Monday, October 31, 2011

The Only One

The sisters told us when we were in school,
that Christ would die if there were only one,
and if that one were only me the fool,
that God for me would send His only Son.
What is my value that I'm worthy of
God leaving heaven to come down to earth,
and suffering and dying for the love
of one who is not worthy of his worth?
O God, this is a mystery but true,
that one so small can drain divinity,
if I could be the only one for You,
then You should be the only One for me.
I know, O Christ, Your love for me is endless,
if there's just me, I cannot leave You friendless.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       11/10

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Real Art

One prayer is worth a masterpiece,
one loving kiss, a gem;
no Rembrandt glows so like a rose
or Star of Bethlehem.

No work of art can match a heart
that warms us from the cold,
and mudworts mark God more than all
of Ali Baba's gold.

               -- by Pete Voelz       2003

Saturday, October 29, 2011

God and I

God did not make a group, the human race,
He made each as an individual,
God does not give a bunch of us His grace,
He gives me grace up close and personal.
God is our Father and my Father too,
we worship Him as Church community,
but He asks me to be faithful and true,
He loves us less as units, more as me.
Alone I die, just as when I was born,
we rise on our own merits in our prime,
and when we help the needy and forlorn,
I “feed the hungry one mouth at a time.”*
In my hands first, Lord, lies my destiny,
for me I take responsibility.

           -- by Pete Voelz      10/27/11

*Mother Theresa

Friday, October 28, 2011

Defiant God

God, I defy You to inspire me,
I prayed; He did--the inspiration for
this poem He gave with such alacrity,
I was amazed, for letting me explore
how swift He struck like lightning in response
to my defiant and most daring prayer
to show He wants to satisfy my wants
and prove effectively He's really there,
attentive, waiting just for me to pray,
oblivious to any other one
at any moment, hour, or any day,
reacting now before my prayer is done.
I am in awe, Lord, that You're quite at home
with my defiant fifteen-minute poem.

                           -- by Pete Voelz      10/28/11

Thursday, October 27, 2011

The Fruit of Faith

I pluck the plum but do not plan to plumb it,
I will not wait to trace its history,
to understand its depth or soul or summit,
before I chew its juicy mystery.
I pick the peony before I probe it,
I do not wait to analyze its smell,
to note its origin or write its obit,
it is enough to fall beneath its spell.
I pet my poodle with no plot to pry
into its molecules or DNA,
I cannot wait at all to verify
its essence, for I love it anyway.
But, God, until You've proved that You are true,
I'll wait before I place my faith in You.

                          -- by Pete Voelz       2003

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Thanks, Lamb

Our sins hurt God, and only God can heal
the wounds we visit on the Trinity;
Christ opened heaven, allowing us to steal
what was not ours, a perfect destiny.
God is so good, offending Him so bad,
our sin closed up the door to Paradise;
the Son of God, the only hope we had,
becomes a man, is crucified and dies.
Only God's love is stronger than our sin,
only His love could send His Son to die;
in evil’s war, only God’s love could win,
and with the glorious cross, kiss death goodbye.
The Paschal Lamb chose to be sacrificed,
forevermore You have my thanks, O Christ.

                          -- by Pete Voelz         4/08

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

God's Best

More than He's far away, God is right here,
more than He loved before, He loves me now,
since God is love, His present love's most dear,
as bad I am, He loves me anyhow.
More than He comes to all, God comes to me,
He does not wait for me, He's right here first,
He spends His power on me, yet I'm still free,
He gives His best to me, He gets my worst.
So He can raise me up to be divine,
He left divinity to be a man,
while I hoard me and everything that's mine,
for me He's given everything He can.
O God, though You're so big and I'm so small,
You ask but little while You give me all.

                             -- by Pete Voelz      4/08

Monday, October 24, 2011

Great God

(Dedicated to Christopher Hitchens,
     author of “God Is Not Great”)

If God's not great, then neither great is love,
for God is love, and we all think love's great;
if love's not great, what are we thinking of?
Without great love, there's nothing left but hate.
If God's not great, why is He on your book?
You think our faith you can persuade us from?
To know great God, all you must do is look,
and see Creation great 'til Kingdom come.
If God's not great, then nothing's left but fate
to make this great Creation we can see;
and how can fate then all things great create?
Fate can't decide to be or not to be.
O God, for You there is no substitute,
if You're not great, then I don't give a hoot.

                          -- by Pete Voelz           7/07

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Spirit Real

God is a spirit, there's reality,
if our material world were the most real
then that is where the great good God would be,
and Him we could then see and hear and feel.
So are we left with just the physical?
Don't we have spiritual experience?
Like God, love's also quite invisible,
yet we know both well by our spiritual sense.
God made the physical world, it is less true,
our spiritual mind can conquer time and space,
with spiritual truth our world's shot through and through,
with eyes of faith we see that all is grace.
Your physical world ends, Lord, the body dies,
that spiritual souls live on is no surprise.

                                           -- by Pete Voelz       10/23/11

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Christ Rains

I fished all day but could not catch a one,
when Christ put out my net it came back filled;
the storm so great I thought our boat was done,
'til Christ awoke and all the storm was stilled.
I walked on water, then thought I would drown,
but walked on waves again He took my hand;
a house on sand the storm will tumble down,
so Christ advised we build on rocky land;
on everyone, He said, the rain will fall,
with just and unjust known on Judgment Day;
as gentle rain comes down to water all,
His words and mercy wipe our sins away.
Our souls, washed clean by water in a wink,
are soaked by grace for giving just one drink.

                       -- by Pete Voelz       2002

Friday, October 21, 2011

Head Start Christ



In heaven I will meet Christ every day,
so why not meet Him every day down here?
In heaven I will never walk away,
so on my way there why not keep Him near?
Here is where we find out if we go there,
here is the only place to be afraid,
the only place we know we have a prayer,
and here so close to Him we're glad we've stayed.
To pray down here is indispensable,
but prayer up there we will not need at all;
here sins forgiven seems quite a miracle,
no need for that once where we'll never fall.
We'll be together for eternity,
Christ, give a little head start here with me.


                           -- by Pete Voelz       10/21/11



Thursday, October 20, 2011

Relentless God

Our ruthless God seems just a juggernaut,
relentless with the force of nature’s law,
His fallen world has us poor creatures caught,
once knowing Him, we stand agape in awe.
The winter’s cold, and yet God’s love is warm,
when I am hungry, God provides the bread,
He always gives me shelter fom the storm,
the earth may quake, God steadies me instead.
Nature may bruise, I’m none the worse for wear,
my body suffers yet God guards my soul,
if I but turn to Him in humble prayer,
I see His hand is always in control.
God’s ruthless and relentless in a sense
within His overarching Providence.

                     -- by Pete Voelz      10/20/11

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Message Free

God throws His message out and leaves me free
to take it or reject it on my own,
yet He comes round and sorta bothers me,
showing His hand, making His presence known.
God won’t leave me alone, He’s always there,
how free am I if He can dry my tear?
He counts my hairs because He’s in my hair,
I like Him there, He drives away my fear.
God leaves me free to sin, then gives me grace,
within a fallen world, a fallen soul,
He sees His message dim in this rat race,
He sees me fall apart, then makes me whole.
I know down deep Your message, Lord, is true,
but I must freely choose to follow You.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       10/19/11

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Great God and Me

Because You stand outside of time and history,
You are too far for us to really know;
and since You've built a universe of mystery,
our puny minds see only what You show.
Yet though You transcend everything in glory,
Your presence permeates what worlds there are;
Your Providence patrols each human story,
Your care controls from molecule to star.
O mighty God we know from Revelation,
O God of infinite power and majesty,
the beauty, good and truth of Your creation
point through Your Word to my true destiny.
Shall I reject Your love as I am free to?
How can I when You shower all this on me too?

                            -- by Pete Voelz        1999

Monday, October 17, 2011

Celebrity Prayer

I see these great celebrities afar,
yet never get to talk to them at all,
but every saint I pray with is a star,
and for my prayers they’re at my beck and call.
To speak to popes or kings I have no hope,
to meet a movie star would be so scary,
but I can pray with Blest John Paul the Pope,
or those long gone, Saints Peter, Paul and Mary.
To golf with Phil or Tiger would be great,
to play with pro sports heroes might be odd,
but in some prayers sweet Jesus is my mate,
in all my prayers, I play around with God.
Prayer’s not just for some saint celebrity,
God then makes a celebrity of me.

                       -- by Pete Voelz        10/17/11

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Why Was I Made?

What good am I to God, why did He make
this funny, fickle and fainthearted fool,
this silly, sneaky and self-centered fake,
this bungling, inept, ineffective tool?
He takes this tool, this pencil in His hand,
this vain yet humble creature that He made
and draws a picture we don't understand
and carves a soul with just this rusty blade.
God takes my thread and weaves a tapestry,
God joins His whim to my inane caprice,
from acorn me, the Lord designs a tree,
my simple seed, a garden masterpiece.
All this from me, I cannot fathom why,
my faith makes me the apple of His eye.

                    -- by Pete Voelz       3/04

Saturday, October 15, 2011

God's Investment

God gives me blood and cartilage and ears,
the miracles that move an animal,
but then He gives me laughter, talk and tears,
and I am not an animal at all.
Then He does more with His creative will,
He adds my reason, will and soul to me,
His God-like image He gives me until
my life is ready for eternity.
He gives me knowledge, grace and talent too,
then His sweet skill of love for me to share,
in Scripture His own Revelation true,
it seems almost too much for me to bear.
O God, You've vested me with all I am,
the least that I can do is give a damn.

                        -- by Pete Voelz          5/06

Friday, October 14, 2011

The Faith of Prayer

Each word of prayer is that much faith in God,
my praying little shows my faith is small,
if I pray much, my faith is not facade,
if I pray not, then there's no faith at all.
What is my prayer except my faith's expression?
What is my faith if not expressed in prayer?
The outward words reflect a deep impression,
we show in word the thing that's really there.
The words aloud need not be loudly said,
they may be only told in silent thought;
they may be ours, they may be only read,
spontaneous words, or prayers that we've been taught.
The fool scoffs at words sent to no one there,
but God, Who made fools too, answers our prayer.

                                -- by Pete Voelz         2/04

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Too Much Too Soon

O God, if You're so good to me down here,
what merit will be left for me up there?
You must confess, O Lord, You soothe my fear,
You even count and care for every hair.
You lend more love than ever I deserve,
You hear and answer every prayer I send,
You pitch to me and never throw a curve,
You leave me love and laughter without end.
When I'm in church, You can't help but inspire,
and when I teach, You make sure I am taught.
When have You not fulfilled my blithe desire?
When have You not helped me when I have fought?
So, Lord, how much reward is left to be,
when all Your blood’s already flooded me?

                             -- by Pete Voelz         9/09

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Happy God

God is so happy when I take His side,
He counts on me to really be His own;
He wants me here and not to run and hide,
He never wants to see me all alone.
When I say, "God I love You," God is glad,
when I repent my sins, He's overjoyed;
He always comes to save me when I'm bad,
He wants me good and healthy, not destroyed.
When I pray to Him, He is full of joy,
and when I sin, He welcomes me right back,
when my ship's lost, God shouts to me, "Ahoy!"
God makes up for whatever I may lack.
If God's so for me, how then can I lose?
it all depends on what I choose to choose.

                             -- by Pete Voelz      1/04

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Unfading Flowers

The rhododendrons wither in the sun,
as children's prayers dance to eternal tunes;
hibiscus close and fall when day is done,
love lasts for good in heaven's honeymoons.
In early spring the crocus blooms soon die,
God's Word will just go on and on and on;
though kinnikinnick berries multiply,
their blossoms leave, our hope is never gone.
If drawf brunfelsia last in summertime,
called "yesterday-today-tomorrow" too,
their violet florets dim beyond their prime,
while those of paradise spring ever new.
Sweet transient flowers fade on sullen earth,
but God's good buds will always see rebirth.

                        -- by Pete Voelz       10/04

Monday, October 10, 2011

Cling to Your Faith

Death brings an end to everything we know,
my buttery toast and jam, my chocolate cake;
no food or toys come with me when I go,
my faithful soul, the only thing I’ll take.
I do not understand the how and why
God put us here with hope to go above;
I do know He expects us all to try
to grow our faith and most of all to love.
Enough God gives me so I can believe,
He proves a lot, but wants some faith from me;
to make a better world before I leave,
to leave it up to me, He made me free.
So to my faith in You, O God, I cling,
and someday You will tell me everything.

                     -- by Pete Voelz     10/10/11

Sunday, October 9, 2011

God's Last Resort

When all else fails, my last resort is God,
I turn to Him, whose first resort is me;
like billions He has made, I get the nod,
far more than what He gives a galaxy.
God runs material things with greatest care,
but still to Him the spiritual world comes first;
manipulating molecules with flair,
in my soul poor He's even more immersed.
While I with my supply of lies still try
to hide from all the treasures of His love,
He willing gives Himself to even die
to offer me what I'm not dreaming of.
In God I really should seek more support,
from last resort to me His first resort.

                         -- by Pete Voelz      7/07

Saturday, October 8, 2011

My Soul

What matter flowers in the spring,
the gardens where I stroll,
what matter any, everything
unless I save my soul?

What matters nature's loveliness,
the way the seasons roll,
or all creation here unless
I save my sinful soul?

So what for my ambitions great,
each high and lofty goal,
if I but underestimate
the value of my soul?

So what for all my earthly pain,
the aches that take their toll,
unsacrificed they are in vain
and cannot serve my soul.

What good my good deeds if faith fails
to stamp them on the scroll?
They'll weigh but little on the scales
if I don't use my soul.

What good the learning and the work,
if I do not enroll
in spiritual things that most will shirk
but magnify my soul?

Each moment I live on the earth
I'm serving but parole,
the timepiece reckoning from my birth
the service of my soul.

Each template of my tragic term
some shallow actor stole;
is an imposter, braggart, worm,
more precious than my soul?

When I take note of every place
I've docked from pole to pole,
it only matters with what grace
I've tended to my soul.

When I look back on all I've done
as I draw near the shoal,
all things will pale compared to one,
the saving of my soul.

            -- by Pete Voelz     12/04

Friday, October 7, 2011

God Trust

Can I trust God Who made the world for me,  
Who marked the laws of math and times the tide,  
Who charts for each of us our destiny,  
Who speaks to me soft quietly inside?
Can I trust God Who offers me a cross?
Who says that pain’s a part of why I’m here,
that God is not just some big Santa Claus,
that faith and heaven aren’t cheap but rather dear?
Why should God trust me if Him I can’t trust,
and I want God to trust me with His grace?
He must trust one He just raised up from dust,
we mutually trust when we meet face to face.
O God, my faithful shepherd, strong and true,
as faithful dust, I’ll place my trust in You.

                            -- by Pete Voelz       10/7/11

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Humble Bloom

All virtues blossom in a humble soil,
the lily of the valley's modesty
can match the lilac, known to be loyal,
the lowly violet waiting patiently.
If the worst sin is the brash orchid's pride,
the virtue best is laurel's humility;
if good glows from a jasmine's joy inside,
how better than the sunflower's showy glee.
Like marigolds, Our Lady humbly placed
her trust in God, as harbingers in spring;
like morning glories full, God fully graced
her faith in her own regal lily king.
If she was picked for her humility,
best I obey the humble peony.

                   -- by Pete Voelz       1999

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Ice Plant

What warmth of beauty does the "Ice Plant" form,
with pink blooms bunched in "Brilliant" clustered dorms,
its "Showy Stonecrop" flat-head flower norm
withstanding dry spells and cold frosty storms.
Each "Stardust" shows five petals in a star,
as ten long thin pink pistils rise like spars,
while tiny black dots tip them so bizarre,
as five short pistils squat like white cigars.
The leaves stay fresh by holding moisture tight,
their pores drink CO2 in cooler nights,
then close to keep it from day's drying light
and save their many "Live-For-Ever" sites.
O fragrant "Autumn Joys" and "Ruby Glows,"
you carpet rocks and swamps with flower snows.

                              -- by Pete Voelz          1998

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Miracle of Me

O God, You make a miracle of me,
You build my body beautiful to see,
You fill my soul with spirituality,
O God, You make a miracle of me.
O God, You sing my life into a song,
You form my voice so I can sing along,
and even when I mess up and go wrong,
Your grace helps me to fess up and be strong.
O God, You plan for me to have the best,
with all Your love and mercy I am blest,
and in the end when I have passed the test,
You promise me eternal joy and rest.
I thank You, Lord, that You have left me free
to wisely use this miracle of me.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       11/08

Monday, October 3, 2011

Eternal Things

I am concerned about such petty things,
when there's a great eternal world at stake,
I'm focused on the short-term that life brings,
when there's a blithe infinity to take.
Life lasts forever but not these machines,
no moving vans go with us to the grave,
for us possessions aren't a hill of beans,
judged not by what we got but what we gave.
My destiny is mine for I am free,
I should be wanting less instead of more,
God's ways sometimes seem upside down to me,
like better off not being rich but poor.
Instead of so much stuff that takes up space,
O God, give me a soul that's full of grace.

                             -- by Pete Voelz       6/07

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Not So Alone

Does it come down, God, to my soul and You?  
Without the world's distractions there's just me,
alone at night there's only just we two,
as we together face eternity.
Of course, my church community I need,
my family, friends, co-workers, many more,
I reach out to my enemies indeed,
and I must not neglect to help the poor.
Augmented by a cloud of witnesses,
You give us heavenly friends to help our way,
with spiritual friends on earth You do me bless,
with this Community of Saints I pray.
It's true with You I often feel alone,
yet You make all of heaven and earth my own.

                            -- by Pete Voelz       1/11

Saturday, October 1, 2011

The Mystery

How do I grapple with Your mystery?
A thousand times what I can understand,
and yet I know You are my destiny,
and I must do all things that You command.
Some carelessly ignore what I do know:
You made the universe so You exist,
You died for me and still fend off my foe,
You give Yourself to me in Eucharist.
See how You've favored me, You touch my core,
for all You've done out here, it's me inside
that spiritually feels You even more,
You comfort, test, give me Your best, and guide.
Why care You, Lord, for boring, little me?
The love that thrills You I return for free.

                            -- by Pete Voelz       1/11