Author: John Thomas Frazier

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the Principle Service on Easter Day:

John 20:1 to 18:

“But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.” (John: 20: 11 and 12)

I own an old 1997 Ford pickup truck. My engine went bad and my brother came to my aid and replaced the engine right in my driveway. During the process I lost the only good key I had and had to use another old key that barely worked. After the engine replacement, the truck ran fine, if I could get it started with the old worn-out key.

I went to a store to have another key made and it required putting the old key in a digital laser machine (burying it) and having the company mail me the finished key.  When it came in the mail after about a week, I was nervous about trying it. But it worked! It worked even better than the good key I lost. How is this possible?

The life story of Mary Magdalene is amazing. We learn from the Gospel according to Luke that she was possessed by seven demons which Jesus drove out of her (Luke 8:2). In doing this, Jesus gave her back to herself. Her new self was better than her first self, even before demonic possession. This man Jesus that has been crucified, died and was buried, the restorer of her life, has been taken away, – taken away from her before she has had time not only to at least attempt to repay him for all he has done for her, but now, even his body has been taken away before she can give it the proper anointing as is the custom of her people. Why is this happening?, she thought.

She feels sad that she has failed him in this way. So, yes, she is crying because of her great sadness. My beloved of the Lord, we too have this in common with Mary Magdalene. We owe, who we are supposed to be, to our Lord Jesus. But this is only true if we are living lives of dedication to our Lord Jesus as did Mary.  This life of dedication begins at our baptism.  And we are aided by those who say that they will do all in their power to assist the newly baptized in their walk in following Christ (with God’s help of course).

Can you only imagine how elated Mary must have been when the supposed gardener called her by her name, and in a voice she was all too familiar with?  “Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (Teacher).  She then gives the shortest, but most powerful sermon ever recorded; her words changed our planet forever. I can see Mary running back to the scared and doubting apostles yet again, and running out of the pages of our Gospel and right into our hearts today, perhaps barefoot and in the rain, with tears now of great joy streaming down her cheeks, and preaching her sermon,  Alleluia; He Is Risen!

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. 291)

O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Holy Saturday: Year 1

Morning, Psalms, 95 and 88; Evening, Psalm, 27; 
 Job 19:21 to 27; Hebrews 4:1 to 16; Romans 8:1 to 11;

“So then, a Sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; for those who enter God’s rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.  Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs.” (Hebrews 4:9 to 11)

I got so caught up in my Good Friday service yesterday that I completely forgot what day it is today. I’ll do better, I promise. Now, having said that and looking over the Holy Saturday, Daily Office readings for today, the idea of Sabbath stayed with me.

I don’t want to confuse worship with Sabbath. We Christians worship on the First Day of the Week, Sunday. And for many, worship is work (I can tell you this from my experience of yesterday and it wasn’t even a Sunday).  However, in entering God’s rest we should cease from all our labors as God did from His, according to our text above. For me, this means a time of simple contemplation. Also, the words above make it very clear that “a Sabbath rest still remains [in effect] for the people of God.”

Today is the Sabbath Rest of God, it is a gift to us whether we are Jewish, Christian, or any walk of human life who believes in God. Frankly, even if we don’t believe in God, God believes in us. God gifts humanity with the Sabbath. It is holy. It is precious. It should not be ignored. This is how we are trained to enter into that Holy Rest of God for eternal life. The Sabbath is a part of Creation.

It is understood that some of us must stay focused on life’s important responsibilities, even during the Sabbath. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to duties like first responders, health care providers, prison staff, police, the military and so forth. But a plan should be in place where such individuals could have at least an every other Sabbath rest. Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience.

This Sabbath (Saturday) rest is especially important as it is the Sabbath that our Lord Jesus lies in the grave, and the people of His day did not expect any new thing to happen. (Wait for it!)

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.

Lessons appointed for use on Good Friday: All Years RCL

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

“Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.”  (John 19:39)

Nicodemus finds himself near the beginning of the Gospel of John, in the middle, and at the end like this one for today.  Nicodemus is a secret admirer of Jesus.  But because of his position with the Pharisees he has to be distant and secret.  He almost got in trouble defending Jesus with his fellow authorities. We read in John’s Gospel, “Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus earlier and who was one of their own number, asked, ^“Does our law condemn a man without first hearing him to find out what he has been doing?” (John 7:50 – 51). He was quickly jumped on about that question and he backed off.

So Nicodemus is another follower of Jesus who felt shame for not standing up more for Jesus. Perhaps this is why he brought well more than enough mixture of myrrh and aloes to anoint his body.  When we act outside of our Christian values, we too disown Jesus. We refuse to acknowledge we know and follow him.  Today we remember his crucifixion. This is a very sad thing we did.  I say we, as in humanity.  I think God looks upon this act as an example of our ignorance.  For the most part, we still are.  Most theologians believe this was a necessary sacrifice for the atonement for our sins. Because of this sacrifice, we dub today “Good Friday.” I must confess, I have a hard time connecting good and murder together.

For me, our Lord Jesus was born as one of us by the Holy Spirit working through Mary, was raised in Galilee setting the example for how we should live together and teaching and preaching the Good News of the Gospel. He healed, cast out demons, gave sight to the blind, enabled the lame to walk, raised the dead back to life, and most importantly, forgave sins. This latter act is something we can all do if we try.  I think forgiving sins is our Lord Jesus’ most important lesson. Perhaps Good Friday is good for him because he gets to go back to the Father from whence he came, but not before he says good bye to us at his “Resurrection.” (Oops, I’ve jumped the gun, sorry)

“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. 276)

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Eucharistic Readings for Maundy Thursday: All Years

Exodus 12:1 to 4 and 11-14: Psalm 116:1 to 10 and 17: 1^st  Corinthians 11:23 to 26: John 13:1 to 17 and 31 to 35:

 “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.  Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them.  If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them,” (John 13:14 to 17)

In my late years I find myself to be a composite of the practices and habits of many people I have met along the way. Some, first hand, like my Dad teaching me how to load a moving van; and Marines and Priests who demonstrated physical fitness and the importance of daily prayer, respectively.

Some however I have learned from, second handedly, like our Lord Jesus, and the many written saints who also learned from Jesus. Chiefly I have learned to love others as Jesus loved me. It’s not easy. Some people are born with the mission to not be loved. But as Mother Teresa says, “Love them anyway.” And show such love in how we respond to their needs regardless of what they believe.

Our Lord Jesus has just washed the feet of his disciples. They have been taught the “Way” and are now to be sent into the world to teach and to further set the example of what it means to heal, to comfort and to evangelize. Jesus has just prepared their feet for carrying out the Good News. It is written, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”  (Isaiah 52:7)

Foot washing is so much more than the hygienic cleansing.  It is comfort for the one who is on their feet all day.  Such comfort is demonstrated appreciation, and radical hospitality.  When Jesus was baptized by John in the Jordan, He immediately was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness. Now, in this reading for today, Jesus baptizes the feet of his followers, thus preparing their feet for the journey of carrying out the Gospel. Jesus points out that if He is doing this for his friends, then so should we. We are not greater than Jesus. We too are being sent into the world with the Good News (the Gospel).  We have the beautiful Baptized feet for the job assigned.

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: (Maundy Thursday BCP p. 221)

Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before he suffered, instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday in Holy Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalm 74; 
 Jeremiah 17:5 to 10 and 14 to 17; Philippians 4:1 to 13; John 12:27 to 36:

“I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” (Jeremiah 17:10)

I, very often, make eye contact with a person appearing homeless and asking for any loose money that I may be able to let them have. Am I to judge them? or, should I empathize with them and help them without thought of what they might really want money for?

So what is in my heart?  What is on my mind? What does my mouth say, or not say, as a result of my mind or heart?   What acts do my hands perform, or not perform, as a result of what of what’s on my mind or in my heart?  I can only pray to God to make me better. “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my praise.” (Jeremiah 17:14) 

God knows that without God we lack what is good in our hearts and minds. I also think that God wonders if we know it.  The sooner we acknowledge our dependency on God and strive for goodness by asking for God’s assistance, the better off we will be. We can’t fix ourselves. But God can fix us if we only ask.

Ultimately we should want to please God. Ironically, we can’t please God without God. Therefore, let us take the advice of Jeremiah and all of our saints since the time of our Lord Jesus and live lives of love – love for all people while striving to see God in the same people. So that when God tests our minds and searches our hearts, the fruit of our doing, will be found favorable by God.

I will close today with Paul’s words to the Philippians as I find them relevant for today, “Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:5 to 7) This is all about our hearts and minds. Praise 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: (BCP p. 355)                                                                         

“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 worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord Amen.” 

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Holy Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 6 and 12; Evening, Psalm 94; 
 Jeremiah 15:10 to 21; Philippians  3:15 to 21; John 12:20 to 26; 

“They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.”  (John 12: 21 and 22)

Taking a child fishing is perhaps one of the happiest moments a fishing person can have with a child. It ranks right up there with a baby taking their first step, or a child learning to ride a bicycle. When the fish is caught, patience is required of the experienced, teaching fisherman. We must let the child experience “bringing it in” and, maybe even taking it off the hook.  It’s all a part of the fishing experience.

The Greeks in today’s Gospel lesson have bit the hook of Philip who is being taught by Andrew, (a fisherman by trade), how to fish for people. Jesus himself is the Master Fisherman, (who has already told them that he would teach them to fish for people). And while Jesus goes on to talk about how sad he is that he has to depart back to his eternal realm, there has to be some degree of happiness about the fishing seed that has been planted, and how it will continue to multiply over and over again.

As you live out your Church life, people will approach you about wanting to see “your” Jesus. When this happens, and it will, take them to the priest or the wardens of your parish and invite them to a Sunday service.  Our Lord Jesus will take it from there. Jesus trained us to be fishermen for the kingdom.  The fishing seed is planted in you. It is now time for you to bloom. It’s all a part of the fishing experience.

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 Almighty God, while we are not taught to insist that all believe the way we do, make us, and keep us, open and receptive, to those who come to us desiring to see You the way we do. Let us show seekers our loving and inclusive Jesus who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Holy Week: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 51:1-18; Evening, Psalm 69:1-23; 
 Jeremiah 12:1 to 16; Philippians 3:1 to 14; John 12:9  to 19:  

“The Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see, you can do nothing. Look, the world has gone after him!”  (John 12:19)

As I ponder the Gospel accounts more and more, I find myself fascinated by the words that come from those who had an adversarial relationship with Jesus. An example is Pontius Pilate at the request for crucifixion and his asking the chief priests, “what evil has he done, (Mark 15:14). And now this statement from the Pharisees, “Look, the world has gone after him.”

Oh, how I wish it were so.  What would this world be like if in fact all in the world followed our Lord Jesus?  For one, the police and military would be greatly reduced. Oh, we would probably still have bad actors but they would be more easily identified and put away for long periods of time, but not executed.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not advocating for all people to be Christian. But if we were, there would be a universal understanding about what is acceptable and loving behavior. We would strive to care more for the less fortunate and infirmed. We would give more time, talent and treasure for the needy in a more joyful way.

Another way we would behave as real followers of Jesus is to not go after people who are not believing in the same way that we do. Our Lord Jesus often used outsiders as examples of righteousness rather than those who were in his immediate circle; for example, the Good Samaritan, (Luke 10: 29 to 37),  and the Canaanite Woman with a daughter possessed with an evil spirit, (Matthew 15: 21 to 28). Our Lord Jesus showed the same amount of love and respect to so-called outsiders that he showed to those who were very close. As true Christians there is no room for “us/them.” We are all one in Christ Jesus. So what if the world has gone after him?  Well, my beloved in the Lord, it really starts with you and me, one person at a time. In this way we bring heaven to earth. In this way, God’s Will, will be done on earth as in heaven.

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.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Palm Sunday, Year C

Luke 22:14 to 23:56:

 “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)

This Gospel reading begins with joy!  It begins with the ride into Jerusalem with waving palms and palms laid before even the donkey that carries Jesus. But during the week, the celebration goes south quickly, and some of the same people singing “Blessed is the One who comes in the Name of the Lord,” are within a few days, yelling, “Crucify him.” Oh what an unstable people we are.

There is so much to ponder in this 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, or some level of unfaithfulness, is at work against Simon Peter and us as well, to reduce us down to manageable, sinful 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 us to overcome the sinful obstacles in life.

 All of the interrogators of Jesus asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?” He said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!” Wow! how much I would sacrifice to hear those words, in person, from the lips of Jesus. Yet we have the written word to accept and believe.

I tend to ponder deeper into our written words, and I challenge the notion of harassment of the first criminal where it says, “One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” Of all the people deriding Jesus, he is the only one who asked Jesus to not only save himself, but also to save us. Yes, Lord, save us.

Luke’s Gospel account of the Passion is the only one that has Jesus make eye contact with Peter as the rooster crows – as Jesus is being taken away. 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 (Peter), 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 their faith.

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: (Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday: BCP p. 219)

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 5^th Week in Lent: Year 1

 Morning, Psalms 137:1 to 6, and 144; Evening, Psalms 42 and 43;
Jeremiah 31:27 to 34; Romans 11:25 to 36; John 11:28 to 44 or 12:37 to 50:

“The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord.  But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  No longer shall they 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, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.” (Jeremiah 34: 31 to 34)

This is my favorite Jeremiah prophecy.  As a Christian, I believe Jeremiah was foretelling of the coming of our Lord Jesus when he says, the days are surely coming, says the Lord.” …”That I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel”… he goes on, “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts.”  With this being prophesied, we are informed that God, acting in our Lord Jesus, will make for all humanity, an unbreakable covenant. Given that we have a habit of breaking every covenant God has made with us, our Lord Jesus will be a living covenant. Being fully God and fully human, it is the only way we, with God as one of us, (Emanuel), can keep covenant with God.  But we even tried to break this covenant by killing him.  But then God did something quite unexpected, God raised the Covenant from the dead!  This living Covenant can never be broken. We are locked into God forever.

And here is the thing, through our Lord Jesus, God has written the law of love and the fact that God exist, on our hearts, all human hearts.  We no longer have to ask about God. We all know that God is, that God is Good, and that God loves us and lifts us up as humanity, as the capstone of Creation. This makes my job as a Christian preacher a little less difficult. All I have to really say is that God has already written the love of God on your heart, go and ponder what this means.

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 5^th Week in Lent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 95 and 22; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1-11;
Jeremiah 29:1,4 to13; Romans11:13 to 24; John 11:1 to 27, or, 12:1 to 10:

“But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, do not vaunt yourselves over the branches. If you do vaunt yourselves, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.” (Romans 11: 17 and 18)

Here Paul reminds us that we Christians on the Jesus movement got our faith from the Hebrew faith. Jesus was a faithful Jew.  He went regularly to the Synagogue on the Sabbath and kept the Sabbath clean of work unless reason required His intervention to save a life or some other good and necessary work.

We have been grafted into the Tree of faith and are fed by the Holy Spirit from the same root that feeds all believers. Yet, I see where some so-called Christians are what is called “Anti-Semitic,” that is, hostile to or prejudiced against Jewish people.  This is ridiculous. We are fed from the same root. We believe in the same God. This is the same God that Jesus points us to.

We should be inwardly proud of our Christian-based faith. But we should not vaunt it, as Paul says. We are to be peaceful and loving in the communities in which we live, seeking and serving Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves, striving for justice and peace among all people, and respecting the dignity of every human being. And, we can only do this with God’s help.

Today we remember George Augustus Selwyn, Bishop and Missionary (April 11, 1878) and his information may be found at: George Augustus Selwyn.

“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. 289)

O God, whose wonderful deeds of old shine forth even to our own day, you once delivered by the power of your mighty arm your chosen people from slavery under Pharaoh, to be a sign for us of the salvation of all nations by the water of Baptism: Grant that all the peoples of the earth may be numbered among the offspring of Abraham, and rejoice in the inheritance of Israel; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.