place now.”  We all at one point or another ponder about the “here-after.”  I have seen movies where the next life was still one of seeing and breathing and enjoying foods but seem to be in another dimension or at least another planet very similar to our earth. I ponder about the resurrection and what eternal life will be like.

Nowhere in the Gospel according to John do we read the word faith. No, John wants a verb, John wants action. John wants the readers of his words to believe.  Jesus says to the temple authorities, “I have told you, and you do not believe.” It was Augustine of Hippo who said we must believe in order that we might come to understanding. According to James Kiefer, a Church biographer, Augustine’s mother, Monica, undertook to bring him up as a Christian. She believed, and insisted that he believe also. As he agreed to baptism, she passed away handing him off to God in Christ Jesus.

In my own undergraduate studies long ago, my professor at the time informed us, in an adolescent psychology course, that most children adopt the beliefs or faith of their mothers. Even God, in his plan for walking among us, collaborated with a woman, Mary by name,  her name also not found in the Gospel according to John, and Mary’s  response to the angel was, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38)

Today we remember with love, our mothers; especially mothers who pass on their faith to their children. It is this mother- given faith that enables us to follow Jesus as his sheep. For he says of his doubters, “You do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep.”  We must trust the faith of our mothers and believe in order that we might one day fully understand.

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 God, You loved us so much that You came to us through a human mother showing the importance of motherhood. So bless our mothers present, and receive those mothers who have come home to you, where they may dwell in eternal joy with Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.