Sunday, September 30, 2012

How Can One Not



How can one not love God when God's so good?
All goodness comes from God so He's the best,
goodness is hard--to do the things we should,
yet when we're good, it's God Who's most impressed.
 
How can one not love God Who is all true?
God knows what's true since He knows everything,
I too want truth, to know it through and through,
I like to know what's really happening.

How can one not love God so beautiful?
All beauty has its start in His perfection,
our beauteous work is not some miracle,
but just in us the work of His reflection.

With truth, Lord, good and beauty all in You,
I'd like to have a little of them too.

                              -- by Pete Voelz       6/07


Saturday, September 29, 2012

Night Visitor



Mere words cannot describe the way I feel,
when I first think of God as He appears,
and with an overwhelming wave so real,
He comes to comfort me and quell my fears.

Like when the night clouds part, the moon breaks through,
to flood our vision with her stunning light,
God's presence all at once breaks into view,
abruptly ending all the dark of night.

His dawning scatters all our worries dark,
my troubled thoughts of all my problems cease,
my battery of faith begins to spark,
as comforted, I sense His calming peace.

I'm grateful, God, You brighten and console
the dark discomfort of my burdened soul.

                                -- by Pete Voelz        11/07


Friday, September 28, 2012

How to Choose



God gives me moral choices all day long,
I’m forced to choose between what’s bad and good,
I must decide to do things right or wrong,
I’m supposed to try to do the things I should.

My morals I revere or I disdain,
I have a choice because God made me free,
my choices give me spiritual loss or gain,
so I choose free my eternal destiny.

I pray to God to help me choose my fate,
the devil lures me while God offers me grace,
to get His strength I must cooperate,
my prayers show my desire to win the race.

I must be still, O Lord, to hear Your voice,
then to respond or not is my great choice.

             -- by Pete Voelz       9/28/12

Thursday, September 27, 2012

God's Answer



God is the balm for every broken heart,
the solvent to each knotty problem's pain,
the antidote of any poisonous dart,
the elixir for all good done in vain.

God is the gift that fills each empty soul,
that heals the wounds of sin's infirmities,
the tonic fortitude for self-control,
the miracle cure of spiritual disease.

God warms the frost of frigid apathy,
He thaws the selfishness of icy greed,
He melts the chill of glacial gluttony,
He cools the flame of lust's volcanic need.

God's remedies work better than our aid,
with mercy deep for every debt unpaid.

                     -- by Pete Voelz     8/10

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Body and Soul



The more I adore my body, the less my soul,
yet when I keep my body in its place,
and have its members under my control,
the more my soul has access to Your grace.

Your grace, Lord, is Your power great in me,
it’s You I must, with body and soul, adore,
then I--both body and soul--am truly free,
and we will truly love each other more.

The worship of my body leads to sin,
I’m supposed to give them both together to You,
my soul and body must be joined to win,
if we’re to have us joined in heaven too.

They’ll be there--physical and spiritual,
one me in my eternal miracle.

                     -- by Pete Voelz       9/26/12


Tuesday, September 25, 2012

My God War



I am the battleground of good and ill,
I’m the geography of peace and war,
the fight goes on within my heart and will,
rarely reduced to just an either-or.

I know what’s right and wrong in my own mind,
I hear temptation’s call from many voices,
My feckless will is weak, but I’m not blind,
It’s dark, but basically I see my choices.

The demon’s on one side, God’s law is there,
My pleasure or salvation—what’s my goal?
I’m tempted to not even reach for prayer,
God’s biased in this struggle for my soul.

And yet, O Lord, I know I have an ace,
If I just cast a glance upon Your face.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       9/25/12



Monday, September 24, 2012

Strong Faith



I put my faith in God, Who makes me strong,
and when my faith is weak, I hold it fast,
I feel my faith in God's where I belong,
my faith in God comes first, I feel, not last.

Who separates me from my faith in God?
No man, no king, no rock, no thing, no power,
my faith is real inside, it's no facade,
outside I live my faith and feel it flower.

I choose to have my faith for I am free,
I find my faith in every place I look,
I take the gift of faith God gives to me,
His grace, His words in His inspired book.

My faith is like a mountain none can touch,
I pray my faith will pay off in the clutch.

                            -- by Pete Voelz      9/09


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Faith or Grace



Does faith come first or does God's grace come first?
Does God give grace that helps us to believe,
or does faith foster grace in one big burst?
Yet without grace how can we faith conceive?

To grow, faith must be nourished by God's grace,
like ground whose thirst is quenched by gentle rain,
faith grows with grace as we respond apace,
unless faith dies as we spurn grace like Cain.

Faith is a gift, we do not merit it,
both gifts are like two sides of the same coin,
God's gifts us grace to make our soul's faith fit,
yet it takes our free will to make them join.

I can't unravel how they're intertwined,
give me, God, lots of faith and grace combined.

                                -- by Pete Voelz       5/08


Saturday, September 22, 2012

Soul Searcher



O God, no one but You can search the soul,
so small it disappears from scrutiny,
but You, O Constant God, are on patrol,
You make Youself small too inside of me.

Yet our small souls can stretch an infinite way,
throughout the past and future paths of time,
to You and back, O God, whenever we pray,
our souls can sail from seas to stars sublime.

But, God, You watch my soul perform its deeds,
You feel it help You in the weak and poor,
in turn, You help it serve You and their needs,
as You store grace in poor souls at their core.

This soul You search and watch in and outside,
I thank You, God, You also guard and guide.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       12/10



Friday, September 21, 2012

Sweet Bird



Why does God send this me this bird this day?
Does He want me to listen to its song,
To try to hear just what it has to say
for it to help me as I go along?

What can there be to catch from its clear note,
repeated with some variation small?
The limpid music issuing from its throat
seems not to have a thought for me at all.

Come to announce the day to me at dawn,
Your needed rest is over now, awake!
Once more the night has fled, the dark is gone,
arise, rejoice, get busy for God's sake!

I thank You, Lord, for this sweet bird and day,
for me to pray and study, work and play.

                               -- by Pete Voelz      2/06


Thursday, September 20, 2012

Two Sides



The spiritual side of me seems like thin gruel,
my physical senses seem to me so strong,
so much religion makes me feel a fool,
 science and law tell me what’s right and wrong.

But faith can move a mountain, says the Lord,
with galaxies our Spirit God fills space,
the good from bad are split by His swift sword,
what power compares to His great love and grace.

God made the moral law higher than ours,
my heart responds to love more than temptation,
His miracles suspend our natural powers,
His Gospel wins the souls of all the nations.

My body’s strength and feats can make me prouder,
my Spirit’s side whispered by God speaks louder.

                               -- by Pete Voelz       9/20/12



Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Tender Hand



The Lord's most tender hand's upon my soul,
a little orphan low He raises me,
His loving care makes all my broken whole,
my fear of Him sets all my fearing free.

Good Shepherd He fills full His tiny lamb,
and lifts the load of lost that cripples me,
He tells me true of who I really am,
from all my struggling sins He sets me free.

The Father fair adopts me for His son,
with gentle care and love He cradles me,
He strengthens me until the course is run,
His power releases all my talents free.

I trust His guiding light throughout the race,
His noble image mirrored on my face.

                      -- by Pete Voelz         8/04



Tuesday, September 18, 2012

The Thread of God



Sometimes I hang on God by just a thread,
you’d think a chain for all the things He’s done,
a rope at least, for all the things He’s said,
the cement of love, the way He sent His Son.

My laziness and freedom keep God far,
I turn my back when I prefer to sin,
we’re not too close the way my habits are,
what is the real relationship we’re in?

Do I hang by a thread the way I pray,
am I aware that God is everywhere,
that always here, He’ll never go away,
He gives me all, so everything we share?

Don’t I know that we never are apart?
Who needs a thread when He is in my heart?

                         -- by Pete Voelz       9/2/12


Monday, September 17, 2012

Elusive God



O God, how can I catch One so elusive?
I cannot see You, but I’m sure You're there.
How can One hard to find be so intrusive?
When least I look, You catch me unaware.

If I reach out, You fade away like fog,
yet when I flee You, there's no place to hide,
sometimes we meet like falling off a log,
and other times I empty feel inside.

Yet I admit You're never out of touch,
You closer come when I begin to pray,
I feel Your strength especially in the clutch,
You comfort me when I ask You to stay.

That's why, O Lord, You see I can't resist
Your closeness in Your daily Eucharist.

                              -- by Pete Voelz      4/09



Saturday, September 15, 2012

The Connection



What do I do when God and I conflict?
I don’t want us to go our separate ways,
could be that by the devil I am tricked,
I want that God and I together stay.

I know, of course, that first we must connect,
a weak relationship cannot last long,
there first must be a friendship to protect,
and I must find a way to make it strong.

Once forged, how do I keep our bond intact?
I can be always open to Your grace,
in faith, in thought, in word, in deed, in fact,
I’ll work and pray and run away the race.

It’s bound to be we disagree, us two,
but, Lord, I’ll never disconnect from You.

                   -- by Pete Voelz       9/15/12

Friday, September 14, 2012

Tailored Love


Love's not a shoe, the one-size-fits-all kind,
love's like a pair that's tailored to your feet,
for love's distinct and in that sense not blind,
we tailor love to everyone we meet.

For each one in our life, love's not the same,
since every person's very different,
for truly love by any other name
may smell as sweet but with dissimilar scent.

God knows and loves each one He makes unique,
He loves me special, I'm a special me,
we love in special ways we may not seek,
just as God loves us each so differently.

We're special, Lord, our love is special too,
may I have extra special love for You.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       5/10


Thursday, September 13, 2012

Avoiding God


I can't avoid myself except to sleep,
but I, O God, can get away from You,
away from other people I can keep,
or I can use them to avoid You too.

You made us both together to be wed,
I sense myself, but I don't sense You there,
I only can pretend You're not instead,
but as for real, I haven't got a prayer.

Avoiding You, I'm spiritually blind,
though I can tune You out because I'm free,
but why be deaf to One Who is so kind,
and blind to One Who sees so much in me?

O God, why should I fear so much to stay
near You, from Whom I cannot get away?

                      -- by Pete Voelz       6/07


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Before I Go


What can I do for God before I go?
When is the time I go I do not know,
I want to have a little more to show,
What can I do for God before I go?

What does God want before it is too late?
I must decide, not leave it just to fate,
so little time I can't afford to wait,
it's worth it for a destiny so great.

What's there to do that means eternity,
someone who I can help, a need I see?
It's time to choose to be or not to be,
to give, to live for them, not just for me.

With just enough to give a little more,
O God, Dear God, what am I waiting for?

                        -- by Pete Voelz      9/09

pmvoelz.blogspot.com

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Long Decision



If Judas had decided otherwise,
what would have happened to the Father's plan?
How different he'd appear before our eyes,
God's mercy can extend to any man.

And Peter, with a "saint" before his name,
wept bitterly when he denied his Lord,
how many things would now not be the same,
if he'd not sought God's mercy as reward?

Each one made a decision how to sin,
reverberating down through history,
each recognized the state that he was in,
and chose his fate for all eternity.

Let me trust You, Lord, when I must decide
to turn away or in Your love reside.

                       -- by Pete Voelz       6/08

pmvoelz.blogspot.com

Monday, September 10, 2012

No More, God



About You, God, there is no more to say,
a thousand poems and You have run me dry,
no more to write about Your mighty sway,
No more Your vast Creation can supply.

You may be infinite, my brain is not,
with my small soul, Your inspiration ends,
I cannot write with words I haven’t got,
without the words, I hope we still are friends.

And yet I think You will not let me down,
with every poem I’ve come to love You more,
You flood me with Your love, I almost drown,
and You send many more words than before.

Your endless love can endlessly inspire,
one word from You will once more light my fire.

                         -- by Pete Voelz       9/10/12

Sunday, September 9, 2012

God's Trumpet Call



The Incarnation is God’s trumpet call,
to show why mighty God would want to bother
to make us or to even care at all:
“When you’ve seen Me, then you have seen the Father.”*

Christ is the fullness of God’s Revelation,
God in His love would no more be concealed,
Christ, God and Man in One--the Incarnation,
is how God wants His love for us revealed.

To send His only Son to suffer and die,
so all our human sins could be forgiven,
to look like us so we identify
with Him so we will follow Him to heaven.

Like God-Man Christ is physical-spiritual,
we’re too a physical-spiritual miracle.

* John 14:9

-- by Pete Voelz       9/8/12

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Fog of Guilt



How can I face You, Lord, when I have sinned?
It’s hard to meet You through a fog of guilt;
of course, I fear my being disciplined,
but more I’ve hurt the friendship that we’ve built.

It helps to get me down upon my knees,
I’ve wanted, yes, to sin but not to hurt,
I do desire that You forgive me, please,
my soul to clean, my heart hope to convert.

Your mercy, Lord, is inexhaustible,
I do desire to gaze upon Your face,
I hope and pray that by some miracle,
You pour upon my soul Your saving grace.

Just like before, let me without surprise,
look deep, O Lord, into Your loving eyes.

                          -- by Pete Voelz       9/7/12

Friday, September 7, 2012

God Owns Me



If You, God, own each molecule in me,
how can I say my body is my own?
If each cell is to You no mystery,
to You my soul can never be unknown.

Who cares? For You have no one You can tell,
it’s good to know, so I don’t try to hide,
just as You know the physical me so well,
so also You know well my spiritual side.

Because You know me both ways through and through,
You’re someone I should really get to know,
You are the best one I should listen to,
to know myself, You’re the best place to go.*

Since You know all, I should tell all to You,
and only tell You and myself what’s true.

* Socrates said our most important
knowledge is to “Know Thyself.”

                            -- by Pete Voelz       8/19/12

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Too Sweet



O God, I fear I do not feel so sweet
Your love for me that here for her I feel,
though You are God and give me all I meet,
still feeling her sweet love seems much more real.

I cannot see You, God, but her cute eyes
dance in my own and sweep me off my feet,
You made the sun, but I see this sun rise
when in she walks and my heart skips a beat.

I hear Your thunder, Lord, but her fair voice
is hypnotizing to my hungry ear,
between her and You, God, have I a choice
of what seems more right in the now and here?

She speaks, our eyes meet, and we gently touch,
can’t I love her and You too, Lord, that much?

                                       -- by Pete Voelz       2/07

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Good God


If it is good, it comes from God, we know,
the world cannot give good that it has not,
nor Satan, his divided house would go,*
nor can we give the good we haven’t got.

Since God’s all good, from Him all good must come,
though deep in us we find some goodness there,
God made us good and of His gave us some,
from love for us, His good He wants to share.

To be and do His good, He made us free,
we can’t find good in any other place,
God gives us here the power to make good be,
and here we do good only by His grace.

To choose good here, Lord, You give me control,
and therein lies the destiny of my soul.

* When his enemies asked if Christ’s power
might come from Satan, Jesus said, “A house
divided against itself cannot stand.” -- Mk. 3:25

                        -- by Pete Voelz       9/5/12


Tuesday, September 4, 2012

God Share


How do we share in God's divinity?
His freedom's ours, unshared by animals,
just like our human rationality,
and prayers that work our spiritual miracles.

God's image stamped on our immortal soul,
God's Son alive in all our human race,
the Spirit's voice to prompt us and cajole,
all aiding us with God's amazing grace.

God's gift of faith will open heaven's gate,
we charm like Christ with willing suffering,
language and knowledge we accumulate,
we too forgive, to slay the devil's sting.

O Lord, I pray that You make these all mine,
for they add up to love, Your love divine.

                  -- by Pete Voelz        4/10

Monday, September 3, 2012

Open to the Spirit



The Holy Spirit wants my heart the most,
this means He wants my receptivity;
for that, which virtues please the Holy Ghost?
Mostly my courage and humility.

I must be brave to recognize my need,
brave to confess and wrestle down my pride;
and humble, so my sins I can concede,
submissive, so in Him I can confide.

If I empower my receptiveness,
the Spirit will supply what’s right and true,
He’ll bring His famous seven gifts, and bless
how I use them in what I say and do.

With eyes of faith I see, Lord, and believe,
and love You when I open up and receive.

                        -- by Pete Voelz       9/2/12

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Pleasure Praise



Do I love God because it pleasures me
to thank the One Who made me, heart and soul,
Who gave me life and let me live so free,
with power to choose His heaven as my goal?

Do I praise God because it's so much fun,
and feels so good because He is so great,
especially when I join with everyone
and really make the music resonate?

Do I believe because God's word is true,
and truth is what my reason yearns to know?
Do I feel good for these are what I do,
or should I do them for they're what I owe?

I love You by command and for Your sake,
but feelings, Lord, are frosting on the cake.

                           -- by Pete Voelz           9/10

Saturday, September 1, 2012

God's Luck



What luck that God is good and on my side,
that He wants me to live with Him in heaven,
that He gives me Himself as guard and guide,
that He, like me, wants all my sins forgiven.

What luck that God is such unselfish love,
that He made me so His love He could share,
that to save me He came down from above,
to suffer and die for me to show His care.

What luck He did not leave me in the lurch,
He left His Holy Spirit to give me grace,
this fallen world He left His holy Church,
Himself, His Holy Bread, my soul’s embrace.

I’m struck what luck God cares so much for me?
Not luck! That’s how He is--and means to be.

                         -- by Pete Voelz       9/1/12