Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Week One of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 1, 2, 3; Evening, Psalms 4 and 7;
Isaiah 1:10 to 20; 1^st  Thessalonians 1:1 to10; Luke 20:1 to 8

“But if we say, “Of human origin”, all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”  (Luke 20: 6)

The recognized leaders of the faith, are not sticking to their own professed faith. If we believe in something, anything, we ought to hold on to it as the very core of our existence; at least until we learn better. They are missing such an opportunity.

I don’t know how, but we are able to hear the inmost thoughts of what was going on within the circle of chief priests, elders and scribes, These leaders are afraid of the very people whom they are in charge of leading. What an opportunity to model correct learning. If they think the people believe that John the Baptist is a prophet, then perhaps they too (chief priests, elders and scribes) ought to submit to the gifts of the Baptist. Sometimes, but not often, the common people are a better judge of who’s who than those educated to be such.

There are times that we should not be influenced by the mob.  However, we should conduct a little informal test as a way to see if God is acting in our midst.  Our Biblical history informs us that when God invites us to do the Lord’s work it often requires sacrifice, will costs us some of our money, our time, and will be out of our comfort zone. But just as much, it will be something that benefits the community without bringing praise or accolades to ourselves. Our God is all about the communion in which we live.  The chief priests, elders and scribes seem to be about themselves at the expense of the community that they are suppose to spiritually lead.

Each one of us should look around and see who in our midst seems to be doing the Lord’s good work for the benefit of our community. Who is teaching people to read, taking meals to those who are hungry, donating to those in need, and so forth?  They may not be the ordained or political office holders.  Like John the Baptist, they may be people who live on the fringes themselves.  But their ministry is of the Lord’s calling whether we want to admit it or not. Such are the saints of God.  Don’t you want to be one too?

Today we remember Channing Moore Williams: Missionary and Bishop to Asia (2 December 1910), and his information may be found at Channing Moore Williams

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 Lord God, who brought us into being and love us forever. You help us by using us to bring about your divine plan for our well being and safety. Keep us, we pray, ever attentive to Your call on our lives as we strive to do those works pleasing in your sight always knowing that You are our God of love. Amen.

Words from the Gospel Reading for the First Sunday of Advent: Year C

Luke 21:25-36

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Luke 21:33)

Our Lord Jesus informs us that this fragile earth, our island home, will pass away.  This earth is our spaceship of life as we know it now.  But we have an invitation to board the forever Love ship of God.

Just like everything that we design and make, eventually breaks down, so too God has engineered an Escaton Day (End of Days) wherein creation as we know it, ends.  The only thing that continues to have life is the Word of God as made known in Christ Jesus.

We can live in His Eternal Word, but it requires some effort on our part. First and foremost, we must simply believe the words of our Lord Jesus. All three of the Synoptic Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark and Luke), has an “End of Days” revelation. The John Gospel account has its own Revelation that ends our Christian Bible.

With our belief, we must put forth action.  We must live lives of service to others modeling our love for our neighbor, regardless of their beliefs or unbelief.  We are to love them, not judge them. This is a tough calling.  Christianity is not for the faint of heart.  We know that we will all individually pass away.

 Now we are informed that this earth, this planet that we live on and that provides for us, will also pass away.  Now is our opportunity to adjust to the love-life of Christ Jesus and his words for us, which are eternal, and will never, never, never, pass away. Advent is a time of expectation. Let us look for Christ to come in whatever manner God so chooses. It’s almost like the excitement of waiting for, and expecting Santa, as a child!

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 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 137 and 144 ; Evening, Psalm 104;
Zechariah 14:12 to 21; Philippians 2:1 to11; Luke 19:41 to 48;

“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5 to 8)

If our Lord Jesus, being God Incarnate, was able to humble himself to be a servant (same word as slave in the Greek), then we, “normal” humans, ought to be able to at least have no illusions about any pretentious greatness we might think we have.  And having no grandiose thoughts of self-righteousness, ought to practice all humility, all the time.

Humility is a funny thing.  If we ever boast about it, it’s gone. We Christians must practice working in the background, out of sight, but in the faith.  We should not bring attention to ourselves.  We do the Lord’s work quietly. Our Lord Jesus, with all the power of Almighty God, restrained himself and worked in servitude for the benefit of believers. He even allowed himself to be handled and killed by us people whom he loved.

Full disclosure, I have sometimes insisted on being recognized or remembered for my participation in something when I thought my friends overlooked my involvement. Later, after reflection, I was ashamed of my insistence of being remembered.  So I came up with the idea of the humility of invisibility.  I’m still a work in progress but now it pretty much doesn’t bother me to not be remembered.

Our Lord Jesus had a huge job in trying to appear less than he was given that He was Everything!  For me, appearing less than I am is not such a hard job. I’m not that much to begin with.  But if we are to have the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus we should strive to be the hidden help that people need.  And then, don’t remind or tell anybody. Your cool drink of water will be appreciated once their well runs dry.

Today we remember St. Andrew, Apostle (30 November in the NT) and information about him can be found at: St. Andrew 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 Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1-11(12);
Zechariah 14:1 to 11; Romans 15:7 to 13; Luke 19:28 to 40;

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15: 13)

I love this verse of Paul’s letter to the Church in Rome.  It is an optional dismissal for Evening Prayer on page 126 of the Book of Common Prayer.  I like it because it really explains the Christian hope.

We hope for what God may do for us, and while such a hope is not seen, it is understood that it will be better than we can ask or imagine.  Paul said in Chapter 8 of this letter to the Romans, “For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopesfor what is seen?” (Romans 8:15)  Moses did not know what God was going to do when the Israelites were positioned against the sea and Egyptian military were coming down on them. They had unseen hope, or at least Moses did. 

Another biblical example of hope unseen comes from Second Kings where Elisha instructs Naaman to wash in a certain way and in a certain place. Elisha did not come to personally see Naaman but rather sent out his servant to tell him what to do.  Naaman was incensed. “ But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy,” (2^nd Kings 5:11).  In the end Naaman did what he was told and was healed.  But the point I am trying to make is that we cannot have it in our head how, or what, God is going to do, or even who God is going to do it through.  Our hope must be wide open and unconditional.

Unseen hope is the only real hope.  We must trust God and just hope for God’s will for us to be done. And we must hope in patience. God is not pressured by time. Paul says, “But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Romans 8:25)

My brothers and sisters in Christ, we must never give up on hope. We can’t describe what the other side of hope looks like because we are not there yet. But we should literally hope for the best. And then, just leave it to God who always makes the best decision for us because God really does love us, and has loved us since our creation.

“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 Ever-living and Ever-loving Lord God, we pray that you make yourself known to us in our daily lives as the God of hope who fills us with all joy and peace in believing, so that we may abound in hope by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thanksgiving Day

Morning,  Psalm 147; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; John 6:26-35;

Evening, Psalm 145; Joel 2:21-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24;

“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.” (Joel 2: 26)

Joel 2: 21 to 27 appears in both, our Daily Office Readings and our Eucharistic Readings, for today. Perhaps this happens because of the invitation to “eat in plenty and be satisfied” words.  However, the words that follow are even more important; “and praise the name of the Lord your God.”  I once had a bumper sticker which read, “Don’t criticize the farmer with your mouth full.”  The same holds true for God. If we are eating anything at all we should give thanks to God. 

I once was sharing lunch with a mother and her child.  The young man was accustomed to me saying the blessing before eating.  At one lunch we started with milk shakes.  The child waited before tasting his milk shake for me to bless it and was disappointed when I slurped some of my shake before saying the blessing.  When his mother informed me about this I was really taken aback. But I learned, and now blessings come before anything at all goes into my mouth.  I learned from that child to really praise the name of the Lord without fail; not just Thanksgiving Day, but every day, no matter how small the food item or other small gift might seem.  The young folks are watching us and I am thankful to God for God speaking to me, through them. A blessed milkshake is also plenty and satisfying, and taste better blessed.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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 Thanksgiving Day: p. 246 BCP)

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:145-176; Evening, Psalms 128, 129, and 130;
Zechariah  12:1to10; Ephesians  1:3to14; Luke 19:1to10: 

“He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.” (Luke 19:3)

I am aware that Luke is speaking of a physical “short in statue.”  But many of us (tall or short) strive to see who Jesus really is.  But we are short in faith. Too many of us refuse to just believe.

Also, too often the direction of the crowd prevents us from seeing who Jesus is.  We tend to wrongly get on board with a crowd moving in an un-Jesus-like manner.  When ill-willed charismatic influencers take hold of the lead, we too easily tend to follow and go down roads that our Lord Jesus would never travel.

In this story, Jesus, without giving any clues that he was aware of Zacchaeus in the tree, stopped just below him and looked up and invited himself to supper with Zacchaeus.  ( I use this example as a way of inviting myself to a parishioner’s home for dinner.  No, just kidding.)  But Jesus was aware of Zacchaeus in the tree and met him “where he was.”

In just seeing Jesus, Zacchaeus repented and made right all the wrongs he had committed. Now Zacchaeus was a “Chief” Tax Collector.  Being a tax collector was bad enough, but as a chief tax collector he was even further removed from any welcome to the Temple and seen as a Roman sympathizer by his fellow Israelites. 

But after hearing him explain his forgiveness and giving back to any he had wronged, Jesus proclaims that Zacchaeus too, “is a child to Abraham”, which pre-empts and supersedes the Temple and all it stands for.  Jesus has put Zacchaeus back in the household of God.  And, Jesus does not hold his wealth against him. Zacchaeus is still a chief tax collector, and is still rich, but now he is a believer in our Lord Jesus.

Sometimes we are too spiritually short to see Jesus.  We must climb into the pews of a church in order to see him.  If we do, He will self-invite himself into our homes and our hearts.  And when he does, we will be changed forever and made children to Abraham. 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:

O Holy Spirit of the living God: many have heard talk of you as you were made manifest in the person of our Lord Jesus but have yet to understand seeing you in their lives. Help us dear God to get to a place of understanding the miracles happening all around us in order that we may bring Jesus home to our hearts; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalms [120], 121, 122 and 123; Evening, Psalms 124, 125, and 126;
Zechariah 11:4to17; 1 Corinthians 3:10 to 23; Luke 18:31to43:

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)

This is what Christian faith is all about: that is, our final, and forever passage into the house of the Lord. We long to hear the words, “Come beloved of the Lord, and enter into the joy of your Lord” as expressed in the words of the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew, where servants worked to improve on the talents left to them by their master, save the one who only had one talent and buried it. Also, in chapter twenty five of Matthew, the invitation extends to those who were placed on the right-hand side of the Lord because they cared for the hungry, the naked, the infirmed and those in prison.

As I have said before that I have been blessed to be present in hospital rooms when a parishioner or other patient was dying.  At some point, the person, who was unconscious, will open their eyes and stare at a space in the room where no one was sanding.  In most cases, an expression of joy or wonder is reflected on the dying person’s face.  It is at this point that I believe the gates of heaven opened in that hospital room, even though I could not see it, nor could anyone else in the room see it.  And at that point, the invitation is extended to the dying person to come into the house of the Lord.  Perhaps these are the very words that the dying says to him or herself, “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

I know that I would be glad to enter into the house of the Lord.  Many people, when asked how they are doing, will answer, “Well, I’m above ground and I’m still here.”  The implication is, that they are doing well and consider this earthly life as the best there is.  But I ponder what the afterlife is like.  Maybe being here in this life is not something to celebrate so much, but rather, it is the Christian work that we should be doing and celebrating. It is using the talents – gifts, that God has given us to the best of our abilities for the building up of the Church, and showing the love that God wants to be in every heart, that we should be doing and celebrating. This is the time to feed the hungry, clothe the naked visit the infirmed and imprisoned; thus preparing ourselves for that invitation into the house of the Lord.

Today we remember Isaac Watts; Hymnwriter (1748), and his information may be found at: Isaac Watts.

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 Alpha and the Omega, Master of the eternal home of Heaven; mercifully open to us Your invitation to enter into the House of the Lord when our times come so that we may continue to live eternally in that temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 106:1to18; Evening, Psalm 106:19to48:
Zechariah 10:1to12; Galatians 6:1to10; Luke 18:15to30:

“My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness,” (Galatians 6:1).

Each and every one of us are in need of forgiveness.  And God, in God’s all knowing wisdom, has given each of us the Spirit to restore a neighbor who, having been found in transgression, the power to restore a brother or sister, back into the fold.

I need it, you, reading this message, also need it. None of us are beyond needing restoration.  God made us this way on purpose. This is why our Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Sometimes those who sin against us do not ask for forgiveness.  This can be for one of two reasons. First, maybe they are in a bad place and were intentional about what they have done to you. Second, perhaps they didn’t realize that they have actually sinned against you.  I’ve experienced both.  In these situations I like to use the word “pardon.”  I can pardon a person without them even knowing it. When I pardon someone I can move on with my life and not sit and simmer about an insult or injury. 

While I am not opposed to informing someone that they have offended me, (in case they didn’t know it), I do not believe in asking someone for an apology.  I feel that once they are made aware that I felt hurt by something they have said or done (or not done), it’s up to their conscience as to what follows. Sadly, I have even seen whole countries insist on an apology from another country for some sad misdeed perpetrated on it.  I think, be it a country or a person, once the sin or any kind of violence has been made known, the apology should be forth coming and in all sincerity.

Once a transgression has been detected, you and I have been given the Spirit that will restore us all to a spirit of love and gentleness with one another.  All we have to do is use it and be thankful.

Today we remember James Otis Sargent Huntington: Founder (25 November 1935); and his information can be found at: James Otis Sargent Huntington.

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:

Oh Almighty God, the forever lover of all souls, teach us please Lord God, to forgive others as you forgive us. Teach us the virtues of patience and kindness and genuine love for all people and let your holy Spirit take the lead in all transgressions we detect. Amen.

The Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday, Christ the King Sunday: Year B

 John 18:33-37

“Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” (John 18:35)

We can learn so much from the words of Pontius Pilate.  In our NRSV translation of John 18:35 above, we have the words “your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me.”  In the NIV translation we have, “it was your own people and your chief priests who handed you over to me.” While this might sound the same, I have to side with the NIV because the Jewish people were not then, a nation. They were however, Israel, believers of One God who struggles with God as their father Jacob did and was so named when he wrestled with God after sending his family before him to safety: (Genesis 38:24 to 30). Do you struggle with God?

So when Pilate says to Jesus, “I am not a Jew, am I?” He is correct. But I believe the NIV is closer to the truth with its wording of “your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me.”  Judas was one of Jesus’ “own people.”  He was not a nation, but a member of the twelve and he was a Jew. You and I are Jesus’ own people. So, do we hand our Lord Jesus over again to be crucified? Do we disown him as did Peter and Judas did? We too struggle with God. We too are Israel. Like it or not, we too are Jews in Pilates use of the word. Pilate says “your own people handed you over to me.” Are we the people of Jesus or not?

“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”  I must remind us now that no matter the translation, the term “the Jews,” really meant the Temple authorities. For you see, Jesus and the twelve, were all Jews. So there must be some distinction between the followers of Jesus and the Temple Authorities, that is the scribes, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. And while the Temple Authorities did stir up crowds of anti-Jesus Jews, the term “the Jews” is used too broadly; and at the same time, too narrow as it does not include Jesus’ own.

Let us not get caught up on the name given to us One-God people of today?  There is a lot we must get over.  What we Christians really want is the truth.  To this Jesus says to Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice:” (John 18:37).  If our Eucharistic Lectionary had gone one verse further for today we would have what the former Arch Bishop of Canterbury, (the Most Reverend Rowan Williams), called “the most profound question in the whole of the New Testament; which comes from the lips of Pontius Pilate; “What is truth?”

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 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 107:33-43, and 108:1-6; Evening, Psalm 33:
Malachi 3:13to4:6; James 5:13to20; Luke 18:9to14

 “But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)

I had to mail something to Raleigh the other day that was very important to me. So I went to a local post office to make sure it was correct.  Raleigh, being the capital of North Carolina, I wanted to make sure my U.S. mail was properly sent by a method of tracking.

As I came to be next in line, and heard the next customer called to the next available clerk. I approached the postal clerk with all humility. I actually said, “I need mercy and patience to help me properly mail this package.” The clerk smiled and told me what I needed to do, and after I misprinted the “to” and “from” spaces, she just smiled again and helped me straighten it out.  I could not have moved on in any sense of accomplishment had it not been for the wonderful and compassionate postal worker.

I know that many people approach sales reps and clerks with arrogance and a sense of superiority. They like saying who they are and what they have accomplished, sort of like the Pharisee in our Luke reading for today; but not me.  I knew that if I was going to get anywhere close to what I wanted, it was going to be at the mercy of the postal clerk whom I stood in front of.

So too it is with eternal salvation. We must ask God to be merciful to us, a sinner. And pray God saves us so that we may return to our heavenly homes justified. Justification, in my postal experience, was made manifest in going back to my earthly home with routing numbers and a tracking code on the web. Arrogance and self promotion has no place in God’s Kingdom.  We must follow the tax collector’s lead in asking for mercy, and then doing the will of God.

Today we remember Clement of Rome, Bishop (23 November 100) and his information can be found at: Clement of Rome

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.