Author: John Thomas Frazier

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the 4^th Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 89:1 to 18; Evening, Psalm 89:19 to 52;

Genesis 49:1to 28; 1^st Corinthians 10:14 to 11:1; Mark 7:24 to 37:

“But she answered him, ‘Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.’” (Mark 7: 28)

And with this response from the Syrophoenician mother, our Lord Jesus yielded to her faith.  Some say that this event happened so that we could see God’s inclusive love for all people. Some have even said that this happened as our Lord Jesus was still learning who he was and the nature of his mission with us.  I prefer the first. 

As Jesus intentionally went to lands outside of Israel to heal and teach, it is doubtful that he would not care about this woman’s daughter.  Also, the Syrophoenician mother shows that anyone bringing their problem to our Lord Jesus, if their faith is genuine, they will not be turned away. This is especially true for intercessory prayer.

It is one thing to pray for ourselves and what we might think we need. But God really pays attention to our plea for the needs of others. Also, in the experience, Jesus shows that He does not have to be physically present where He is needed, moreover, He also knows who we are talking about through our own heart without us having to specifically name or identify them. God reaches through us to comfort and heal those who asks us to pray for them or even their unknown (to us) loved ones. So we do it, we pray for them and God responds.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, healing Word of God through Whom all creation came into being. We ask in your Name Lord Jesus because you promised that whatever we ask in your Name it will be done for us. Please walk through our hearts of faith to those we love with your healing powers and restore those we love to health of body mind and spirit. In your Name we pray: Amen.

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

Eucharistic Gospel Reading for the 4^th Sunday in Lent: Year B

John 3: 14 to 21

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

For most Christians this verse in the Gospel according to John is the most quoted or posted of all references of the Gospel.  People will hold up signs with “John 3:16” written on them and “John 3:16” will be written on walls and on transport vehicles and so on. But I invite you to go deeper into the “him” of this passage. Who is him? Is it Jesus, or God? Is there a difference?  The Gospel according to John opens with, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God:” (John 1: 1 and 2).

From this we see Jesus as fully God and yet he comes among us to point to God in order that we might believe in God. Yes, taking on human packaging through Mary so as to be with us, Emanuel, but as one of us, he shows us the loving Creator of all life.

As we step deeper into the words of John 3:16, “him” can be deceptive. This is God showing us God. God should be worshiped and glorified, but most importantly, God should be believed in and obeyed.

Let us Pray:

Most Holy Lord God, who came among us to save us, increase our faith so that by our faith we may trust in your loving goodness all the days of our lives in order that on our last earthly day, we may be born again into Your glorious realm where there is no more crying or dying, but rather, an eternal life of love forever and ever, Amen.

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

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 87 and 90; Evening, Psalm 136;

Genesis 47:27 to 48:7; 1^st Corinthians 10:1 to 13; Mark 7:1 to 23:

“Now when the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him, they noticed that some of his disciples were eating with defiled hands, that is, without washing them.” (Mark 7:1 and 2)

In the Gospel we are always on notice that when the Pharisees approach our Lord Jesus, the encounter  is normally confrontational. This meeting at the beginning of Chapter 7 of Mark is no different.  However, as we live today in the lessons of the Covid 19 virus the message over and over again is to wash our hands and wash them often. 

Our Lord Jesus will speak of the ill intent of the Pharisee’s attempt to discredit him.  He will also let us all know that if we are not careful there is an unholy kind of dirt that may be in us, in our hearts, and it will do much damage if it comes out in our words and actions against our neighbors.  He says, in effect, that it is not what goes into a person that defiles them but rather, what is crafted in them and then comes out of them in an evil and sinful way that defiles them.

I have a book of Russian Theologians, honorable priests, bishops and monks out of whom comes all goodness. All of the ones in my book were well before the present regime in Russia. What comes out of the present regime, and the clergy who support it, is what pollutes the great Russian religious history. As they continue to wage war with Ukraine the Russian leadership needs to return to their rich Russian religious heritage and live peacefully with their neighbors, and so should we all, personally and nationally. But first, we must seek help from outside ourselves.

Let us Pray:

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)

Today we remember Gregory of Nyssa (9 March 395). See Gregory of Nyssa (satucket.com) for more details.

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

Daily Office Readings for Friday of the 3^rd Week in Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 88; Evening, Psalms 91 and 92;
Genesis 47:1 to 6; 1^st Corinthians9:16 to 27; Mark 6:47 to 56:

“ It is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to your Name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1)

Psalm 92 is a Psalm of praise and thanksgiving. Reading it is a good way to start one’s day and indeed, one’s weekend. Giving sincere thanks requires some reflection. We must consider how blessed we are. Even in bad times, reflection will reveal how things could have been worse. And, if we are surviving difficult times, perhaps God has in store for us better times ahead.

This Psalm goes on to say that there are many ways to express thanks to God.  We give thanks and praise to God “On the psaltery, and on the lyre, and to the melody of the harp.”( Psalm 92:3). As one learning to play various musical instruments, I particularly like this verse.

Instruments or not, we all can, and should, give praise and thanks to our Creator. We didn’t have to be at all. But here we are. Perhaps life is not good for all. This is when those of us who are doing well should look around and find ways to make life better for those who are not so well off.

Let us Pray:

We give You thanks dear God for all You are blessing us with, the little we are aware of, and the great abundance hidden from us until revealed later. You always treat us better than we deserve and are merciful towards us when we are sinful and neglect Your ways. You love us and bless us in spite of our shortfalls. For all this, and for all the good You give us that we can’t see, we give you thanks. From before the foundations of creation, You are God. Amen.

“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 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

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 42 and 43; Evening,  Psalms 85 and 86;

Genesis 46:1 to 7 and 28 to 34; 1^st Corinthians 9:1 to 15; Mark 6:30 to 46:

“You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37)

The crowd has been following our Lord Jesus until late in the day.  They were tired and now hungry.  The disciples warned Jesus to send them home so that they could feed themselves.  Jesus said no, “You give them something to eat.”

True Christians take responsibility for what needs to be done. Our Lord Jesus has them to take stock of what they have, five loaves and two fish. Admittedly not enough without God getting involved but Jesus takes it, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it. This is the same four-fold table action at Holy Communion. The Priest or Bishop takes the presented sacraments, blesses them, breaks the bread and pours the wine, and then distributes the Lord’s body and blood to the waiting people.

The lesson here is not to be concerned about what we don’t have, but to take stock of what we do have; and then to bless it to God, divide it up, and distribute it as we are able. With God, all things are possible. This action should be repeated at family meals as well.  Breakfast or supper should be first prepared, prayed over in thanksgiving to God, portioned out, and given to family members, all according to their needs from the eldest to the youngest with love.

Perhaps the most important lesson our Lord Jesus is teaching is that we should not push our problems aside. Hungry and tired people needing sustenance is probably as serious as it gets. We have hungry people all around us today. And even if someone gives them a meal, it is rarely “blessed by the giver.”  So, when we provide the hungry with a meal, bless it for them.  I believe blessed food makes the body healthier. The hungry are not the problem of somebody else, Our Lord Jesus says to us; “You give them something to eat” (Mark 6:37)

Let us Pray:

Dear Lord God Almighty, as you have blessed us, so like Abraham, let us also be a blessing. Remind us dear God, to not only bless what we are about to share, but to also bless those who are unaware of the power of blessing. Help us daily dear God to be mindful of what we have no matter how little it is and that all things come from you, and to you we give back through giving to others. In Christ Name we pray: Amen.

Today our Church remembers Perpetua and Felicity; Martyrs at Carthage (7 March 202). You can find them at: http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Perpetua.htm.

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

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:97 to 120; Evening,  Psalms 81and 82;  

Genesis 45:16 to 28; 1^st  Corinthians 8:1 to 13; Mark 6:13 to 29: 

“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.” (1^st Corinthians 8:9)

Paul here is talking about not eating food dedicated to idols. But we can all look deeper into our own lives as thinking Christians. Reason is one of the three legs of the three-legged stool that Richard Hooker used as a metaphor for us to think about in terms of our Church; Scripture, Tradition and Reason.  They all carry the same and equal guidance in our Church tradition as taught in our Anglican/Episcopal faith. We have the Holy Scriptures, our Church liturgy and leadership, and we each have our God-given sense of morality and right behavior given to us by God in Christ Jesus.

Personally, I like to have a beer every now and then.  But I will not stop at a store and purchase beer while wearing clericals (clergy shirt with tab or collar).  North Carolina, being part of the Southern “Bible belt” where beliefs are pretty fundamental, right or wrong, I don’t want people who think ill of me, or of my Church.  If the people in my community saw me purchasing beer, dressed as clergy they might think me to be a hypocrite.

Are there any practices or enjoyments that you have that could become a stumbling-block to the weak? The field of misleading activities are wide ranging; the movies we enjoy, the books we read, the clothes we wear, the cars we drive, the company we keep, and on and on. I think we will be okay in our individual ways if we use moderation and discretion, but we must use caution with regard to what we reveal about ourselves, in person, and especially on social media platforms. “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling-block to the weak.” (1^st Corinthians 8:9)

Let us pray:                                        

All mighty God, who set us an example of how to conduct ourselves in Jesus Christ, help us to live in community with moderation and discipline. Keep us ever mindful that we are always teaching in our everyday activities even when we think no one is watching. Lead us and guide us O Lord to do those things that are pleasing in your sight. Amen.

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

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 78:1 to 39; Evening,  78:40 to 72;

Genesis 45:1 to 15; 1^st Corinthians 7:32 to 40; Mark 6:1 to 13:

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him.” (Mark 6:3)

Just because we know someone and their family, and our opinion of them is not very favorable to us, does not mean that God is not making good use of them for a better life in the community in which that person lives. But in this case, we’re talking about God Incarnate. His community thought they knew everything about Jesus solely because they knew his earth family and had already decided that he was not Godly.  They were so wrong.  Besides that, God is able to use anybody to do God’s work, which includes you.

When we judge someone as unusable by God, we are not judging them, we are judging and limiting the power of God.  God can use any human, (and in some cases our pets or even animals in nature, or a burning bush) to affect our path or direction in life.  Every one of us must be open, and remain open, to God’s desire to use us for the good of the community in which we live, or quite possibly, for a distant community we have yet to be a member of.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord God of all Goodness and love, assist us in our desire to be instruments of your plan to bring peace and harmony among all people, those we know, and especially those who have yet to know you. Help us to show those who think they know us how you have improved our lives for the better and that that same improvement is here for them as well. We ask this in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who told us to ask in His Name. Amen.

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

Daily Office Readings for Monday of the Third Week of Lent: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 80; Evening, Psalm 77;

Genesis 44:18 to 34; 1^st Corinthians 7:25 to 31; Mark 5:21 to 43:

“Now there was a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years.” (Mark 5: 25)

Jesus was on his way to heal a child when this hemorrhaging woman acted from her faith and touched Jesus and was healed. So our Lord Jesus, while on his way to do a good work, did an additional good work.  In the Cursillo movement we call this an “unexpected opportunity.”

Opportunities to do unexpected good works abound.  Our Lord Jesus models for us that there will be people in need all around us.  We may not know them but they need us.  They come to us from their faith, trusting in God to work through us for what they need. These are unexpected opportunities. Had not our Lord Jesus been going to do a good work already, the woman in need may not have ever crossed his path.  The same is true for us today.  As we go about our business to do good, God will put people in our path who need us. From that point on, God is watching us, to see how we might respond. Remember, it is their faith in God working through you that works in, and for them.

Let us pray:

Come Holy Spirit of the Ever-loving God of all Creation, keep our eyes open to those around us who may be in desperate need. And then use we pray, to make good use of any unexpected opportunities that may arise to the glory of your Name. Amen.

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

Gospel Reading for the Third Sunday in Lent: Year B

John 2:13-22

“Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here!” (John 2: 15 and16)

Some people, and even pastors, have tried to use these verses from John to show a violent side of Jesus. But they are wrong. Just as a net is used for fishing, and a rod and staff are used for guiding sheep, so too, a whip is used to move live stock of many varieties from one place to another. One might even say this was the “cowboy” Jesus.

What we should be paying closer attention to is the reference Jesus made about his body being the Temple. And that he would raise it again when destroyed. But then, even the writer of the Gospel according to John saw fit to put these connecting words before us so as to inform us about our own souls and bodies.

Sometimes we have things in us that we are not able to rid ourselves of. In fact, we, like those in our Gospel passage, we have become used to them and have accepted their presence in us where they should not be.

Lent is a time of cleansing. Our Lord Jesus is still trying to be in our inner temple, leading us, guiding us, and loving us. But we must pay attention to the housekeeping of our souls. We must pay attention to distractions and actions that clutter the resting place for Jesus within us.  We do this through prayer, for ourselves, and for others.

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.

Let us pray:

My Lord Jesus, who fashioned a whip to drive away those things that corrupted your temple, I ask you, do you still have that cleansing whip?  We pray you dear Lord Jesus, drive away those things that defile your temple place in our souls. Drive away racial prejudice, love of money above people, political anger, and all distractions that block our love of you, you who now dwell in that temple not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Amen.

Eucharistic Readings or the Second Saturday in Lent: Year B

Micah 7:14–15,18–20: Psalm 103:1–4(5–8)9–12: :Luke 15:11–32

“But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! (Luke 15:17)

In the beginning of this parable all was good and glorious for both sons.  Both sons had all that was needed, and then some.  As we explore this parable let us see if we can connect it with our lives today and then apply its lessons to our walk in our Christian ministry.

The younger son foresees that he will never be the one in charge and so he figures he can do better on his own. Therefore he requests of his father to give him what is his and he will be off to do his own thing. So there is separation and brokenness.

As he encounters the world with its various lures and temptations he loses everything. He is forced to take work that is incompatible with the way in which he was raised and taught in his tradition.  “But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger!

In recognizing the gap between where he should be and where he is, his judgment is certain, and he crafts his words of repentance. He says to himself, I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.”  (Luke 15: 18)

And even as he is walking back to deliver his well-prepared words of repentance, his father rushes out to greet him, not even paying attention to the words the son is saying but ordering the household servants to restore him back to his original self. This happens even as the elder brother begins his own broken separation with the desire to make things “better” for himself.

This cycle of wholeness and brokenness, the recognition of it, and the reorientation and restoration, connects with us today as we too, too often, try to leave the God of love.

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.

Let us pray:

All mighty and ever-loving God, who is ever vigilant in waiting for our return, come to us as we come to ourselves, that in our path to you, we may be restored into your heavenly kingdom where with our Savior Jesus Christ, you live and reign in love everlasting. Amen