onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Christmas Day, the 1^st Day of Christmas: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 2 and 85; Evening, Psalm 110:1-5 and Psalm 132;
Zechariah 2:10 to 13; 1 John 4:7 to 16; John 3:31 to 36

“God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” (1^st John 4:9)

What an opportunity we have.  Through our Lord Jesus we can live a more loving life.  Through our Lord Jesus we can be more God-like. This is the annual day and season we have selected to remember the human birth of our Lord Jesus.  He was born in a low socio-economic situation, and we are told, in a stable because there was no room for the traveling couple in the inn itself. Even this makes me look at my own life and how I should act if someone struggling really needs a provision that I might take for granted.  It’s something to ponder about. How would living through the life of Jesus have me respond to the needs of those whose situation is more desperate than my own?

“In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins,” (1^st John 4:10).  God loved us before we loved God.  However, once we know about God, and how much God loves us, and how God cares for us, we can’t, (I can’t), help but try to love God back.  The person of our Lord Jesus, in human form, gives me a Way of loving response whereby I, in my limited human ability, can love God back.

This day, and for the next eleven days, we remember God being born into humanity. God came among us to teach us about love.  “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them,” (1^st John 4:16).  And for this gift of love, I say, Thank You Lord Jesus.

We need to stop fighting and start loving because that’s who we are really made to be. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 Christmas Eve

Isaiah 9:2 to 7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11 to 14:  Luke 2:1 to 20:

The First Night Before Christmas

It was me and my buddies out watching our sheep,

The night was quiet, not one of them bleeped.

It was so quiet in fact, we were about to sleep,

When we noticed someone out by the sheep.

Then all at once it became very clear,

No ordinary person was with us here.

We were all afraid, but he said “Fear Not.”

And then there were more, and their numbers wouldn’t stop.

He said go to Bethlehem and see the Baby,

He is the Word of God, there is no maybe.

He said the baby’s in Bethlehem, lying in a manger,

He can save you all, from permanent danger.

Then they all left, praising God for this birth,

Just like they came, they were all gone from the earth.

Then I and my friends said, “let’s go if we’re able,”

To Bethlehem there, and straight to the stable.

And there we were on a cold winter’s night,

We saw Mary, Joseph and Baby, what a sight!

We told them everything, right from the start,

But Mary just smiled, kept our words in her heart.

So we left there then in the thick of the night,

Asking you to thank God with all of your might.

Luke 2: 8 – 20

The Reverend John Thomas Frazier

2006

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 93 and 96; Evening, Psalm 148 and 150:
Isaiah 33:17 to 22; Revelation 22:6 to 11 and 18 to 20; Luke 1:57 to 66:

“He asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And all of them were amazed.” (Luke 1:63)

For me, the key word here is, “Is.”  It seems the child was named John even before he was born.  Zechariah’s mouth was closed mute by the angel Gabriel for doubting the angel’s words. The premier Christener of all time was himself Christened while in the womb by God. He was Christened John before he was born.

I must admit that I am concerned about the names we give our children today.  Were our babies not expected and desired?  Do we not prepare a bed and a place at the table for them? We have a faith tradition whereby we have many biblical names that we could use for boys and girls.  We too could name them even before they are born since now we can tell their sex before they are born. Where are the traditional names found in the Bible, or even in our families?  I am John Thomas, named after my mother’s brother John, and my dad, Thomas.  But these names of mine are also biblical names. How do we explain created names given to babies that do not connect with the Bible or our family? This was perhaps a concern for Zechariah and Elizabeth as well.

The good news is, in this country, we can go to the courts and change our names if desired. It may be a lot of trouble but it may make sense to us and be worth it.  After this, we can then name our own children in a more traditional manner. Or, we can make the most of who we are named and then pass this new name on.

The people Pondered about John. “All who heard them pondered them and said, ‘What then will this child become?’ For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him:” (Luke 1:66).  We have what we call our Christening at our Baptism.  Our Tradition is for the Priest to say to the parents just before pouring the water, “Name this child.”  Where upon the child is Baptized in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You are named; what, or who, will you become?

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

 “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

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 80: Evening, Psalms 146 and 147;
Isaiah 29:13-24; Revelation 21:22 to 22:5; Luke 1:39 to 56)

“And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,” (Luke 1: 46 and 47)

I ask you all to listen again to the Christmas song “Mary did you know?”  I like two lines in particular.  One that says, “The child that you delivered, will soon deliver you.” And, “Did you know that your baby boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb? That sleeping child you’re holding is the great, I Am.” It’s powerful stuff.  Find it and listen to it again, please.

Pretty much every adult person that my mother knew, and especially visited, I knew as well, and I would have known their children. I have heard that Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins. I don’t know about this but surely they should have know of each other as their mothers knew each other.

These two women left their mark on Christianity.  Elizabeth gave us the words for the Catholic Rosary, “ Hail Mary full of grace,  Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” Mary gave us her Magnificat, (Luke 1:46 to 55). She begins with, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” 

The take away for us is that we too have souls that are tuned in to God. and I would say also our souls magnify the Lord. If only we would listen to our own souls.

“And Mary remained with her for about three months and then returned to her, (Luke 1:56).   In those 3 months, these women would have heard nothing from Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband and the father of John the Baptist, because the angel Gabriel has made him mute until the child John is born; (Luke 1:20). Maybe during his quiet time Zechariah listened to his soul.

How has your soul informed you about God’s call on your life?

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 72; Evening, Psalms111 and 113:
Isaiah 28:9 to 22; Revelation 21:9 to 21; Luke 1:26 to 38

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; those who act accordingly have a good understanding; his praise endures for ever.” (Psalm 111:10)

In my studies lately I have tried to seek out the more contemplative words to ponder upon.  This verse from Psalm 111 resonates with my desire to more fully seek out God.

I think the fist word to translate here is the word “fear.”  Fear in this case means, “reverence” or “respect.” for God.  While it doesn’t always mean love for God, it does mean acknowledging the existence of God.  In the story of Job, Job had grievances with God but never denied the existence of God or the absolute power of God.  He may not have loved God through his ordeal, but he never doubted that God is the final authority; like it or not.

So reverence and respect for the existence of God goes a long way in helping us to understand creation, all that is, and all that ever will be. Trying to believe that creation “just happened,” get’s me nowhere.  Within creation, I ponder what it reveals about the Creator, and humanity’s role and purpose in it. What is our call within creation? 

A part of me believes that our loving God calls us to be stewards of this planet. It is an even balance for us; a give-and-take relationship.  The planet feeds us, gives us air to breath and cares for us, and then, we, in turn watch it and do our best to keep it in ecological equilibrium. If we do things right, perhaps no other creatures will go the way of prehistoric beasts. We were brought forth to prevent such loss from happening again.  Therefore, our existence (at least in part) is evidence of God’s love of God’s creation, and this fragile earth our island home, in particular.

Perhaps another purpose for humanity is to reflect on God with the gifts of art; God’s image of the Creator in the created. The beginning of our wisdom is made manifest in our God-given creativity.  We make crafts, pictures and music, and all such little creations can be used to praise the Creator.  In this way we give back to the Creator in our praise of God, and our praise (not fear) for God, endures forever.

Today our Church remembers St. Thomas the Apostle. I personally see him as a brave follower who had his own reasons for not being locked in a room with the others when Jesus came to them.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 66 and 67; Evening, Psalm 116 and 117;
Isaiah 11:10 to 16; Revelation 20:11 to 21:8; Luke 1:5 to 25

The angel replied, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur.” (Luke 1: 19 and 20)

The angel Gabriel lost his patience with Zechariah because he doubted.  So he made Zechariah mute until an appointed time. I’m guessing that was okay with God since angels have the blessing and authority from God. It seems angels and other beings from the court of heaven have some latitude as far as we mortals are concerned. We’d best be careful. But being mute may not be such a bad thing.

When I am silent, my mind opens.  I am then able to realize more about what is going on in the world, and with me personally, than when I am running my mouth. It seems that God engineered our faces such that when we close our mouths, our ears open.

Meditative prayer is so important. Many of the saints that I have studied, like St. John of the Cross and Evelyn Underhill for example, were muted with imprisonment or sickness (respectively), when they created their greatest works of writing.

So how about you and me volunteering to be muted in order that we too might receive divine inspiration? About angels; they never come or go.  They are revealed and then they are hidden. But they are always with us, even if not seen, and even while with us, they stand in the presence of God.  And having divine authority from on high, they watch us closely. Perhaps it is from them, angels like Gabriel, that we too receive our revelations from God. But let us not be forced into quietness.  Rather, let us make a few moments of quiet resolve a part of our natural daily rhythm. Zechariah was probably angry when muted. But let’s look at what Zechariah gleaned from his quiet time.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 61 and 62; Evening, Psalms 112 and 115:
Isaiah 11:1 to 9; Revelation 20:1 to 10; John 5:30 to 47

“God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.”  (Psalm 62: 11 or 13 depending on the translation)

There are two ways to interpret this verse.  First, it could mean that God has said it once but to two peoples, once in the Hebrew Testament, and once in the Christian Testament.  Therefore, if we are Christians, we hear God’s Word twice, once in each Testament.

The other way to understand this verse is that from God’s mouth we have heard it in both ears, therefore, twice.

Yet another way to understand this verse is that Power itself (that Power, all power) belongs to God, no matter who uses the power, even if it is misused, it is God’s power.  So we move from the number of times we have heard it to what it is that is being heard. Has God told us in the Hebrew Testament that power belongs to God, and then again in the Christian Testament, that power belongs to God, and we have heard it in both ears?

In today’s Gospel reading we see where Jesus tells them that Moses of the Hebrew Testament has already written about eternal life.  But they didn’t believe it and he said to them, “Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; your accuser is Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?’ (John 5: 45 to 47) 

We, as Christians, have the Hebrew and Christian Testaments (Old and New).  This is God speaking to us through the two Books of the Bible.  Truly such power really does belong to God. Our Lord Jesus reminds us of the ancient words of God in our New Testament. God does not speak it twice, but rather, it reverberates through the Old Testament to the New Testament from the prophets to the saints. And so we hear it twice. We should be reading the whole Bible.

The truth is, it makes no difference how many times we hear God’s word if we are not going to change our ways.  Hearing it twice, or one hundred times, makes no difference if we are resistant to the message of love that God wants us to have.  We need to listen to, and respond to the prophets and saints that carry God’s message, in both scriptures and in personal spirit. “God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, that power belongs to God.”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 4^th Sunday of Advent: Year A:

Isaiah 7:10-16; Psalm 80:1-7, and16-18; Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-25:

“But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”” (Matthew 1: 20 – 21)

So God is preparing to walk with people on earth.  And God decides to start as all humans start, as a baby.  Of all the earth, and specifically, the people of the earth, Joseph and Mary become the new Adam and Eve.  This is not about original sin but a new place to begin.  This is not even about marriage as the scripture makes clear.  This is about the best parents for raising God Incarnate. 

Joseph goes to sleep with a heavy decision to make: to keep or not to keep Mary.  He decided not to keep her but even that was burdensome. This is why an angel from God came into his life and in a dream none the less.  This is not the first time God visited us in this way.  In the first beginnings, in Genesis, God visited Jacob as he slept (Genesis 28: 12 – 13).

For me, Joseph is the patron saint of fatherhood. He is a silent listener and obeyer of God. We have no words from Joseph. He is told to take the baby and mother to Egypt, and later to bring them back to Israel. He hears and obeys. He is told that he is not to back away from marriage to Mary because he is not the father of the baby.  Joseph is told by the angel of God that this is not about him, it is about saving all humanity from our sins, then and now.

Do you believe God, or the angels of God, really did this?  If yes, do you believe God can, and still does, do this?  I do.  Like Joseph and Jacob, we too get so burdened with fear or conflicts of the norms of our day that we need help in doing what God wants.  It is during these times that God acts. God’s dreams enter our troubled and tired minds, something we resist when we are awake.

This is the Holy Spirit of God.  This Holy Spirit always acts for the benefit of the human race and this earth, our fragile, island home. The Holy Spirit continues today preserving us in eternal life by  saving us from our sins.  And, like Joseph, we too are called to silent obedience.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 3^rd Week of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138 and 139:1 to 17;
Isaiah 10:20 to 27; Jude 17 to 25; Luke 3:1 to 9:

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.”  (Luke 3: 1 and 2)

I think these first two lines of Luke in chapter 3 informs us about what we really need to know about God, and who of us God can use.  Look at the human hierarchy of the day.  Both governmental, as well as the spiritual leaders, were established to honor, serve, and protect the people while in their lofty positions. But they were all so full of themselves, that there was no room in them for God.

Therefore, the Word of God found its way to one who emptied himself, John, son of Zechariah, in the wilderness.  We live in a different kind of wilderness today. Today we live in a spiritual wilderness.  In many ways we still live under people, both political and cleric, who are too often so full of themselves. There is little, if any, room for the word or love of God to be put in them. How about you?  Do you have, within you, room for the Word of God?

I have heard or read somewhere that a full cup is no longer a cup because it has no potential to hold water or any beverage. Only the empty cup should properly be called a cup.  John emptied himself and was therefore useful to God. John spoke truth to artificial human power. It cost him his earthly life, but he has a new life now, in the realm of God because God keeps those who prove useful to the purposes of God.

We should emulate John in how he emptied himself.  God is still in need of cups. God is still in need of people who aren’t full of themselves.  We too, without fear of what may happen to us in this life, must speak truth to artificial human power. As God’s cups we can be used over and over again. And finally, God will keep you in that heavenly cabinet where God keeps all the cups; we will be placed right there next to John and many others, forever. Halleluiah!

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

As we listen to what the Spirit 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 of Advent: Year 1

Morning, Psalms 40 and 54; Evening, Psalm 51;
Isaiah 10:5 to19; 2^nd  Peter 2:17 to 22; Matthew 11:2 to 15:

“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for people are slaves to whatever masters them. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them.” (2^nd Peter 2:19 to 21)

I think most of us truly are slaves to whatever masters us. What masters us today is varied. Some of us are mastered by the calendar, some by information technology and social media, some by a lover, some by the desire to achieve or maintain power, and even some by a false sense of divine call to judge and condemn others. If we are to be true Christians, the only Master we should have is our Lord Jesus and His call on our lives. We should be empting ourselves in order to let him enter us and continue His works here on earth.

Adults should be seen praying, going to church, performing acts of charity and so forth, all in the Name of our Lord Jesus. That’s a big difference. When we as adults live out our faith heritage by prayer and practice we show who our Master is.  Young folks and others are always watching us.  We teach by prayer and practice.  We also pray that we don’t fall away from sacred practices.  It truly is harder to come back, but is definitely possible.

We don’t master our Lord Jesus or dismiss Him as we mature: we surrender to him. He masters us and we find pleasure and delight to do His will, always.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Iran and China.

 “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

As we listen to what the Spirit 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