Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 23: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:1to24; Evening, Psalms 12, 13 and 14;

Jonah 1:17to2:10; Acts 27:9to26; Luke 9:1to17

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, ‘I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol. I cried, and you heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:1 and 2)

I have a saying, “God’s ears hears tears.”  I know it’s not correct grammar but it works for me.  It is a reminder that when we are at our lowest in life, all we have to do is cry out to God.  Theologians will tell us that we can’t know God. And, maybe there is some truth to that.  But maybe we can know something about God.  Throughout the Bible God comes to the aid of people who come to tears, from Hagar (Genesis 21:16),  to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11), and many points in between. God comes to people who cry from sadness, grief, or abuse.

I have come to believe that it matters not what people believe in terms of getting God’s attention.  God is so attached to the sadness of humans that even if a self declared atheist cries, God is with him or her. We can’t escape the love of God. God loves us more than we love God. God forgives our shortcomings. God overlooks our ignorance.  God is eternally merciful and therefore,  God’s ears hears tears.

If you think you don’t know how to pray, just cry; it works.  Cry from sadness, Cry from abuse or victimization.  Cry from loss of a loved one.  In all these, God is with you.  God made us with secret alarms that go directly to God which brings God to us in times of distress.  This is why God’s ears hears tears.  This does not mean that God will respond in a way that suits the one crying.  It does mean that God is present and attentive in ways beyond the discernment of mortals.

In the Biblical examples above, an angel attended to Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis, and Jesus called Mary by Name in the Gospel of John. In our story of Jonah for today the writer has Jonah spit out by the sea creature on the shores of Nineveh. It takes these times of desolation and isolation to become contemplative enough to feel the presence of God with us, Emanuel. 

This still happens today.  Don’t wait until something bad happens.  Carve out some time to be still and be quiet and wait for God.  Reflect on your life, the good and the bad.  If you come to tears, watch out! God’s ears, hears tears.

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 nurturer of all humanity, be close to us always, but more especially in our times of sadness, grief and fear. Let your loving ears always hear and respond to our tears. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 23: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 5 and 6; Evening, Psalms 10 and 11;

Jonah 1:1to17; Acts 26:24to27:8; Luke 8:40to56

“But Jesus said, ‘Someone touched me; for I noticed that power had gone out from me.” (Luke 8:46)

In my Thursday morning Cursillo Reunion Group the gathered group is well aware that I, John, am not a fan of “unexpected opportunities.”  During our sessions the question always comes up, “With what unexpected opportunities has the Lord accomplished through you…” I am a strong “J” on the Myers Briggs personality tests. While this “J” stands for judgment it more readily relates to the “need-to-know” outcomes.  I am so “off the chart” in this category that I will wait until someone has seen a movie that I want to see and then ask them to tell me about it in detail.  If pushed, I would probably pay for them to see the movie so that they can tell me about it.  I know this is bad but I really don’t like surprises. And I don’t think “opportunity” and “unexpected” should be used in the same sentence,, especially with “unexpected” used as an adjective for “opportunity.”

Having said all this, I now learn from our Lord Jesus as he was in route to do a good work when an unexpected opportunity occurs. While on his way to attend to a dying twelve year old girl, a woman, bleeding for 12 years, guided by her faith, touches the garment of Jesus.  She is instantly healed.  Jesus realizes that someone’s faith has made use of his healing power.  He has unknowingly participated in an unexpected opportunity.

I have heard that the reward for hard work is more hard work.  Perhaps the same is true of good opportunities.  That is, the rewards for good opportunities are more good, and even, unexpected, opportunities. This healing is further evidence that Jesus takes the faith in us already, and uses it to heal us.  After the woman was healed, He said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.” (Luke 8: 48)

Today we remember Teresa of Avila; Reformer and Contemplative (15 October 1582). And her information can be found at: Teresa of Avila (satucket.com)

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:                                                                                                      

Most Holy Lord Jesus, Savior of the world, I pray you make me and others more aware and appreciative of all good, but unexpected opportunities, that we may do many good deeds in your most Holy Name; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 23: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 1, 2 and 3; Evening, Psalms 4 and 7: 

Micah 7:1to7; Acts 26:1to23; Luke 8:26to39

“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him; but Jesus sent him away, saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’ So he went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much Jesus had done for him.” (Luke 8: 38 and 39)

It seems that the many demons in the man only needed a biological host in order to live.  So they asked permission to pass from the man to the pigs.  Jesus grants them the permission.  When they entered the pigs they immediately made the pigs go into the lake (Lake Galilee).  This is the same body of water from which the fishermen caught their fish.  Could not the spiritual demons then go into the fish?  This then would be their cycle of life. For they would go right back to the people who caught the fish and it starts all over again.  This is just my pondering.

I try to keep up with the actual accounts of Jesus actually inviting followers to follow him. I have 5: Simon and Andrew – Matthew 4:18 – 20; John and James – Matthew 4: 21 – 22; Matthew (A-K-A, Levi) Matthew 9:9.  I know we try to claim the twelve as it matches the twelve tribes of Israel.  But we don’t have the actual recorded words of “come, follow me” for the remaining seven.  There is also the Rich young man in Mark 10:21 -22 who was told to “come follow me,” but he rejected Jesus’ invitation because he wanted to keep his wealth; (See Yesterday’s Blog).

Now we have one who asks to follow Jesus but Jesus says no. Jesus wants him to go back among his people and show what God can, and will, do. Of course he “went away, proclaiming throughout the city how much “Jesus” had done for him;” the point being made that “Jesus” and “God” are synonymous.  We don’t get to follow this man as he proclaims our Lord Jesus among non Jews. But Jesus leaves hints about what’s going on. Jesus says in the Gospel of John “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) 

The power and love of our Lord Jesus is witnessed by Jew, and Gentile alike.  All report in their communities about Jesus being Lord of all, those seen, and the unseen (like demons). Jesus himself will return to his spiritual nature for all eternity.  But he does not abandon us.  The Spirit of our Lord Jesus is with us, leads us and guides us.  Jesus still asks us to “come, follow me” or to “declare how much God has done for you”

Today we remember Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky; Scholar, Translator, Bishop (14 October 1906); a remarkable life of following God with very little physical ability but with great determination. His story can be found at;  Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewski (satucket.com).

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:

All Mighty God, the giver of all good gifts and graces, enable me more and more to share how your presence in my life has helped me and saved me. Help me, Lord God, to witness to those of weaker faith to also seek you out in their own troubles, This I ask in your most Holy Name; Amen.

Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday of Proper 23: Year B

Mark 10:17 to 31

“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)

I like Mark’s translation of this passage. It says, “Give to the poor.” Not, give “it” or “the” money to the poor, as in Matthew 19:21, and Luke 18:22.  Mark is closest to the New Testament Greek as it does not use the article “it” or “the.”  It makes a big difference.  To give the money to the poor implies all the money. To just give to the poor leaves room to keep some for the journey of the mission of Jesus. Jesus depended on the contributions of donors to assist him and his followers as they carried out the Good News. This is not that God depends on human giving, but that God wants to know if we are fully on board in our proclaimed belief.

Freely, or joyfully giving to the Church and to the needy in our community demonstrates that the giver understands a cause or purpose greater than him or herself.  “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.”  This models for us that as we look upon another, we should look with love and compassion.

 There is one other point of note in this reading. In all the Gospel accounts where this encounter occurs, Jesus invites this young rich man to “follow me.”  We have written accounts of Jesus inviting the brothers John and James; and the brothers Simon Peter and Andrew on the shores of Galilee. And we have Jesus inviting Matthew (Levi) out of the tax booth to follow him. All of whom said yes and followed him. We could have had this rich man’s name had he said yes and followed.  This is the only account where Jesus invites someone to follow him, and that person refuses.  In any case, we discover that it was not that he had many possessions; but rather, many possessions had him. I pray that what we think we own, does not, in reality, own us.

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:  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 Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 137 and 144; Evening, Psalm  104;

 Micah 5:1to 4,10 to 15; Acts 25:13 to 27; Luke 8:16 to 25:

“No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” (Luke 8:16)

Light is often used as a metaphor for moral enlightenment.  When some of us learn about better ways to live harmoniously in community, we model this higher morality, thus extending this light to others.  Morality is like money or food stores, it is not meant to be hoarded.  There are plenty of people in need of such learning; of such light; the more, the further, the better.

Every village, community or parish, has those in their midst who are above the fray of challenged relationships.  These are sometimes quiet people who are easy to get along with.  But some are not so quiet. None the less, they are upbeat and positive.  Either way, quiet or engaging, these people of the light seem to be the few among us who bring in the light of love and share it with all present. 

From them we need to light our own torches from their loving and inclusive light and continue to carry it deeper into this dark world.  Such light illumines our negative tendency to be self-righteous, self-centered and challenging, when there is no reason to be this way. 

Sometimes the light does not show us where to go, but rather, where not to go.  It’s like having my flashlight with me when I take the dog out in the morning.  The light does not show me where to step, but rather, where not to step. Remember, the dog was here last night.  The light of morality works as a guard on our lips and hands and feet.  This moral lamp, from a shared lamp stand, helps us to avoid trouble and move closer towards the glory of God.  My beloved of the Lord, walk in the light, and then carry the light for others so that they too, might see.  We must seek light, then more light, and finally, further light.  Let those with the ears of the faithful craftsmen hear what is being said.

Today we remember Edith Cavell, Nurse and Martyr (12 October 1915), and her information can be found at; Edith Cavell (satucket.com)

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 Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141and 143:1 to12;

Micah 3:9to4:5; Acts 24:24to 25:12; Luke 8:1to15

“He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plough shares, and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. For all the peoples walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.”  (Micah 4:3 to 5)

The prophet Micah speaks of a distant peace.  He speaks of a time when we will no longer need a military to go up against another nation; and maybe not even police because all people will honor the laws of their God. I know it sounds radical; maybe even impossible.  And, it is an especially strange concept since it seems so much like we are going in the other direction.  Our swords and spears are going more and more into nuclear weaponry rather than instruments of agriculture, food and medicines for the world.  If we only focused our resources towards the care of others instead of the threat of others.  What a wonderful world we would be.

How do we get to this radical way of living?  If we prayed more in private, and worshiped more earnestly in community, we would be a planet where all people in every walk of life would sit in their own planted gardens in peace while being thankful to God.  What a beautiful sight that would be. All people will walk with their God, as they understand God in their worship communities, regardless of how God is named in that community, and live in peace.  Be we Muslims, Jews or Christians, we ought to see God as a God of love and peace.  We are not competing.  We need to understand, for whatever reason, God is made manifest to different peoples in different ways.  However, the characteristics of love and compassion for the stranger and those who are different must be appreciated and respected.  There is no manifestation of hate in any understanding of God since the beginning of creation.

Today we remember Philip of the New Testament, Deacon and Evangelist (11 October) and his information can be found at: Philip, Deacon and Evangelist (satucket.com)

“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: (For Peace, BCP p. 815)

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and glory, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalms  131, 132, [133]; Evening, Psalms  134, and 135;

Micah 3:1to 8; Acts 24:1to23; Luke 7:36 to50

“I have a hope in God—a hope that they themselves also accept—that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.  Therefore I do my best always to have a clear conscience towards God and all people.”  (Acts 24: 15 and 16)

This is the verse in Acts that I always try to remember and make known.  Our life-hope is on the resurrection, or, it should be.  From what Paul says, the resurrection is not something earned.  It’s going to happen to all people, the righteous and unrighteous alike, because we are God’s own, and God wants to see us on our fateful day.  Eternal life, on the other hand, does not seem to always follow the resurrection. It appears that waking up before the throne doesn’t mean we live happily ever after.  There is judgment. There is accountability.  Paul, and maybe even a few of us, struggle to have a clear conscience towards God and all people. 

A life of dedicated service to Christ will bring us eternal life, but it is not as something earned, rather, it is something asked for in prayer and supplication.  And in receiving the grace of God, it brings about a life of dedicated service of its own accord.  Believe it or not, it is freedom.  There is a prayer that says, “O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom” (BCP 99). How about that?  Serving God is perfect freedom!  This only feels this way if we really live into the words, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done.”

I have thought, since seminary, that the most important service I could provide a family is the burial service or funeral for a beloved relative.  As Christians, we are an Easter people – a Resurrection people.  We say things like, “he or she is in a better place now.”  That might be true (or not), or he or she might no longer exist at all anymore. The alternative to eternal life is not death but non existence.  Personally, I don’t believe a loving God would make us live at some post death level only to be in continual pain for all eternity. We either get our hearts right or cease to exist. But first there is our resurrection which we all must undergo.  We have no choice regarding our facing God.

Today we remember Vida Dutton Scudder; Educator and witness of peace (10 October 1954) and her information can be found at: Vida Dutton Scudder (satucket.com)

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: A Collect for Peace (BCP p 99)

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:145 to 176,Evening, Psalms  128, 129, and 130; 

Micah 2:1to 13; Acts 23:23 to 35; Luke 7:18to 35

“And he answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them.” (Luke 7: 22)

Jesus could have just said “Yes, I am the one.”  But there is a lesson in paying attention to what we see and hear.  The two disciples of John would have been well aware of their Isaiah scripture where it says, “Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God.  He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy;” (Isaiah 35: 4 to 6). This is almost verbatim of what Jesus reminded John’s disciples of in our Luke reading for today.

We can’t realize our scriptures are being lived out right in our presence unless we first know our scriptures. It is when we articulate what we have seen and heard in our own life stories that we realize God in Christ Jesus is working in our lives in the same ways as of old.

I think I should confess to my readers that I am an optimist.  I think Christian hope has shaped me this way.  I believe the world is getting better more and more.  I know that I live in a world of nay-sayer’s who will say, “ it’s never been this bad” and will say “it’s getting worse.”  But I don’t accept that. The improvements are small and incremental, but better none the less. The incremental steps of being better are often bitter. 

Our eyes are being opened, we are learning to walk in new ways, and we are given hope for a better world. Progressive and just steps have come as the result of the labors of people who follow in the example of John the Baptist who sent his disciples to ask Jesus about whether or not He was the one. We have the late Martin Luther King Jr., the Most Reverend Desmond Tutu, and former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan to mention a few, too few.  My point is that we have people among us who still follow the example of John the Baptist and our Lord Jesus in making our world better, little by little.  These saints speak to us today, not so much with their words, but rather, with their personal sacrifice for a better world; and folks, it’s still happening now! 

Today we remember Robert Grosseteste; Bishop of Lincoln (9 October 1253) and his information can be found at: Robert Grossteste (satucket.com)

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, lover of all souls and most merciful redeemer, you walked among us in the person of Christ Jesus to set the example of sacrificial and unconditional love for one another. Lead us to follow in the example of Jesus in this life that we may do those things pleasing in your sight; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 121, 122 and 123; Evening, Psalms, 124, 125 and 126;

Micah 1:1to 9; Acts 23:12 to 24; Luke 7:1 to 17

“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 7:9)

Here is yet another example of Jesus raising our awareness of the faith of non-Israelites.  In this case, it is the Gentile centurion who values his relationship with his slave (which the same Greek word also means servant), so much that he seeks out Jesus to save his servant’s life.

This Gentile centurion models the understanding that we Christians should have; that is, we do not have to have the physical Jesus under our roof to do the healing.  We too, like the centurion, must believe that if Jesus just says the word, regardless of where he physically is, His healing will be done.

My beloved people of faith, you who are true believers, you must find a still, quiet place in your homes and in your hearts and quietly, and intentionally, ask our Lord Jesus to just say the healing words for the one you love who is in trouble.  When you do this, I have found that relief often comes in one of two ways.  First, human responders arrive who have been sent by God to fix the situation.  Second, the situation “seems” to just resolve itself.  Both are born of our Lord Jesus. But we must have the faith of this centurion.  As I have said before, Jesus uses the faith in us to heal us or those we love. It is astonishing to me that the cure is already in me but I can’t make use of it.  Faith is like a first-aid kit on a military person’s belt.  One might think he or she has the first-aid kit in case they have to use it on someone they find who is injured.  But no, you have that first-aid kit in case you yourself are wounded, whoever finds you will use your first-aid kit to assist you.  Therefore, it is so important that you examine the kit often to make sure it contains all that is necessary in case you are in need of it.  The same is true with our faith.

Jesus is the one who finds us broken but then uses our “faith-aid” kit to heal us or those we love. Our Lord Jesus has been doing this remotely, as far back as two thousand years ago. How about this for remote healing?; and these people back in antiquity never heard of cancer or COVID. Our God is amazing! 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

Let us pray:

Most Holy Lord Jesus, through whose words all things came into being, we pray that you still use your healing words where we need them. We need your words as protection against storms, against disease, against racial and cultural divides, against mental illness and against hatred. Come inside us Lord Christ and use our faith in you to heal our sad situations. Amen.  

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 22: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 106: 1 to 18: Evening, Psalm 106: 19 to 48

Hosea 14:1to 9; Acts 22:30 to 23:11; Luke 6:39 to 49

“When Paul noticed that some were Sadducees and others were Pharisees, he called out in the council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead.’ When he said this, a dissension began between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.  (The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, or angel, or spirit; but the Pharisees acknowledge all three.)” (Acts 23: 6 and 8)

Perhaps Paul was playing them against each other in a way that would buy him more time.  But perhaps there was a deeper rationale behind his oratory.  Perhaps Paul wanted simply to state his most sincere belief and his new understanding about the history of the scriptures and the prophets as had been revealed to him through the Risen Lord regardless of what it might cost him. 

As a Pharisee, Paul acknowledges the resurrection, and angels and the world of the spirit.  I myself might be what could be called a Christian Pharisee in that regard.  I believe in the Resurrection and in angels, and in the Holy Spirit and in the spirits of those who have gone before us.  All of this belief comes from first believing in the love of an eternal and loving God.

I have found that pondering about this life and the next is having a profound effect on how I live my life day to day.  I have become aware of the language I use.  I say things like, “my car, my phone, and my house,” rather than “the” car, “the” phone and “the” house, that I make use of.  The only thing that is mine to keep is my soul, I hope. And even that goes back to God.

Pondering about the resurrection, angels and spirits is challenging.  It makes me aware of my relationships with others, past and present.  How might I have a more loving tolerance of others? What accountability awaits me in the next life? I realize now that when I learn something new about fairness with others, God knows that I just learned it and is expecting me to live into my new understanding from that point on.  My sincere belief and my understanding of the scriptures and the prophets, as they are revealed to me through the Risen Lord, are improving me. I need, more and more, to listen to what the Holy Spirit of God in Christ Jesus is saying to me.  How about you?

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:

Most Holy and loving Lord God, You are the caller of all souls and sustainer of all life, physical and spiritual; please reveal to us more and more an awareness of the resurrection, the holy work of your angels, and the spiritual life we long for. In your most holy Name we pray; Amen.