Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 12: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 56 and 57; Evening, Psalms  64 and 65;

Joshua 24:16 to 33; Romans 16:1 to 16; Matthew  27: 24 to 31

“So when Pilate saw that he could do nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took some water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ Then the people as a whole answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ So he released Barabbas for them; and after flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.”   (Matthew 27: 24 – 26)

Pilate washed his hands, but his heart was still filthy. He had our Lord Jesus beaten before being handed over to be crucified.  However, a literal interpretation of this translation implies that Pilate himself whipped Jesus.  Most readers (myself included) would assume that Pilate had his soldiers do the dirty work. In any case, Pilate re-soiled his “baptized” hands. Dirty hearts make dirty hands. 

The opening prayer for Sunday Holy Eucharist says it all, “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”  (BCP 355). We must first want our hearts focused on wanting good for ourselves and others. It may be that we need help even wanting to think good.  Therefore, we ask the Holy Spirit of God to cleanse the thoughts of our hearts.  There is too much hate and evil taking place in the world; just watch the news.  Our hands and words follow our hearts. Brushing our teeth and washing our hands won’t help if our hearts are soiled. Let us want to heed the Holy Spirit of God and love and care for one another.

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, be present in our hearts and make manifest within us a genuine desire for peace and harmony for one another, both for those with whom we agree, and for those with whom we disagree. Enable us to respect the dignity of every human being. Amen.

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 12: Year B

  John 6:1 to 21:

“When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself:” (John 6: 15)

Jesus will testify that he came to serve and not to be served. He also does not want to continue the failed idea of having a king even though he is also fully God. The king paradigm had to be destroyed. It was wrong when they asked for Saul to be king, and it’s wrong today.  Jesus will have no part of it. Also, monarchies suggest that the child heirs will be as good a ruler as were their parents. But history has shown different.  The best leaders are elected from the midst of the people, and for a limited time.  

God is our king. Also, God in Christ Jesus is our king. The Kingdom of God is not one of physical might but rather, of love, compassion and mercy. Love, compassion and mercy will transfer us to eternal life because they are the essence of eternal life. Mighty physical power is temporal. It will decompose and return to the nothingness from whence it came.  But love, compassion and mercy are forever and without end.

While Jesus runs away from bad human ideas like monarchies, Jesus runs to good ideas, like marriage. Jesus went so far as to keep the wine coming when it ran out at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. We are made to be partnered. All we need to do is watch Jesus to see what works for us and what does not.

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 Holy Jesus, the perfect model for human life, make us mindful of the needs of others in order that we might come to their need, and instill in each of us the virtues of love compassion and mercy as we seek to serve rather than reign, in your most holy Name we pray; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 11: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138 and 139:1 to 17; 

Joshua 23:1 to 16; Romans15:25 to 33; Matthew 27:11 to 23

“While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’” (Matthew 27:19)

We don’t have the name of the wife of Pontius Pilate but she was definitely spiritually connected with God.  Many people, prophets and leaders of Israel were contacted by God via a divine dream.  Jacob, Daniel, and even Joseph, the earthly father of our Lord Jesus, are just three examples.  Pilate’s wife is in good company but she is not listened to and heeded.

I ponder about dreams.  Scripture has shown that dreams are often used as conduits of communication by God for the purpose of doing God’s work. Dreams can be places of revelation.  Pilate did not listen to his wife, perhaps it was destined to be that way, who knows?  For this Matthew Gospel account it may be surprising that we even get to hear her voice.  But we do and so I pray that all of us should look deeper into our dreams of revelation.

At a Christian Education session I have personally witnessed one person share a dream and another person at the table interpret what the dream could have meant. It made so much sense.  For the most part I believe God’s message for us will move us closer to the will of God in good ways.  Dreams are very slippery however.  If we wait too long we forget the details of our dreams.  It could be an important message lost. I believe the Spirit of God connects with us in some of our dreams (not all), because we stay too busy with worldly things to hear God during our waking hours. Pleasant dreams everyone.

Today we remember William Reed Huntington, Priest (July 27, 1909). His contributions to our Church can be found at William Reed Huntington (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 God, Who created our minds with loving intent, forgive our worldly preoccupations while we are awake and visit us in our dreams again as you have done in times past, and raise our awareness to your will now, and in the ages to come in order that your will might be done on earth as it is in Heaven, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 11: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54, Evening, Psalm 51;

Joshua 9:22 to 10:15; Romans 15:14 to 24; Matthew 27:1to 10

“He said, ‘I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.’ But they said, ‘What is that to us? See to it yourself’”  (Matthew 27: 4)

Judas has betrayed our Lord Jesus.  He is sorry he did this.  He goes to the religious and spiritual leaders of his community for repentance.  There is no compassion to be found, no consolation.  He goes off and hangs himself.  Poor Judas.

What’s going on here?  First of all, the chief priests and the elders were, sadly, co-conspirators in the plan to arrest and kill Jesus. They were co-conspirators with Judas.  I ponder about what made him think he could then go back to them for any kind of understanding.  However, what really stuns me is their response to Judas.  “What is that to us? See to it yourself.”  See WHAT to yourself?  They are in a hard place.  If they acknowledge that Judas was a bad actor, they must also own blame themselves. But what they have done is to forsake one of their own people by not helping him find a way to repent.  Too bad that John the Baptist is already dead, Judas could have used him. 

Christian clergy today must remember, as someone once told me, “it takes sheep to make a shepherd, otherwise, you are just a person with a funny looking stick.”  The sheep are the most important part of ministry, no sheep; no ministry.  And you don’t have to be officially ordained to be a shepherd. Somebody is watching and learning from you.  Lead on.

“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, Russia, Israel, Palestine and our schools. 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 God, while we are created in your image, none of us are perfect. Increase our compassion for one another O lord, in order that we will listen to each other in Christ Jesus and be co-healers with him of lost souls. This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 11: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 50; Evening, Psalms 66 and 67;

Joshua 9:3 to 21; Romans 15:1 to 13; Matthew 26:69 to 75:

“May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15: 5 – 6)

These words of Paul about who God is, is worth some deep pondering.  Paul says the God of “steadfastness and encouragement.”  Steadfastness, to me, means discipline.  It means to keep on keeping on.  This is the discipline of my blogging, every day.  However, we must look at content.  The discipline of steadfastness is negative if the content of what we are being steadfast about is negative.  The content of steadfastness must be both good and uplifting for our family, friends and humanity.  This then is the encouragement part.

We all should lift up the good traits and habits we see in others.  Such lifting up is encouragement and it promotes harmony.  Even the most introverted person likes to hear words of encouragement. Such words really do bring about harmony in the community. This is how the God of love is revealed in the community.  I think this is why Paul says that God is the God of steadfastness and encouragement.  God is made manifest in how we embrace one another in steadfastness and encouragement. In this way, when people see you coming, they will say to themselves, “here comes “Good News!” This blog is an example of my steadfast discipline and encouragement to all who read this blog so that readers may, with one voice, glorify the God and Parent of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

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 James the apostle and brother of John the apostle. His information can be found at http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/James.htm .

Let us pray:

Most Holy God as you are changeless in steadfastness and encouragement, and as you have made us in your image, watch, and be with us even more closely as we live together. Keep us ever mindful of the virtues of patience which leads to kindness, which encourages us to live in global harmony regardless of language, faith tradition or nationality, as this is your divine will for us, You who live and love forever and ever, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 11: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 119:49-72; Evening, Psalms 49,  

Joshua 8:30 to 35; Romans14:13 to 23; Matthew 26:57 to 68;

“The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God.” (Romans 14:22)

I am a mentor of Education for Ministry (EfM) administered from School of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee.  As such, I have learned through many sessions to develop my own theology and I have  framed it with a personal creed; a creed to live by; a faith that I have, that I have as my own conviction before God.  I have put together words that I believe really capture my belief. Here it is: “I Trust in the Creating Word through the Holy Spirit of the Incarnate Word, in whom we live and move and love and have our being, and to whom, we must give an account.”

I think it is the Holy Spirit of our Lord Jesus that was promised to us when He went back to where He was before he came to us more than 2000 years ago.  We read in the Gospel of St. John, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you” (John:14:26).  Jesus prayed to Creator God that those of us who continue to believe (long after His initial visit) that those of us who follow, will also believe their words. “I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. (John 17:20 – 21)  This handed down lesson is my conviction before God.  I am very aware of the “account” part of my creed.  I will do the best that I can to be a good person and to love all people.  This too is my conviction before God.

I invite all who read this blog to take pen and paper in hand, (or laptop), and for a moment, put aside the Church doctrinal creed. Save it for when you are assembled in Church.  Craft what you personally believe about your relationship with God and faith. Remember, you can come back later and edit it as you grow in the Spirit. “The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God.”

Today we remember Thomas a Kempis, priest, monk and writer; his information can be found at Thomas a Kempis (satucket.com)

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools.

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 Holy Lord God, the giver of all good gifts and graces, make your presence known to me in everyday life and help me to form the words that will tell of the faith that I have, and will be my own conviction before You. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 11, Year 2

Morning,  Psalm 45; Evening, Psalms 47, and 48:

Joshua 8:1-22; Romans14:1-12; Matthew. 26:47-56

“Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds.”  (Romans 14: 5)

Paul is teaching Jews and Gentiles alike that all should accept the way the other understands and worships God in their own way.  This is still a valuable lesson for us today.  This applies not only in the wide world of religions, but also within our Christian religion itself.  Whether we are Baptist or Episcopalian, or Roman Catholic, or Presbyterian, or Lutheran, or United Methodist, or Non Denominational, or Amish, we all worship our Lord Jesus in our own way. There is one Jesus but more than one way of having a loving interpretation of, and relationship with, him.

I have dear relatives and close friends who are not Christians.  Some are Jews, some are Muslims and some are of faith-walks I don’t fully understand.  But they believe in a Higher Power in some way. I also know a few so-called, self proclaimed atheist.  I fully believe the latter will come to believe on the other side of this life.  While our walk in faith helps us to navigate this current life, our faith is our preparation for eternal life, at least that’s my Christian understanding.

Paul will go on to say that, “We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves.  If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s;”  (Romans 14: 7 – 8). These words are part of the opening words used at funerals in the Episcopal Church. Pretty much all funeral services are for the assembled living. The deceased have already moved on. So it is while we are living to the Lord, that is, living in the “dash,” ( that period between birth and death) that we should not shape our faith, but rather, let our faith shape us.  Being convinced in our own minds does not mean never changing our minds. Rather, it means being open minded to the other’s way as well as the possibilities for our own way. 

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina, which has accreditation again, prayer works, Thank You Lord Jesus.

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:                                                                         

Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 832)

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 11: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 41 and 52;Evening, Psalm 44;

Joshua 7:1-13; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 26:36-40

“And going a little farther, he threw himself on the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you want.’ Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not stay awake with me one hour?” (Matthew 26: 39 – 40)

I often write about how regularly Jesus prays.  In this case he prays for one hour.  The selected three, Peter, John and James, whom he handpicked but could not hang on, they fell asleep. Peter John and James were picked on other occasions also to accompany Jesus as well, like the Transfiguration and in a home to heal a twelve year old sick girl.  So they were special.  They were fishermen.  They were followers, believers, disciples, and in their end, they were martyrs, except for maybe John. But they were also mortals.

We too are mortals like Peter, John and James.  We fall short.  We often don’t have the endurance required to stay awake while Jesus prays.  I have been on weekend retreats where some of us are supposed to be praying for a colleague while that colleague is giving a talk.  Sometimes, when we returned to the praying person and open the door to the chapel we hear him or her say, “Amen.”  I heard one bishop explain using doubtful language, indicating he thought the person who was supposed to be praying was really asleep.

It happens. We are frail creatures. Praying, like any other intentional habit, is a discipline. It requires regular intentionality. Even when we don’t “feel” like it, we must keep the regular discipline of prayer.  God gets used to our patterns. And, Jesus expects to hear us with daily regularity to at least attempt to pray at the times we’ve selected, even if we fall asleep.  Our Lord Jesus still kept his three amigos as appointed Saints of the Church even though they fell asleep.  The same goes for you and me.  This prayer cup responsibility does not pass from us.  God’s will, not ours, be done.

Today we remember Mary Magdalene. Her information can be found at Mary Magdalene (satucket.com)

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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:

Dear Lord Jesus, who walked among us as one of us, you know our weaknesses and our hearts. Strengthen us to keep regular prayer even when we are tired. Help us to maintain our relationship with you no matter what. We ask this in your most holy Name, Amen.

The Gospel Reading for Sunday of Proper 11: Year B

 Mark 6:30 to 34 and 53 to 56;

“The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught:” (Mark 6:31)

Reading these words and yet, not seeing totally what it says, happens to me often.  The apostles return, and in this Gospel, they boast about all they had done and taught.  They were traveling teachers.  I think teaching is more important than feeding, or even healing.  If a person is properly taught, they may never starve. If people are properly taught they may be able to avoid sickness, like cancer, or sexually transmitted diseases, or any other life threatening disease. Teaching is so important.

Aside from healing, this is what Jesus did, he taught people the meaning of life and he taught them about their relationship to God. In this Gospel it says, “As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things:” (Mark 6: 34).

Again, our Lord Jesus is teaching. That is what we are called to do as well. We are not called to teach people “what” to think, but rather, “how” to think. Sadly, some of us just wait for others to tell us what to think.  In the same way, we are not called to teach people “who” to love, but rather, how to love all people. We are also called to at least recognize the works of Jesus where, and when it happens. Twice the word “recognize” is used to show the people identified Jesus and those whom he sent.  Thank You Lord Jesus for teaching us the Way.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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:

Dear Lord Jesus, the author of healing love, enable us to recognize your holy presence with us today as you did long ago and keep us ever mindful of your saving grace now and forever, Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 10: Year 2

Morning,  Psalm 30 and 32; Evening, Psalm 42 and 43;

Joshua 6:1-14; Romans 13:1-7; Matthew 26:26-35:

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.” (Romans 13: 1 – 2)

Poor Paul, while I am in agreement with Paul on many of his insights that I believe are truly from God, this part of the letter to the Church in Rome stops me in my tracks.  This exception is especially true as I look at the history of our Southern States and our Washington D.C. government. In our past, our Government has condoned slavery until a civil war ensued.  And after the war, the re-united government still allowed some citizens to be unjustly treated having to ride in the back of public transportation, no voting rights; little to no education and the list goes on even to include unprosecuted community genocides . We imprisoned innocent Japanese Americans out of fear of their possible connection to Japan in the nineteen forties.  No Paul, resisting such a government is not resisting God, but resisting a ungodly government. Resistance then is Good Trouble as termed by the late U.S. Congressman John Lewis.

Perhaps the best way to make a government the ideal that God wants it to be is not to abandon it, but to participate in the corrective actions that will make the government more godly.  As a Christian of contemporary America I can’t ignore the racial unrest being made manifest today. 

There are actions that people are doing that I don’t approve of.  I don’t approve of rioting and the vandalizing done to businesses.  Peaceful protesting is ok but evil is wrong, be it the government or lawless  mobs.  I don’t disrespecting our National Anthem. I am a thirty year U.S. Marine and proud of it. And, I am a so-called black man, (I really don’t believe in race), who really enjoys having a beer while watching John Wayne westerns.  I pondered about this a lot before sharing it but I need to get this off my chest.  I pray there is a godly message in this and that we all strive  to make our government the government Paul speaks of – the government of all God’s people.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools including St. Augustine in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP 820)