Author: John Thomas Frazier

Eucharistic Readings for Christmas Eve

Isaiah 9:2 to 7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11 to 14:  Luke 2:1 to 20:

In keeping with my Christmas tradition for Christmas Eve:

The First Night Before Christmas

It was me and my buddies out watching our sheep,

The night was quiet, not one of them bleeped.

It was so quiet in fact, we were about to sleep,

When we noticed someone out by the sheep.

Then all at once it became very clear,

No ordinary person was with us here.

We were all afraid, but he said “Fear Not.”

And then there were more, and their numbers wouldn’t stop.

He said go to Bethlehem and see the Baby,

He is the Word of God, there is no maybe.

He said the baby’s in Bethlehem, lying in a manger,

He can save you all, from permanent danger.

Then they all left, praising God for this birth,

Just like they came, they were all gone from the earth.

Then I and my friends said, “let’s go if we’re able,”

To Bethlehem there, and straight to the stable.

And there we were on a cold winter’s night,

We saw Mary, Joseph and Baby, what a sight!

We told them everything, right from the start,

But Mary just smiled, pondered our words in her heart.

So we left there then in the thick of the night,

Asking you to thank God with all of your might.

Luke 2: 8 – 20

The Reverend John Thomas Frazier (2006)

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

Let us pray:

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP 212)

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

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalms 112 and 115:
Isaiah 11:1 to 9; Revelation 20:1 to 10; John 5:30 to 47

“God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.”  (Psalm 62: 11 or 13 depending on the translation)

There are two ways to interpret this verse.  First, it could mean that God has said it once but to two peoples, once in the Hebrew Testament, and once in the Christian Testament.  Therefore, if we are Christians, we hear God’s Word twice, once in each Testament.

The other way to understand this verse is that from God’s mouth we have heard it in both ears, therefore, twice.

Yet another way to understand this verse is that Power itself (that power, all power) belongs to God, no matter who uses the power, even if it is misused, it is God’s power.  So we move from the number of times we have heard it to what it is that is being heard. Has God told us in the Hebrew Testament that power belongs to God, and then again in the Christian Testament, that power belongs to God, and we have heard it in both ears?

In today’s Gospel reading we see where Jesus tells them that Moses of the Hebrew Testament has already written about eternal life.  But they didn’t believe it and he said to them, “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’ (John 5: 45 to 47) 

We, as Christians, have the Hebrew and Christian Testaments (Old and New).  This is God speaking to us through the two Books of the Bible.  Truly such power really does belong to God. Our Lord Jesus reminds us of the ancient words of God in our New Testament. God does not speak it twice, but rather, it reverberates through the Old Testament to the New Testament from the prophets to the saints. And so we hear it twice. We should be reading the whole Bible.

The truth is, it makes no difference how many times we hear God’s word if we are not going to change our ways.  Hearing it twice, or one hundred times, makes no difference if we are resistant to the message of love that God wants us to have.  We need to listen to, and respond to the prophets and saints that carry God’s message, in both scriptures and in personal spirit. “God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O God of all power and ruler of the universe, You have spoken to us both through the Bible and in our own lives should we care to listen. And as we have heard Your word twice, keep us mindful of our behavior towards one another and how we live our lives daily. As You love us dear God, help us we pray: Amen.

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

Micah 5:2 to 5;  Hebrews 10:5 to 10; Luke 1:39 to 55

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1:46 to 48).

It is from this reading of Luke that we get the words for praying the Rosary. The words come from Elizabeth, the relative of Mary who said of Mary, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.”  It is with these words the Rosary is prayed.

I like Mary’s response, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” This Mary who answered to the angel Gabriel, “let it be with me as you have said,” has opened herself to God for the benefit of all people for all time.

Mary listens to her soul as it is in communication with God. She understands that her soul is in conversation with God, about her.  So too, our souls are in conversation with God about us. If we empty ourselves of too much human business, God will replace it with divine purpose. God will look upon the lowliness of us who have been forsaken by society, or filled with the preoccupation of money, power and greed. God always seeks those who proclaim, “Let it be with me as you have said,”

Perhaps with these words of Mary we could find another tactile way of prayer for those of us who are not so comfortable with the Rosary or Anglican beads. Maybe in this world of the creative emoji we could go a step further with that, or have a small, pocket sized, human shaped figure, representing ourselves, with which we could hold up as ourselves, and say to God, “let it be with me as you have said.”  The little figure could also represent our souls.  Such a practice could change how we go forward in the world for the better. If not this then perhaps a lighted candle and praying the words themselves; “let it be with me as you have said.” For God is still looking for people to use for God’s purposes. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

A Collect for Sundays (BCP p. 98)

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138 and 139:1 to 17;
Isaiah 10:20 to 27; Jude 17 to 25; Luke 3:1 to 9

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”  (Luke 3: 1 and 2)

I think these first two lines of Luke in chapter 3 informs us about what we really need to know about God, and who of us God can use.  Look at the human hierarchy of the day.  Both governmental, as well as the spiritual leaders, were established to honor, serve, and protect the people while in their lofty positions. But they were all so full of themselves, that there was no room in them for God.

Therefore, the Word of God found its way to one who emptied himself, John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.  We live in a different kind of wilderness today. Today we live in a spiritual wilderness.  In many ways we still live under people, both political and cleric, who are too often so full of themselves. There is little, if any, room for the word or love of God to be put in them. How about you?  Do you have, within you, room for the Word of God?

I have heard or read somewhere that a full cup is no longer a cup because it has no potential to hold water or any beverage. Only the empty cup should properly be called a cup.  John emptied himself and was therefore useful to God. John spoke truth to artificial human power. It cost him his earthly life, but he has a new life now in the realm of God because God keeps those who prove useful to the purposes of God.

We should emulate John in how he emptied himself.  God is still in need of useful cups. God is still in need of people who aren’t full of themselves.  We too, without fear of what may happen to us in this life, must speak truth to artificial human power. As God’s cups, we can be used over and over again. And finally, God will keep you in that heavenly cabinet where God keeps all the precious cups; we will be placed right there next to John and many others, forever. Halleluiah!

Today we remember Thomas the Apostle (21 December NT), and his information may be found at: St. Thomas, the Apostle

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and 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 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54; Evening, Psalm 51;
Isaiah 10:5 to19; 2^nd  Peter 2:17 to 22; Matthew 11:2 to 15:

“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.” (2^nd Peter 2:19 to 21)

I think most of us truly are slaves to whatever masters us. What masters us today is varied. Some of us are mastered by the calendar, some by information technology and social media, some by a lover, some by the desire to achieve or maintain power, and even some by a false sense of divine call to judge and condemn others. If we are to be true Christians, the only Master we should have is our Lord Jesus and His call on our lives. We should be empting ourselves in order to let him enter us and continue His works here on earth.

Adults should be seen praying, going to church, performing acts of charity and so forth, all in the Name of our Lord Jesus. That’s a big difference. When we as adults live out our faith heritage by prayer and practice we show who our Master is.  Young folks and others are always watching us.  We teach by prayer and practice.  We also pray that we don’t fall away from sacred practices.  It truly is harder to come back, but it is definitely possible.

We don’t master our Lord Jesus or dismiss Him as we mature: we surrender to him. He masters us and we find pleasure and delight to do His will, always.

Today we remember Katharina Von Bora, Church Reformer (1552), and her information may be found at: Katharina von Bora.

“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

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, You are the only True Way of Righteousness. Teach us and hold us, we pray, in Your Ways of Righteousness and never let us go. Help us to always cling to the Holy Commandment to love You and to love one another as long as we live. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the third Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 50; Evening, Psalm 33;
Isaiah to 9:18 to 10:4; 2^nd  Peter 2:10b-16; Matt. 3:1-12

“Do not presume to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9)

This just goes to show us that God loves all humanity, regardless of ethnicity or so-called race.  The Pharisees and Sadducees felt safe and protected in their supposed direct genetic link to Father Abraham. But God doesn’t care about that.  God cares about Abraham’s faith, not his biology.

God is able to raise up loving and faithful servants from any population on earth. It really doesn’t matter about their genetic make-up.  We are all one species.  If you have read my blog for any length of time you will know that I don’t believe in race. Race is a human construct created to discriminate, mostly for the advantage of one group over another, primarily based on outward appearances and language differences.

As Jews and Christians and Muslims, we are faith descendants of Abraham. Personally, I decided long ago, even long before becoming ordained, that I would first identify as an Anglican-Episcopalian. Being American, African-American, Free Mason, U.S. Marine, male, and heterosexual, would all be a distant second identifier of who I am.  First and foremost, I am on the Episcopal path of the Jesus movement keeping in mind that my spiritual ancestor is Abraham regardless of who he was genetically.  This realization really helps me know myself when I see myself through the Scriptures of the Bible and in the mirror.

All of this reminds me of an Easter Vigil prayer which really captures the spiritual heritage left to us from Father Abraham.  It is found on page 289 of our Book of Common Prayer and it is as follows:

Let us pray.

“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.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Today we remember Lillian Trasher Missionary in Egypt, 1961 and her information may be found at: Lillian Trasher

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the Third Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 119:49 to 72; Evening, Psalm 49;
Isaiah 9:8 to 17;  2 Pet. 2:1-10a; Mark 1:1 to 8

“He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals.  I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1: 7 and 8)

Just so you know, touching anything on, or about another’s feet, two thousand years ago in Palestine, was considered among the most disgusting things one person can do, to or for another, in the time that Jesus walked the earth.

When I went to Saudi Arabia for the Liberation of Kuwait, in 1991, we were told that even sitting with our legs crossed such that the local people could see the bottom of our boot, was offensive. I have also seen a video where an angry Arab man threw his sandal at then President Bush (43). The President ducked and it missed him.  The point is, that the footwear, while not very lethal, carried with it a humiliation beyond its ability to inflict physical harm.  It was, and to a certain degree, still is, where some Mid-eastern people are loath to do. 

Personally, I will often drop down and tie the shoes of a child or an elderly person whenever I notice the need.  However, I would struggle to attend to the personal need of a sick person who had an incontinent issue, or threw up on themselves. Such cases make me sick. I am so thankful for nurses and first responders who do provide this care.  Would I do this care for our Lord Jesus?  Would you? I pray that I would.

Here is the deal. Our Lord Jesus comes to us through the people in our lives.  He is standing among us every day.  As Christians we are taught that when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, and visit the sick or incarcerated, we do such holy work to, and for, our Lord Jesus. (Matthew 25:31 to 46) 

It goes without saying that when we care for our brothers and sisters beyond our personal comfort zone, we are living out the sheep-life we are intended to live. We are called to do some things we don’t think we are worthy to do, or able to do.  But we must press on with God’s help.  With God, we can go beyond our perceived limitations.  For with God, all things are possible and my beloved of the Lord, you are so worthy.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, as many are baptized in Your Holy Spirit by Jesus of Nazareth, I pray, let Your loving Holy Spirit lead us and Guide us every day, for the sake of all people in this life as we all prepare for eternal life, where You live and reign, forever and ever, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47 and 48:
Isaiah  9:1 to 7; 2^nd Peter 1:12 to 21; Luke 22:54 to 69

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.  For he received honor and glory from God the Father when that voice was conveyed to him by the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’  We ourselves heard this voice come from heaven, while we were with him on the holy mountain.”  (2^nd Peter 1:16 to 18)

Peter must have had a heavy heart as he framed his letters. He had to be burning with shame being fully aware of his denial of Jesus as told in our Luke Gospel reading for today. But he presses on.

Simon Peter’s testimony of God recognizing our Lord Jesus as the Messiah is one of the most compelling affirmations we have in the Bible. We hear of the Transfiguration in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. But then this repeat of the event outside the Gospel is the icing on the cake. The voice from heaven declaring that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God in whom God was well pleased to dwell was first proclaimed at the Baptism of Jesus in the Same Gospel accounts.  However, in the Transfiguration Gospel accounts, the words, “Listen to Him,” were added. What more do we need?

Peter, and the others, did indeed not follow cleverly devised myths about who God was, and is, and is doing, and neither should we today.  Our faith heritage is the most precious gift we could ever receive.  Since reading “Sabbath” by Abraham Heschel, I am convinced that the Transfiguration itself, is more important than being on a holy mountain. Our Lord Jesus could have shown his true Self anywhere; and when that happens, it is the Sabbath. Our Lord Jesus will still do this today and wherever it happens, it will be Holy Ground and a Sabbath time.

 Our Lord Jesus can invite you to follow him into a certain place in your own home and reveal who he really is to you and how you are to go forward from that point on.  Are you ready for that? Our Lord Jesus is no made up story.  And, it is not so much that he “was” real, It is that He “IS” Real! Funny how the English words “Is Real,” sounds like the Hebrew word, “Israel,” don’t you think? He is Risen, and working through us, for the benefit of us, and will still reveal himself to us in our prayers and through the written works of the saints of God. 

Today we remember Dorothy Sayers, and William Lloyd Garrison & Maria Stewart and their information may be found by clicking on their respective names.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, Creator and Lover of all humanity, You have made known to us the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray, let us hear again Your voice from heaven making wherever we are, Holy ground, and in hearing You, I pray we listen, and heed. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 41 and 52; Evening, Psalm 44:
Isaiah 8:16 to 9:1; 2^nd Peter 1:1to11; Luke 22:39 to 53

“Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants in the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.” (2^nd Peter 1:4 to 7)

The people of the world are full of lust for personal desires.  Such lust ranges from the desire for power, money, fame, and many other such self-serving intentions. From Genesis we learn, “Then God, seeing that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth and that every thought of their heart was intent upon evil at all times.” (Genesis 6:5)  We must be careful not to fall into the traps of this world.  I think this lesson from Peter’s second letter should be well studied.

We must first have faith and then support our faith with good works believing in the good Lord.  We must study the holy writings in order to acquire the knowledge needed for self-control. Passions will come but we must keep control over them. The only way to do this is through religious practices like regular prayer and worship. We must do this daily, and as Peter says, with endurance. There are no excuses. What I tell people all the time is that we first have to have what we want to do, or be, in our minds.  If we don’t first determine in our minds and hearts where we are going, we will never get anywhere. And we must be consistent, we must control the self.

It is no surprise that Peter ends his progression with love.  Peter has experienced the love of our Lord Jesus who forgave him and loved him even through Peter’s denial of him.  This is the kind of love that will get us to where we want to be.  If who we want to be is not based on love that is made manifest by mutual affection, then who we want to be may be based upon evil as is God’s criticism of humanity from Genesis above. Much, but not all, of Saint Peter’s words are definitely words we should read and heed.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Almighty God, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, be with us daily, we pray, in order that we may become participants in Your divine nature and think, do, and say, all such things which are pleasing in your sight. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the 3^rd Sunday of Advent: Year C

Luke 3:7-18

John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. (Luke 3: 7 and 8)

In this pronouncement John informs us that biological heritage is of no consequence to God or what really makes us who we are, or should be. Abraham is the father of faith. Faith then, is the spiritual heritage we should cling to. And God can raise up faith-based spiritual children of Abraham from any walk of humanity.  So-called race, culture, country, politic, language, sex or sexual orientation, has absolutely nothing to do with being a spiritual descendant of Abraham.

After this lesson, John gives them, and us, lessons regarding how to show love to neighbor. “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise,” (Luke 3:11).

I think a little bit of Bible education needs to be understood before this training can take place. The crowds to whom John was speaking were well informed about who Abraham is. I’m not so sure we of today are so informed, especially our little ones. This is sad to me. We should be telling our spiritual stories from the Bible to our children.

There is joy in hearing children tell biblical stories to other children. And, eventually to those children they are blessed to raise or teach. Just as they love to hear stories about Santa Claus, they will also be excited about Abraham, Samson, John and Jesus. But they must be told. Joy comes in sharing our stories. This week of Advent is about Joy, thus the pink candle.

Please continue to keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (BCP 212)

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen.