Author: John Thomas Frazier

Gospel Reading for the First Sunday in Lent: Year B

Mark 1: 9 to 15

“And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him;” (Mark 1: 10)

“Immediately” is a word that the Gospel according to Mark uses a lot.  Also there is “suddenly,” and terms like “all at once.”  Mark’s Gospel is in a hurry.  It’s got some place to go and it’s in a hurry to get there.

How we interpret the words of our Gospel has been understood differently by different denominations.  Some believe coming up out of the water means being brought back above the surface of the water; some believe it simply means stepping back up on solid ground. It is the gift of the Holy Spirit that makes all the difference however! The water works start and end, but the Spirit continues with us for life.

The Holy Spirit of God identifies Jesus as the One in whom God is well pleased. While Jesus has been the Holy One of God all alone, this baptism is used to make it known publicly to Him, to those around Him, to us even today, and to the evil that tries to thwart the will of God.

After this recognition our Lord Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness presence of evil, if for nothing else but to validate the strength of who He is.

You and I walk in that wilderness now. We have been baptized and are now being tested. As Jesus was tested for forty days, let us look at these next forty days of Lent as a time of testing. Will we surrender to evil in any of its manifest forms as made known to us in the Ten Commandments?   Most importantly, will we strive hard to obey those first Commandments that pertain to God; to recognize God, only God, not to use God’s Name in vain, and to meet with others regularly to honor God?

The wilderness in which we walk is coming after us.  No human made construct, tradition or condition can ward off the mind-bending forces of evil as it tries to undermine our love of God. We must be people of prayer. We must worship God in private and in public. This is what our Lord Jesus did as he batted back to evil every temptation he was served; so can we also.

As we have already been baptized, we must now see the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon us. And this Holy Spirit of God is living and active in us always. All we have to do is follow the Holy Spirit’s lead and “immediately” bat back to evil all it throws at us. Let’s try these next forty days. Who knows, it may become a permanent way of life.

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

Daily Office Readings for the Saturday after Ash Wednesday: Year 2

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

Ezekiel 39:21 to 29; Philippians 4:10 to 20; John 17:20 to 26:

“Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you.” (Psalm 32:10)

I remember once having Morning Prayer with two other seminarians while in seminary and reading this Psalm.  We laughed as all three of us thought of people that we too would have to be fitted with bit and bridle, or else we would not stay near them.  But it was because we did indeed have understanding, and that we were loving, and so we stayed near them even when it was uncomfortable.

The metaphor of bit and bridle may in fact be a good way of looking at how God holds us close to God’s will.  We often don’t have understanding.  Often we don’t know the will of God and when God reveals just a little of it to us, we run.  We become like Jonah trying to avoid Nineveh.

I think the point of the Psalmist is that not having understanding keeps us in fear. We don’t realize the power of God’s forgiveness. We need to stay near the rough un-comfortableness of God and be patient until understanding finally comes.

There was a time in my life when I did not want one of my daughters to be pregnant.  But she was.  I could feel a prayer welling up in my gut to ask God to not let her be pregnant because she was still a senior in high school.  But she was. She gave birth to her first born.  Alex.  Alex is a gift from God to us.  I love my granddaughter so much.  So the joy that God gave me is what I needed rather than what I asked for.  I am so glad God fitted me with bit and bridle, or else I would not have stayed near God.  I had very little understanding.

Is there any lack of understanding in your life that causes you to want to move away from God? God will fit you with that bit and bridle and hold you close unless you turn and run to your own pain and peril, spiritually bruised from opposing the bit and bridle . We as seminarians learned that while this verse sounds funny, holding on to what God wants for us is as serious as it gets. Every human being has a story, or two, or more, of challenges. We need to tell these stories as did the prophets of the Bible. Our stories help others know that God holds us close – bit and bridle close. 

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

Daily Office Readings for the Friday after Ash Wednesday: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 95 and 31; Evening,  Psalm 35;
Ezekiel 18:1 to 4 and 25 to 32; Philippians 4:1 to 9; John 17:9 to 19:

“Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation.” (Psalm 95:1)

We Episcopalians use the first seven verses of Psalm 95 (The Venite) as an option for our Morning Prayer. It is a beautiful Psalm that reminds us of our loving relationship with God, our Creator.

As we approach the Seventh (Sabbath) Day of our week, let us find time to just stop and ponder about our personal relationship with God. How is God calling you out for the benefit of your community, or any community?  We have a Bible full of God’s callings: God called Abraham away from his father’s house; God called Jacob to go back and face his brother; God called Moses to go back to Egypt; and on and on. And now you may notice your own burning bush. Is God saying your name twice for you to recognize the you are standing on Holy Ground?

This brings me to the last verse we use of Psalm 95. “For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.  Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice!”  (verse 7)

Will you hearken to His voice?

 “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

Daily Office Readings for the Last Thursday after the Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 37:1 to 18; Evening,  Psalm 37:19 to 42;
Habakkuk 3:1 to 18; Philippians 3:12 to 21; John 17:1 to 8:

“Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 13 and 14)

All of us are a continual “work in progress.”  We live and learn and hopefully build on what we have, intellectually, financially, physically, relationally, and most importantly, spiritually. These latter two come together as they relate to our spiritual connection to God. We build on our relationship with God through prayer and study, pondering about our connection to God.

The writer to the Church in Philippi suggests that as we weekly gather with those whom we trust we are also seeking more understanding in order that we might learn more together. He writes, “Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. (Philippians 3:15)  But all the while we are to keep what we have and build on it. “Only let us hold fast to what we have attained. (Philippians 3:16). 

I meet with several theological study groups during the week. We always start with prayer asking the Holy Spirit of God to be present with us and to soften our hearts in order that we might not insist on our own way but rather, be willing to accept the Truth as it is made known to us.

I have been asking us to keep the Ukrainian people in prayer. I still want that but I want us to also keep the Russian People (many of whom object to what their government leaders are doing) in our prayers as well. Being with those who are mature and of the same mind gives the Holy Spirit the opportunity to correct us.  We must “press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.” All we have to do is listen. God engineered the human face such that when our mouths are closed, our ears open!

Today our Church remembers Thomas Bray: Priest and   Missionary (15 Feb 1730)  check him out at http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Thomas_Bray.htm

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

Eucharistic Readings for Ash Wednesday (All Years)

Joel 2:1 to 2 and 12 to 17; Psalm 103; 2^nd Corinthians 5:20 to 6:10;  Matthew 6:1 to 6 and 16 to 21:

“But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”  (Matthew 6:3 and 4)

Here we are in Lent again.  Today starts Lent with Ash Wednesday. Many times people will come to me to proclaim what they are giving up for Lent. They let their left hand know what their right hand is doing. Often their esteem for what they are giving up borders on idolatry.  I then ask “to what charity is the money you would have used on your creature comforts, going to this Lent?” There is always a pause.  Rarely is anyone thinking, in advance, about the charitable side of doing without in order to give to the less fortunate.

We should always have our eyes set on the “why” we are doing something rather than the “what” we are doing. Lent is a Church tradition.  It is not biblical.  We are reminded by Richard Hooker (Reformation, 17^th Century Church of England Priest) that our 3-legged stool consist of Scripture, Tradition and Reason.  Tradition then is where the practice of Lent comes from. Why? It is our Church’s historic way of reconciling folk back into the fold and reminding all of us of the sacrifice our Lord Jesus made for our salvation.

Lent will not be “celebrated” with fancy sales or special ornaments.  Lent can’t be purchased or hijacked with sleighs or bunnies.  This is the season in which the Church is at its purest. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. It ends with Palm Sunday or the Sunday of the Passion which is the beginning of Holy Week, which leads us into the Sunday of the Resurrection – Easter. All of this is part of our Church Tradition.  Lent is a memory milestone wherein we remember the suffering of our Lord Jesus and reorient ourselves back to the importance of corporate worship.

The ashes on our foreheads remind us that we are dust and ashes, However, with the Holy Spirit of God imbedded in us we are so much more.  It is during Lent that we give thanks by emptying ourselves of all that is not necessary for our wellbeing and at the same time contributing to the welfare of the less fortunate who are also created in the Image of God.  And we do not do this in a boastful way.  “But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” 

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

Readings for Absalom Jones whom our Church remembers today:

Psalm 126 Isaiah 42:5-9 John 15:12-15

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

This Commandment of love from Jesus is different from the Commandment we get from Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels. In Matthew, Mark and Luke we get Jesus commanding us to love our neighbor as ourselves.  The big assumption here is that we in fact love ourselves. 

The Gospel according to John does not let us off so easy.  John records Jesus commanding us to love one another as he, Jesus, loves us.  And he loves us all the way to the cross.  Jesus literally loved us to death. 

Absalom Jones loved his people too in just the same way.  He also loved the Episcopal Church.  He would not leave this Church to join Richard Allen in the African Methodist Episcopal movement. Jones was a man of conviction.  As a slave he bought the freedom of the woman he loved and married her and then bought his own freedom.

I can’t talk about Absalom Jones without also lifting up Bishop William White.  White was Bishop of Philadelphia and ordained Jones to the Deaconate and then to the Priesthood.  And while this ordination was for Jones to be a priest for people of color, he was still ordained in God’s One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.  Bishop White listened to God and opened his heart and the Church to make a space for this important ministry. 

Blacks were asked to relocate in a parish and they left the parish.  And as a result, Jones met with Bishop White and this brand new Episcopal Church made room for them.  Bishop White listened to the voice of God for what to do about this Episcopal Church and former slaves.  Being brought about in the midst of a revolution already, he further heard the call to be open to providing for displaced African descendents.  Absalom Jones then decided to work with Bishop White and not leave the Episcopal Church, but rather, give of himself to this unexpected opportunity.  Praise Jesus.

More detailed information about Absalom Jones can be found at:  http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Absalom_Jones.htm

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the Last Week after the Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 25; Evening,  Psalms 9 and 15;

Proverbs  27:1 to 6 and10 to 12; Philippians  2:1 to 13; John 18:15 to 18 and 25-27:

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth – a stranger, and not your own lips. (Proverbs 27:2)

This is a general election year, so every day we will hear more and more of the rhetoric of political candidates telling us how good they are and how unfit their competitors are for that same office.

If I were running for an elected office I would want my campaign manager, or at least those who want me to run for an elected position to boast about my fitness for the office, and not myself.  But this is the way of the world today.  Even in the election of a Bishop for a Diocese in our Episcopal Church each candidate priest is presented with an opportunity to say how good he or she is for the office. However, and to their credit, such priests do not put down their competitors, thank God . For politicians however, we encourage narcissism rather than the instruction of humility as taught in our Philippians reading for today.

Perhaps it would be better if computers did the hard work of tabulating information and then recommend candidates best suited for election based on experience, education and history.  After a short list, candidates are identified, and sponsors can then promote their person of choice for the office. In this way all persons interested in an elected position will have to do is do the best they can every day so that the computer collecting the information can put the best qualified person’s names forth for consideration and election.

In any case, those who want a certain person in an elected office should be the ones boasting about how their choice is best suited for the position, not the person him, or herself. We all should be doing the best we can in everyday life.  While education and experience carry a lot of weight, one’s history of doing good in their respective party affiliation is probably the most valuable marker of what kind of person a candidate is, or will be.

Wait a minute! Isn’t collecting our life’s moral information what God is doing now? All we have to do is be the best we can be every day.

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

The Gospel Reading for the Last Sunday after the Epiphany: Year B

Mark 9:2 to 9

 Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves.” (Mark 9: 2)

Peter, James and John are picked to go up the mountain with our Lord Jesus. These three were called out from the others to go to spend a special time with Jesus. I like calling them the executive council. There were other times that these three were called out to be with Jesus.

I’m guessing they were informed about who Moses and Elijah were, given that they both were historic figures and there were no “photographs” of them.  This was a revelation given to them by the Cloud of all knowing.

And after the experience of the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus, the revealing Cloud of all knowing using the voice of God, and being told who Jesus is, and then Jesus telling them not to tell anyone, was asking a lot. But in hindsight, we can see why these stories were actually written much later and in different languages.

Being told not to talk about something gives one time to process what happened. Today we say that the introvert processes quietly while the extrovert processes by “talking it out.”  This might be the reason for taking these three, but then there is Peter. Peter can’t hold back even in the midst of the Transfiguration.  “Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He did not know what to say, for they were terrified; (Mark 9: 5 and 6). 

So Jesus took with him both the extrovert and the introverts. Jesus takes with him both you and me.  We are invited to see God Incarnate who is the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah).  Moses didn’t want to go but was sent anyway.  Elijah was all in, even taunting the prophets of Baal, “At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened;” (1 Kings 18:27).  Elijah mocked the prophets.

So God calls any of us to do the Lord’s work.  Be attentive therefore, Our Lord will call you also to have that mountain top experience.  Dr Martin Luther King Jr. says that he experienced it in his kitchen after a hateful phone call.  This mountain top experience can happen anywhere. When it happens, it is life changing. The place it happens has nothing to do with the time God chooses. God is everywhere, all the time. 

Jesus can be transformed in your presence today,  anywhere, and any time of God’s choosing. And may still ask you to not tell anyone about what you have experienced; just live out what has been revealed to you in word and deed.

Abraham Joshua Heschel (1907 to 1972 was internationally known as a scholar, activist, and theologian. He was Professor of Ethics and Mysticism. Heshel says in his book, The Sabbath, that “it is not the event that makes time significant, but rather, the time that makes an event significant, it is the time that an event happens that makes the place significant.”  Jesus could have taken these followers out on a boat ride, or in a cave or a barn.  He just needed time to be alone with them. Jesus just needs time to be with you today!

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

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the 5^th Week of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 87 and 90; Evening,  Psalm 136:
Genesis 29:1 to 20; Romans 14:1 to 23; John 8:47 to 59:

“The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve.” (Romans 14:22)

Some of us believe in God based on what our faith leaders have taught us. Some of us believe in God based on our own interpretation of our reading the Bible, or other ancient writings. And, some believe in God based on both, that is, our faith leaders have instructed us in how we should understand what our ancient writings mean.

But there are some of us who believe in God based on our God-given reflective pondering and God’s revelation to us. This latter group, of which I am proud to be a member, also reads our Holy Words but are guided by God in our interpretation of them. In my walk and sitting with God, I stand almost alone in my convictions that there is no such thing as race, and that God uses both male and female humans in God’s plan for the salvation of humanity. These are only two that stand out for me now.

While Paul used dietary habits to explain his theological conviction, his words work for me as I continue to sit with God day to day. I am always learning and evolving in what I believe and then I try to live accordingly.  I think we should take into consideration our holy writings and sound teachings from well informed teachers. But we have a personal responsibility to sit with God in prayer and revelation regularly while forming our own convictions. Paul says to us, “The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve.” 

Today is our Sabbath from God. Our Lord Jesus never changed that. Sit quietly today and ponder about what God is saying to you.

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

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the FifthWeek of Epiphany: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalm 91and 92:   

Genesis 27:46 to chapter28:4 and10 to22; Romans 13:1 to 14; John 8:33 to 47;

Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.”  (John 8: 42)

All of the reports of the Gospel, from all four of its sources, complement each other.  From Matthew’s account we read, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)  Those of us who insist on peace are truly children of God.  And as our Lord Jesus says, “If God is our Father we would love him,” and not only him, but all people.

Loving people does not necessarily mean agreeing with them. We can come away from an issue with different concerns about how things should be done.  However, there should be some fairness and reasonable decency on both sides without harm or detriment to anyone; just different interests. Love bridges differences. 

Love makes room for forgiving even when harm is done. If we are the victim, we pray for the strength to overcome what has happened. And, with God’s help, we can.  If we are the perpetrator we pray for the strength to repent, acknowledge the wrong we’ve done and be accountable for what we have done.  And we face those we have hurt. I believe it is the perpetrator’s soul that is most damaged when sinful acts are done.  Repenting is truly an act of sincere love and thus, soul repair.

We are children of God as we make peace and have love for one another as our Lord Jesus has taught us. We have the Holy Spirit of God within us.  This Spirit is trying to lead us and guide us.  All we have to do is listen and follow. We should look at every person and understand that they too are saying that “if we are God’s child we would love them.”  This is what the Holy Spirit of God is teaching us.  We need to listen and do likewise.

“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