Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the 1^st Sunday Week after the Epiphany: Year 2

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

Genesis 3:1 to 24; Hebrews 2:1 to 10; John 1:19 to 28:

“John answered them, ‘I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know.”  (John 1: 26)

We don’t always know who is in our midst.  I wonder if John made eye contact with Jesus as he said the words “Among you stands one whom you do not know.”  John knew Jesus, it is said that they were cousins.  I ponder if Mary and Elizabeth were sisters?

Knowing someone is more than just knowing who their relatives are, their parents, siblings and so forth. Knowing a person implies, at some level you know what they like and dislike, what they value and their preferences of foods, music, habits and hobbies.  In the case of our Lord Jesus, it also means you know He is God Incarnate.  No one around John knew that about our Lord Jesus except for Cousin John.

I have been around some of my friends for a very long time only to find out that when a certain topic came up, they surprised me with how they acted.  Then I realized that I didn’t really know them at all.  So when John says “Among you stands one whom you do not know,” he’s right. But let’s not confuse knowing a person with knowing “of” a person. 

Sometimes it’s good to know something about a person in order to know how close you want to be with them.  The more similar attitudes you both have about various subjects the closer you become.  But even with this, I like to be close with people who differ with me in some areas.  I always want to hear an opposing view point. It keeps me honest. It may even cause me to shift in my pondering as I hear what the Spirit is saying to me through someone with a different perspective.  We don’t mature if we stay stagnated with people of the same mind. We must listen to what the Holy Spirit is saying to us, through us. The Late Colon Powell, former Secretary of State said, if two of you are of the same mind, one of you is redundant.

We also might get out from John’s words for us today that when we are in a large group, there may be a person or two in our midst who are directly from the court of heaven! Those we don’t know could be from anywhere. We never know who or when God might have angels among us whom we can actually see if we take the time. Interaction with the Presence of God baptizes us in the Holy Spirit.

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 1^st Week of Epiphany: Year 2

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

Genesis 2:4 to 25; Hebrews 1:1 to 14; John 1:1 to 18

“Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son,whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom he also created the worlds.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)

It is perhaps difficult if not impossible for us to wrap our minds around all matter and all life being created through the Being of God we now call our Lord Jesus.  This message is also reflected in John’s Gospel account which we have assigned for today as he writes, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” (John 1:3).

So God creates and maintains the universe through our Lord Jesus who walked among us to model for us how we should live in creation with God and one another. I believe we humans have three missions in life. First, we are to ever strive to develop and maintain our faithful connection with the Creator, “Our Father in Heaven.” Second, we are assigned as caretakers of this earth our island home.  And lastly, we must recognize that we live in covenant relationship with one another for the purpose of being co-maintainers of the earth, God’s prized jewel in the universe.

The more I ponder about these things the more focused I am about our call to exist and do the work God has put before us. God has made this earth like a Grandfather clock and has put us here to rewind it ever so often. Yes, we may use it to mark the time, but we also must keep it running. This clock is not just for us humans.  The rhythms of its musical chimes are the living pulse of all on, and in, this blue round home we call earth.   If we don’t stop polluting it, it will shut down.  If we don’t stop polluting relationships, they too will continue to shut down. Let us practice the teachings of the heir of all things.

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 First Sunday after the Epiphany: Year B

Mark 1:4-11:

“In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”” (Mark 1:9 to 11)

The Gospel according to Mark really skips a lot. First of all, Jesus did go to the Eastern shore of Israel by the Jordan and came to John the Baptist for his baptism. It was hardly a quick or hurried baptism.  Then, after a wilderness hiatus, he went to Capernaum, to the shore of Lake Galilee. It is the first place he went and settled of his own free will and accord. 

At his Baptism however, the “coming up out to the water” can be interpreted in a couple of ways. One way is that he was fully immersed under the water; and second, he simply lowered himself enough in order to have John to raise water in his hands and over the head and face of Jesus. Either way, coming up out of the water fits both wordings. John raising water over the face of Jesus works better with me being it was more of a washing than a dunking.

In whichever way it happened, upon walking back upon the shore, Jesus, and Jesus alone, heard the voice which came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased,”  according to Mark and Luke.  It is first person language. Matthew’s  translations says “this is my Son…” (Mathew 3:16), which suggests the voice was also heard by those around the scene at the time.

Regardless, of the water issue, Jesus can come up out of the water and back on land in either one. What is most important is his understanding of who he really is and his journey into the wilderness and his leadership at Capernaum. 

As Christians, we too have been baptized, and we too have come up out of the water. We must now traverse the wilderness and show Christian leadership as we struggle to emulate our Lord Jesus.  We also await the heavens to be torn apart hear the voice of God say to us personally, “You are my child, the beloved, with you, I am well pleased.”

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 the Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7,10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12:

“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?  For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2:2)

These travelers from some point East, have been called Wise Men or Magi (Magicians) and even kings. But further study by scholars have shown them to be Astrologers. They studied the heavens. Through assumption, we may have also wrongly supposed their number based on the gifts they brought, gold, frankincense and myrrh. The plural was used to say that there were more than one, but it actually could have been two or two hundred. Maybe some of the gifts were duplicated or one brought more than one kind. I only say this to show how we readers can jump to conclusions without supporting text.

So in these words we hear the Astrologers say that they are looking for a child born king of the Jews (not king of Israel).  I find it interesting that this will also be the words placarded over his head on the cross, “Jesus king of the Jews.”  So Jesus is king not of a specific land mass but of a One God faith –  a faith that he invites all people to share – to be grafted into his very own body and blood.  There is a specialness about this child.

The Astrologers say, “We observed his star.”  Wait, What? He has a star? If a child or any person has a dedicated star, that child or person is recognized by the heavenly bodies as an entity unique in all creation.  No one before, or since, has ever had a celestial body as an indicator of their being.  From outside the child’s community, the specialness of this child is made known to those, even in far off lands, who study the heavens.

It takes a certain amount of acceptance to acknowledge not being the chosen people of God, and that a person from another culture has been chosen.  But here is the deal, we have this blessed assurance, that whomever God picks, it is not just for that person, or group, or nation, or clan, or family only. Moses was blessed not for himself but for the liberation of Israelites.  And in this particular case the Son of God is born for the salvation of all humanity.

If  a celestial body bends down to identify its creator, who are we to ignore that same author of our own creation, we who live within that same creation?

The Astrologers put their own ethnicity, culture and race aside and looked at what the heavens were doing, and so should we. God’s plan is so much larger than any group of us.  We too need to see the light.

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

Today is the Twelfth (and final) Day of Christmas

Readings for Morning Prayer, December 5^th: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 2 and 110:1to5; Eve of the Epiphany, Psalms 29 and 98:
Joshua 2:2 to 9; Ephesians 6:10 to 20; John 11:17 to 27 and 38 to 44:

“Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6: 14 to 17)

St Paul has placed many gifts under our Christmas Tree right before it’s taken down; the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes for walking the Gospel, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit.  Wow, he has given us many last day Christmas gifts.

Given that all these gifts are items that we wear, this is what it truly means to dress for success; spiritual success.  And unlike our Christmas tree, this spiritual suit is ongoing. It says to the world who we are.  Just as we might judge others by what they choose to wear, we too are judged by what we choose to wear. In a more literal sense, I prefer the western or cowboy look for its comfort and freedom to work hard if necessary.  I am often seen in clergy collar or suits for special occasions. All can identify who I am.  Our material clothing says something about who we are, or what we choose to look like to others, Our spiritual clothing speaks to God and informs God of the path we are taking to heaven. This earthly covering is temporary; our spiritual garb is forever.

Above all, let us take the Word of God as our guiding light forever. Merry Christmas: Day 12

“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

Today is the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for January 4^th: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 85 and 87; Evening, Psalm 136;

Joshua 3:14 to 4:7;  Ephesians 5:1 to 20;  John 9:1 to 12 and 35 to 38:

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”  (John 9: 5)

The Gospel according to John opens with words explaining that Jesus, the Logos of God, He is the Word and Light of the world.  This light is more than just visual illumination.  The light of Christ is a moral plumb line guiding right behavior. It is as the Christmas song says, “being good for goodness sake.”

Among the many and glorious names we have picked out for God, Goodness is one that I hold in high praise. In my parish when one person often says, “God is Good.” The next person responds with, “All the time.”  This is so true. But not only is God good all the time, God is good everywhere.  There is no place that God is not. God made every place there is. Every place on earth and in the universe, belongs to God. Therefore, the light of God is always present, even at night. So, we must understand that what is being taught here is moral light, not daylight.

The light of morality is a human thing. Jesus is God’s way of doing a human thing.  Perhaps this is why God cane to us as one of us in the Person of Jesus, to show us how to see more clearly in the light of morality, that is in righteousness.  Jesus shows us the righteousness of living lovingly with one another.

Let us strive to maintain the light of Christ in the world all year long and everywhere we go. Merry Christmas: Day 11

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

Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for Monday January 3^rd: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 68; Evening, Psalm 72;

1^st Kings 19:9 to 18; Ephesians 4:17 to 32; John 6:15 to 27:

“So then, putting away falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbors, for we are members of one another. (Ephesians 4:25)

Before saying the above, Paul reminds the Church that the sad and unloving patterns of the outside world, that is the Gentiles, is not the way they should live.  Gentiles for us today would be represented by any antisocial person, culture or government that is hostile to neighbors.

Paul reminds the Church in Ephesus (and us today) that we have moved on from the old ways of looking at life, as he says “Now this I affirm and insist on in the Lord: you must no longer live as the Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance and hardness of heart:” (Ephesians 4:17 to 18).

We too should want to let go of old ways that do not build up relationships. We should start with the bridge of listening. Listening leads to learning; learning leads to loving; and loving eradicates ignorance and hardness of heart. 

Let us always listen, learn, love and lead with the mind of Christ. Merry Christmas: Day 10

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

This is the Ninth Day of Christmas

Daily Office  Readings for Tuesday of the Second Week of Christmas: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 34; Evening,  Psalm 33:
1 Kings 19:1-8; Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:1-14

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears them and delivers them from all their troubles.” (Psalm 34:17)

I have a saying that God’s ears, hears tears. Perhaps this is not correct grammar but it expresses my belief that whoever cries, they are also praying.  God has encoded in every human an alarm that signals God of our distress. And God responds to us as God sees fit.

I know people who cry often. And, often they are not sure of their faith. But it doesn’t matter. If we cry, God hears us and will attend to us.  In the Bible, from Hagar with her son Ishmael, to Mary Magdalene at the grave of Jesus,  God is with those who cry even as he was with David at the loss of his son Absalom. Emanuel, God is with us.

Therefore, if you are distressed but don’t have words, don’t worry. “Just let the tears flow, and  God will know.”  God will feel your pain and attend to you. God engineered us this way. Merry Christmas: Day 9

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

This is the Eighth Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for Holy Name Day: January 1

Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4:4-7; or Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 2:15-21

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars you have set in their courses, What is man that you should be mindful of him? the son of man that you should seek him out?” (Psalm 8: 4 and 5)

There is no doubt in my mind that the goodness of God called creation into being. And, as the Psalmist considers, with the moon and the stars in their respective courses, God also caused humanity to also come into being.  But then God became mindful of us, so much so that God actually walked among us as one of us!  Yes, God sought us out.

This is further illustrated by the words of Paul as he teaches us that when our human creation part was ready, then, and only then, God joined us, Emanuel; God with us. Paul writes, “When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, in order to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as children. (Galatians 4:4 and 5).

And of course, the technical details can be found in our  Gospel passage from Luke in our reading for today. The over arching point I want to ponder is God’s interest and fascination with humanity. “What is man that you should be mindful of him?”  We humans have such a divine opportunity through our Brother Jesus Christ to join God for eternity. It is now time for us to be mindful, that is, fascinated with, and thankful to, God.  Merry Christmas: Day 8.

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

Today is the Seventh Day of Christmas.

Eucharistic Readings for the First Sunday after Christmas Day: All Years

Isaiah 61:10-62:3; Psalm 147 or 147:13-21; Galatians 3:23-25; 4:4-7; John 1:1-18

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)

These words are the beginning to what we call the Prologue to the Gospel according to John. It does my heart and faith good to stop and read these words (John 1: 1 to 118) regularly.

It was a clergy person of another denomination who made my Episcopal Seminary class slow down and hear what was not being said.  In the beginning was the Word, not the book. The book, and that means the Bible, like our houses of prayer, are man-made.  While the greatest of human effort was made to ensure all glory is attributed To God, the Bible and our Churches, Mosques,  Synagogues, and Temples are imperfectly human made.

The One Who has no beginning created our beginning. This opening of John is reminiscent of the opening of Genesis. Perhaps this was John’s intent. In this opening of John we also have a creation story, “All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being” (John 1:3).  From this I gather that the Word proclaimed, and life, all life, came into being.

Then, in all unassuming nature, the Creating Word walked among us as one of us and we did not see that there was something different about this Person. But when we listen to the words of the Eternal, Creating Word,we are awakened into an everlasting light; the light of love, both for God and for one another.

 It does us good to read the first 18 verses of John from time to time. Merry Christmas: Day 7

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