Unique Me

Who else looks out at all the world as I,
who else besides but me abides in me,
who else hears from within me when I cry,
who else feels what I feel, sees what I see?

Who knows my parents, family, friends as I?
God made me here and now uniquely me,
I own the truth I tell, I own my lie,
my own experience, my history.

Who owns this body mine? No one but I.
Who thinks my thoughts, says my words? Only me.
Who charts my will, my deeds until I die?
Who holds my soul, directs my destiny?

Your Providence does most of this, it’s true,
but I uniquely work it, Lord, with You.

by Pete Voelz     12/28/14

God's Holy Family

We celebrate our Holy Family Day
between the feasts of Christmas and New Years,
when Jesus, Son of David, comes our way,
and Mary’s Motherhood the world reveres.

Why is this family specially called holy?
Its father, Joseph, stayed faithfully chaste,
the mother picked by God as she was lowly,
the Son--a God by Whom our world was graced.

This Holy Family shows us Holy Marriage,
a mom-dad model made female and male,
our sacred Matrimony some disparage,
a God-blest institution that could fail.

It takes God, mom and dad to make a child,
or God’s whole Holy Family is defiled.

by Pete Voelz    12/28/14
the Feast of the Holy Family

Wherefrom Is Grace

Wherefrom is grace--God’s strength, His power, His favor?
The Church says grace comes most with Sacraments,
grace lets us question faith, but never waver,
does grace, like faith, come from God’s Providence?

Grace grows by our good actions and by prayer,
it leaps when tests are fought, it’s not benign,
God’s ammunition is sufficient there,
yet since we’re free, His grace we can decline.

Grace is a gift that flows and never ceases,
it can shoot high, though sin can make it plummet,
by exercise at church our grace increases,
in Eucharist we find its source and summit.

Give me the cross of grace, I pray, O Lord,
to slay my selfish sins just like a sword.

                        by Pete Voelz     12/15/14

The Superior Spirit

Why is the spirit world superior?
Because it lasts for an eternity?
Our short-lived bodies, far inferior,
run down, wear out and die of entropy.

Our minds can faster fly than light-year speeds,
our spirits live on for they’re not made of parts,
imagination fills our human needs,
the heart will stop, but not our loving hearts.

With God we stand unbound by time and space,
He gives us love and all we do is share it,
we live a higher life, the life of grace,
beyond my sin, my soul will grin and bear it.

Like You, O Lord, my faith is infinite,
and on my living soul I place my bet.

                    by Pete Voelz     12/23/14

The Christmas Rage 2

If I don’t think of God, He thinks of me,
what time I don’t give Him, to me He gives,
I dream, He makes me face reality,
though I don’t live for Him, for me He lives.

God’s gifts come from His heart, but where are mine?
He gives so much, He only wants my heart,
my heart is of the world, not the divine,
He draws me closer, while I draw apart.

Then Christmas comes, I notice God a bit,
among the noise and presents, He’s the center,
“the reason for the season” is a hit,
and He bids me to ask Him now to enter.

He enters, turns the page, I, a new leaf,
Christ is the Christmas rage, however brief.

                           by Pete Voelz    

Christmas Soul 2

Who is the dazzling diamond Christmas star,
born of the oldest Magi story told,
the greatest King Who comes from most afar,
best of the myrrh and frankincense and gold?

Before Whose name does every head bow down,
before Whose face do all knees humbly bend,
Whose head will hold the holiest halo crown,
Who’s everyone’s most loving personal friend?

Whose name does every voice proclaim is Lord,
Who shared Creation as the Word and Son,
Who’ll judge us with His terrible swift sword,
Who is God-Hero saving everyone?

You’ve written, Lord, my name upon Your scroll,
right under Yours, O Christmas of my soul.

                           by Pete Voelz    

Eve to Dawn 2

Eve sinned and darkness ruled ‘til Mary’s dawn,
conceived without sin, Mary brought the morn,
the snake at bay, the reign of sin was gone,
her “yes” conceived a King, a new day born.

Eve full of pride sinned first and gave us night,
then full of grace with her humility,
young Mary’s word produced the Word of light,
a Savior Who redeemed our destiny.

Eve’s evening “yes” caused many souls to wait,
her Adam brought us death and human strife,
while Mary’s set the calendar’s new date,
her Advent wait led to eternal life.

As New Eve hopes her God-Son’s born to stay,
Emmanuel greets Her dawn on Christmas Day.

                   by Pete Voelz    

God's Deep Feeling

God’s is the kind of love that really feels,
God being love, feels every form we’ve felt,
emotional love for us too God reveals,
affectionate love so warm your heart could melt.

This deep felt love can lead one to obsess,
you feel without your loved one, you’re alone,
that loved one you feel you need to possess,
you feel you want to make them all your own.

God made and owns it all, and yet not me,
and this is why His feeling runs so deep--
He feels love stronger since I am so free,
not loving back, I might be hard to keep.

Though I can’t see You, Lord, between us two,
rest easy on my love felt deep for You.

                          by Pete Voelz     12/22/14

Christmas Faith

Faith breaks the bonds of disbelief and fear,
a gift of invitation God sends me,
a Christmas toast wrapped in the season’s cheer,
a taste of our relationship to be.

A boy’s the reason for December’s joy,
the child’s the center of our Christmastime,
the song and soul of every Christmas toy,
from the ridiculous to the sublime.

Who sends the angels, carols, Santa’s sleigh,
Who for’s the Christmas worship without end,
to Whom do families pray on Christmas Day,
and Who’s the babe Who comes to be our friend?

This faith’s in every Christmas thing we do,
a tribute to, O Christ, our faith in You.

                        by Pete Voelz     12/13/14

Last Three Words

 (of St. Thomas More)

To his best friend, Sir Thomas lost his head,
the patron saint of lawyers was well versed
in both the law and Church, but last he said,
“I am the king’s good servant, but God’s first.”

Though England’s chancellor by the king’s decree,
he fled his friend’s new faith--his fate was grim,
still to the axeman’s doubts, these words said he:
“He’ll not spurn one so blithe to go to Him.”

From Rome, the English Church King Henry broke,
death he decreed if one did not belong,
pushing aside his beard, Tom made a joke:
“Don’t cut this please for it has done no wrong.”

St. Thomas trumped the king by what he’d say,
we keep his last three famous words today.

                         by Pete Voelz      12/19/14

Always There

Invite God near, and He’s already here,
then ask Him to attend to you, He does,
why be afraid with Him Who knows no fear?
He’ll always be the same He always was.

His faithfulness is total, He made You,
He lives with us down here as up above,
His every word and promise too is true,
since He is love, we share His infinite love.

Would you reject your own most loyal friend,
the greatest Being, though robed in mystery,
so glued to you and true right to the end?
Can you deny this Fan Who made you free?

I look into those eyes so full of care,
and say, “I love You, Lord, so always there.”

                      by Pete Voelz     12/16/14

What Makes a Saint?

What makes a saint so good? We have some hints:
They get up quick when they have fallen down,
offered the test of pain, they do not wince,
without the martyr’s test, there is no crown.

God formed His plan for them, they did not choose,
He chose some great, but mostly chose the small,
they take His grace and work, rather than cruise,
they join their will to His, and then stand tall.

What makes them worthy of God’s love is love,
by great, great faith, with God they cast their lot,
forsaking life, they send their life above,
no greater love than this nobody’s got.

Do You, Lord, choose us all good saints to be,
small, normal, lowly people just like me?

                            by Pete Voelz     12/10/14

Strong Trek

My strength is God Who made the earth and skies,
life weakens us with its vicissitudes,
whoever says they’re strong enough just lies,
God waits and, when we need Him most, intrudes.

I grow up, leave my home, and I’m alone,
I spread my wings, but I can barely fly,
I think that I can do’t all on my own,
yet I need help, no matt’r how much I try.

I’m still interdependent with my brothers,
they do need me, as I have need of them,
God sends, I see, His help to me through others
and Him, and so I trek to Bethlehem.

As You come with Your power at Christmas free,
I reach, Lord, for the strength You offer me.

                         by Pete Voelz     12/15/14

Poor God

Does anyone do anything for You,
O God, so rich in power, yet so poor,
so rich in love, and yet loved by so few,
who give You grudging love but little more?

O infinite love, You give Your all it seems,
our souls can soar, our minds can roam through space,
You promise heaven beyond our wildest dreams,
and for our love, You offer endless grace.

Why are we so reluctant, Lord, to love?
All nature loves You, but it is not free,
yet we are free to hurt You, Gentle Dove,
though why we do remains a mystery.

Out of pure love, I love You for Your pleasure,
small worthless me, yet, Lord, Your greatest treasure.

                                    by Pete Voelz      12/12/14

I Need God

I can’t see why the atheist won’t concede
the God Who made the universe and stars,
I don’t just know and love, I really need
the Lord with His experience and scars.

We who look fit are shriveled up inside
if we can’t love as He commands us to,
what bars such love is just my stubborn pride,
I need to practice love as others do.

I see Christ’s miracles before my eyes,
it is our lack of faith that leaves us blind,
faith, like our love, needs humble exercise,
I need You grace, O Lord, to make me kind.

I need some faith, humiity, and grace,
Your light, O God, if I’m to win this race.

                   by Pete Voelz     12/9/14

Four Trinities

O Father mine, I put my faith in You,
for You created everything that’s good,
my body shows my faith with what I do,
by deeds the good inside is understood.

O Holy Spirit, in You I place my hope,
my hope’s built on the truth that I can know,
my mind perceives the truth so I can cope
with what is real and choose that way to go.

O Son, Your love shows through each miracle,
You light with love the beauty of my soul,
Your loving signs, O Christ, are wonderful,
my body, mind and soul love as a whole.

With faith and hope and love, O Trinity,
Your goodness, truth and beauty live in me.

                 by Pete Voelz      12/14/14

God's Empty Spot

What power--to give to God what He has not!
How can that be--He owns infinity?
With all He’s got, there’s still an empty spot,
the love I can withhold because I’m free.

How can hurt come to such a perfect One?
How can we harm Someone with total power?
Look what we’ve done to His Beloved Son!
I cringe I’m not as innocent as a flower.

Why don’t I use this power to me You’ve given?
Why don’t I love a lot more than I sin?
Love pleases Him so much He gives me heaven,
I’m free to free me from this trap I’m in.

Lord, let me fill this empty spot, this hole,
let me love You with all my heart and soul.

                    by Pete Voelz      12/12/14

The Center

The Center of Creation’s love is Christ,
the Father made the universe for the Son,
all to His Father to be sacrificed
by Him, when all will worship Three in One.

Here Christ is now the Center of His Church,
as He’s the Center of its worship too,
and of His Mass, no need to further search,
Christ’s presence in the Eucharist is true.

Christ’s supposed to be the Center of our lives,
in Christian life, His love is supposed to show,
in our good works, dynamic faith just thrives,
so in the end, our souls are good to go.

You gave me freedom, Lord, to take control,
and make Your love the Center of my soul.

                    by Pete Voelz     12/9/14

Guadalupe Day

(Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 12)

St. Juan Diego heard no voice of God,
he saw no burning bush, he wasn’t Moses,
but heard and saw God’s Mother, and what’s odd,
she filled his tilma with a bush of roses.*

Yet more than flowers he’d to the bishop carry,
who with his aides saw stamped upon that robe
an Aztec image of the Virgin Mary,**
from then a work of art seen ‘round the globe.***

She there appeared in fifteen thirty one,
ten years since Spain had conquered Mexico,
led then eight million Indians to her Son,
and millions more to her great shrine would go.

Americas’ sweet Patroness, we say,
and honor her on Guadalupe Day.****

* A tilma was a cactus cloak; no roses in Dec.
** His miraculous tilma still hangs in the shrine
of O.L. of Guadalupe in Mexico City today.
The image shows Mary as an Indian girl, pregnant
with Jesus, and she spoke in the Aztec tongue.
*** Scientists cannot identify the substance
of the picture embedded in the tilma.
**** Catholics worship God alone, but honor
Christ’s Mother just as He does in heaven.
Pope St. John Paul II named her the
Patroness of All the Americas.

by Pete Voelz     12/12/13

Great Giver

I get as much of God as I request,
He always gives me more than what I seek,
I beg for better things and get the best,
He is especially helpful when I’m weak.

He sometimes seems so ruthless with my soul,
He’s dangerous in driving His demands,
relentless in relating to our goal,
compelling in compiling His commands.

For all of that, He gives more than He gets,
He wants some service freely given back,
He likes a little love for all He lets,
some prayer and praise to ask for what we lack.

O God, Your grace-filled gifts flow like a river,
You are the greatest and most generous Giver.

                          by Pete Voelz     12/6/14

I Know Enough

I cannot fathom You, Lord, or Your ways,
I do not understand a miracle,
I fear Your punishment for one who strays,
yet well I know that You are merciful.

What is so holy, Lord, about Your name?
What is this daily bread I need to live?
For all the sins I find so hard to tame,
I do know that You’re anxious to forgive.

What is this life eternal that You promise,
this heaven You’ve prepared for us above?
Yet I’m not a completely doubting Thomas,
for I have come to know so much Your love.

Love, mercy, and forgiveness, Lord, it’s true,
I know enough to want to be like You.

                            by Pete Voelz     12/7/14

Prayer Trust

So much my prayer depends upon my trust,
I have to first have faith that You exist,
I pray, then trust You’ll do the things You must,
like You said You live in my Eucharist.

Next, Lord, I trust You’re not just there, but here,
Your book and words that bid me to my prayer,
and then Your ears can hear because they’re near
and listen to my prayer because You care.

Then I trust You, O God, that You’ll respond,
You, Personal God, Who loves me personally,
and in response, of You I too am fond,
and knowing this, You kindly answer me.

But even more, You give me even more,
what’s best, more than what even I pray for.

                      by Pete Voelz     12/8/14

Conceived Without Sin

(Feast of the Immaculate Conception
of the Blessed Virgin Mary -- Dec. 8)

Before she said her “Yes,” God knew she would,
so He had her Immaculately Conceived.
Why choose her? She was humble and so good,
courageous, strong in faith, for she believed.

Immaculate in her conception, she
was free from stain of our Original Sin,
for in her graceful womb there soon would be
conceived God’s Son, to live nine months therein.

Our souls conceived with all our DNA,
we too are fully human all that time,
to kill us then would be the same today
as Cain’s original and primeval crime.

Conceived without sin, Mary, pray for me,
and pray for us who have recourse to thee.

by Pete Voelz      

Their Christmas Gifts

(Dec. 6, Little Christmas, the feast of St. Nicholas)

St. Bishop Nicholas of Christmas fame,
poked Arius the heretic in the nose
to put an end to his unChristian claim
Christ was not God, what every Christian knows.

Your nice Nicea punch put you in jail,
Where Christ and Mary came to get you out;
your children’s gifts now millions give wholesale,
your giving is what Christmas is about.

Yet it is called Christ’s Mass because JC
was born nine months after He was conceived
March twenty-fifth, tradition says, when we
beheld His Incarnation and believed.

St. “Santa” Nick and Christ, now You’re a team,
Who hint at heaven with each child’s Christmas dream.

by Pete Voelz      12/6/14

Visit Proof

In quiet darkness I wake up to find
He’s waiting there with evidence in hand,
another inspiration well designed,
proof of His visit I can understand.

I stall, but He persists, almost a taunt,
I’d like to weasel out, but have no choice,
if I don’t write His words, they’ll only haunt,
and make unhappy Him with unheard voice.

How do I know it’s Him and not His foe?
Because our foe can’t stand the poems we raise,
for there can’t stand a house divided so,
the last he wants a poem filled with God’s praise.

Your visit’s proved by faithful words and true,
that fill my pen, O Lord, with praise of You.

                             by Pete Voelz     12/5/14

Tangled Lives

I see the tangled webbing of our lives,
the ambiguity of most we do,
the complex nature of our thoughts and drives,
the subtle mix of good, bad, false and true.

I feel sad for the awful things I've done,
the harm to my own life and destiny,
the hurt I've brought to almost everyone,
each lost neglected opportunity.

I sense I've made a mess of everything,
and only God knows how it all turns out,
the tawdry way I've treated God won't bring
an easing of my conscience or my doubt.

Yet since I know God helps the life we spend,
I do believe He’ll save me in the end.

                              -- by Pete Voelz      12/04

Up to Me

So who can keep me from the love of Christ?
The world, the flesh, the devil are the three,
though God gives us sufficient grace to stand
our ground with them, and so it's up to me.

As Jeremiah said the word of God
burned in his heart until he set it free,
so there exists in mine the urge to live
the same demanding word--it's up to me.

A constant struggle tears at my insides
between the lures of sin and grace that He
so amply offers if I choose to take
what's in His hand; I know it's up to me.

God gives His grace, His Church, His love I see,
but to accept His help is up to me.

-- by Pete Voelz      1999

Four Advents

Christ’s Advent comes four times--first in the past:
from heaven He came to Mary “full of grace,”
and Judgment Day--the fourth--will be the last,
when He comes to the entire human race.

The second Advent’s Now, we celebrate
that first one with our gifts and Christmas tree,
the third one’s great, I do not know the date--
the Advent when at death Christ comes for me.

The second seems the least, yet Now’s the best,
for Now is when my own Advent must start.
What makes Now tower over all the rest?
Now is when Christ must come into my heart.

None of these Advents matter, Lord, it’s true,
unless I open my heart and welcome You.

                            by Pete Voelz     12/2/14

The Zone of Faith

I step into the zone of faith and know
this is the very place that I should be;
by then there is no better place to go,
I feel it is the rightful spot for me.

The step into this zone of faith was small,
I'm not quite sure I know just when it came;
it wasn't some great leap of faith at all,
I don't know who to credit or to blame.

My step into the zone of faith was more
like I was not just going on my own;
as if a ship were bringing me to shore,
I wasn't coming home here all alone.

My zone of faith is comfortable to stay,
I'll never leave this place, I hope and pray.

                          -- by Pete Voelz       9/04

God's Pieces

God lets me know Him like a deck of cards,
not all at once He makes Himself appear,
He comes in peelings of sharp little shards
with tiny pictures under numbers clear.

God's like a puzzle waiting to be done,
I can't complete it with a magic wand,
I fill Him in with pieces one by one,
each piece fit careful as we gently bond.

God flows to me like flowers in a field,
each bloom made sweet with beauty all its own,
in both of us His blossoms are revealed,
just God and me together and alone.

I touch each layer so He can be seen,
each card and bloom myself with God between.

(Today this quote by St. Therese is on her site
after I finished writing this poem last night:
"Jesus bore with me patiently, for He does not
unfold everything at once to the soul. He gives
His light little by little." -- GMC)

                          -- by Pete Voelz       5/08

Why Am I?

You made me, God, but then, why do I live?
Why would You make me if You had no goal?
Clearly You hoped I'd have something to give,
that I'd return to You my grateful soul.

The reason You made me was out of love,
for all Your endless love and infinite grace,
that You pour over me a torrent of,
You trust I freely will with faith embrace.

You made me special with my talents real,
for them and my fate You want me to search,
to use my reason, not just how I feel,
to follow You, to pray, to go to church.

O God, I'll try to do Your plan each day,
and with my free will Your sweet will obey.

                      -- by Pete Voelz       3/08

Guide Me Still

How little there's of me, how much of You,
my will can only work the world You made,
for You maneuver everything I do,
and I can't make a choice without Your aid.

I like to think I'm king of my domain,
but You've ceated all that I can see,
and I can't make things move without some pain,
while Your kind hand protects and nurtures me.

As I pretend to exercise my will,
You once again assert You're in control,
and my prayer is, Lord, You would guide me still,
to keep in honor and peace my troubled soul.

How much You lead me not into temptation,
as I contest with You and Your creation.

                          -- by Pete Voelz        5/08

Patient Wait

God patient sits and waits for me to call,
or lies down next to me while I’m asleep,
or waits beside me patient standing tall,
for our appointment I put off to keep.

Outside of time, God needs no time to stay,
outside of space, He needs no place to stand,
God knows before what I am going to pray,
I know before what He means to command.

God doesn’t have to hang around and wait,
He’s busy with a million souls like me,
He’s there whenever I reciprocate,
with time to burn, He has eternity.

Your ways, O Lord, are not my ways, it’s true,
should I not be the one who waits on You?

                          by Pete Voelz     11/25/14

Grace Is More Than Words

(Inspired by a friend, Mary Liz)

A poem is born when it is first inspired,
then born again with ink when written down,
we by the Spirit and water as required
are born again by our baptismal crown.

Amazing grace can come to anyone,
most when we give Divinity His space,
as He fills us by all that He has won
with sacramental sanctifying grace.

Some claim a personal relationship
with Jesus in their hearts, so they insist,
while we His body eat and His blood sip,
this Christ most personal in Eucharist.

Our born-again relationship is graced,
when, Lord, You’re in our Catholic faith embraced.

                         by Pete Voelz     11/23/14

Inspiration

O God, I look to You for inspiration,
I know not where to go or what to do,
I search for ways to turn in desperation,
thank God, O God, that there is always You.

With You, O God, I never am alone,
though You are far, You're every moment near,
I trust You will take care of all I own,
You're everywhere but nowhere more than here.

When windows close, You open up a door,
I know I can rely upon Your aid,
there's nothing that You haven't seen before,
for everything existing You have made.

I bargain with You--my faith for Your grace,
so You will see Your image in my face.

                            -- by Pete Voelz      2/08

Prism Saints

The saints are prisms that split the gleams of God,
reflecting light divine broke up in pieces,
that lift a bit His mystery facade,
His face shows forth like in the face of Jesus.*

God’s light shines through His Church and nature’s voice,
as light through prism saints sparks many colors,
they are His prism by both His and their choice,
rich in the light of virtue, poor in dollars.

A rainbow red runs in the blood they shed,
the spectrum’s blue of purity can be seen,
there glows the gold of faith and love they spread,
and here flows their humility’s bright green.

We copy them, our role models and friends,
as His face through His hero prisms He sends.

* John 14:9--”Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father.”

                                  by Pete Voelz     11/22/14

The God of Far and Near

The God of Far Away puts on display
His great creative power to keep us humble,
the God of Near and Now arrives to stay,
to stabilize and help us not to stumble.

We need the God of Far because He’s there,
to tower over us and check our pride,
We need the God of Near to be aware,
to help us not to try and hide inside.

The God of Far’s impersonal and daring,
He keeps the stars and gravity in balance,
the God of Near is personal and caring,
He knows me, loves me, gifts and guides my talents.

Dear God of Far and Lord of Near, we need
to know and love You both as One indeed.

                       by Pete Voelz     11/21/14

Hidden God

O Hidden God, some don’t believe You’re there,
so much of You already You've revealed,
this sacrament that shows so much You care,
once we believe, has so much there to yield.

Those famous words now no one doubts You spoke:
“This is My Body” at that sacred meal,
then: “This is My Blood,” but some doubt they cloak
Your Presence there that we believe is real.

Christ in Your Eucharist, does not Your face
in mystery lurk where eyes of faith see clear,
and bring us there Your greatest gift of grace,
Your soul and Godly whole of heaven here.

Lord, let my faith see Your divinity,
and seize this gift of love You offer me.

                       by Pete Voelz     11/19/14

Prove to God

I only want to prove, O God, to You,
and not so much to others that I care,
that I'm a worthy person, good and true,
or that I really matter anywhere.

I come to You with nowhere else to go,
for You're for sure the One Who's there for me,
I come to You the One I really know,
the gentle One Who beckoned me to be.

No other had the power to make me real,
no other loves me in Your special way,
no other cares so much the way I feel,
nor will, I'm sure, tomorrow as today.

May I, Lord, prove myself to You the best,
that in the end You might be proved impressed.

                           -- by Pete Voelz       2/08

His Double Miracle

When Jesus walked the earth among the sick,
He always did a double miracle,
He wanted His divinity to stick,
His cures were physical and spiritual.

For who’d believe this human was divine,
that He would die and then for them arise?
To build faith in His word and spiritual sign,
He worked a miracle before their eyes.

Yet willfully blind and envious Pharisees
claimed all His power was Satan and his band,
but Christ spoke His indelible word to these:
“A house divided against itself can’t stand.”

So with Your physical miracle You impart
a spiritual cure, Lord, to convert the heart.

                      by Pete Voelz     11/18/14

Special One

God made me one, He did not make me two,
though not alone, He did make me unique;
God made me just to love Him as I do,
though special, I am no way made a freak.

No one loves God as I do here and now,
He wanted me to love Him on my own;
so that our love is one great I and Thou,
almost as if He needs my love alone.

God made me free so that my love is free,
so that my gift of love is freely given;
I'm so unique, as if made first to be,
so I will put Him first here as in heaven.

O God, I should forsake all others, true,
even my special self for only You.

                -- by Pete Voelz         2/08

The Vast Expanse of God

I know about the vast expanse of God,
from physics, math, and yon astronomy,
from eyes that see the sun is no facade,
and logic, faith, and, ah, theology.

It’s not by chance there’s vast expanse to space,
the universe at speed of light expands,
the whole shebang the arms of God embrace,
as angels sang, Big Bang sprang from His hands.

Almighty God, omniscient, infinite
the vast expanse of space will never meet,
one goal of God we have already met--
His love that any human heart can tweet.

In every way Your grand expanse is vast,
as, Lord, our love will last and last and last.

                        by Pete Voelz     11/16/14

Stingy Love

God made my world, so what does He want back?
He wants my love, so why am I so stingy?
I see God give me everything I lack,
yet I admit my comeback’s pretty chintzy.

God wants me in His church so I can praise Him,
I come sometimes and dabble with my prayer,
I do confess my sins and hope it sways Him,
I toss some cash to those who need some care.

But God wants me to mean the prayer I say,
to touch the poor, in their face see His face,
to hide my sins no more in shades of grey,
to share His Sacraments so full of grace.

Give me the courage, Lord, to give to Thee
the fullness of the love You give to me.

                      by Pete Voelz     11/15/14

Love's Not Geography

I wonder, God, where do I love You best?
Transcendent One, beyond out there somewhere,
Who made the galaxies and all the rest,
Almighty God, Who gave me all that’s there?

Or hidden spiritual Lord, inside me deep?
Companion, guide and loving personal Friend,
Who walks with me awake and in my sleep,
Who made my soul to keep it to the end?

I pray, Far God, You lend me all Your might,
Close Lord, I pray You care for me right here,
Light of the World, You fire my inner light,
You stir my love, O Lord, both far and near.

Inside or out, love’s not geography,
both yon and here, how dearly You love me.

                 by Pete Voelz     11/14/14

God Has a Plan

I do not know what God will make transpire,
I know I have to just do what I can,
I can’t make happen things that I desire,
I must “Let go, let God,” God has a plan.

I know the most that I can do is pray,
I do not know what God has in His hand,
I’m in the dark and cannot see the way,
I must surrender to what God has planned.

I do recall this happened all before,
I did not then, when praying, understand,
I'd see He'd answer everything and more,
I prayed, and so found out what He had planned.

I thank You, Lord, that You have let me see:
I pray, then I must trust Your plan, not me.

                   by Pete Voelz     11/12/14

Wonderment

I see Your signs and miracles and wonders,
that make me stay and play and pray and wonder,
Your mysteries my wonderment so plunders
to understand the heaven I stand under.

In youth I sought the truth in life and myth,
and wondered where I’d wander after death,
my path and aftermath and who I’m with
to find and form the feelings for my faith.

O God, the making of my miracles,
Your natural supernatural mystery,
leads me to realize how wonderful’s
the spiritual identity of me.

For me Your love’s reality rings true,
Lord, let my love and trust ring true to You.

                       by Pete Voelz     11/11/14

Emanuel

(Christ with us)

The Eucharist is our Emanuel,
for Christ is God and Eucharist is Christ;
A equals B, B equals C, so tell
that in the Mass 'tis God is sacrificed.

My Eucharist is my Emanuel,
for in Communion God does come to me,
and for a while thus I am His hotel,
it does not matter most is mystery.

God is too big for me to understand,
the faith He offers me I do embrace,
small price to pay to hold onto His hand,
small price for an infinity of grace.

O God, I do believe that it is true,
my thanks I show in my receiving You.

                    -- by Pete Voelz      8/07

Her Miracle

They found my niece’s cancer months ago,
we organized our prayers to dear Lucia,*
she had aggressive cancer high and low,
and Fatima’s dear lady, St. Maria.

They took big cancerous tumors from her colon,
we prayed that God would cure all her cancer,
but still more cancer made her insides swollen,
we prayed more God would send a miracle answer.

The side effects of chemo made it worse,
prayers to Lucia, Mary, Son, and Father,
then all the tests showed gone was cancer’s curse,
no chemo needed, they said, so don’t bother.

God’s answer had the cancer go away
and Lucy’s miracle say my niece could stay.

* Who saw Mary at Fatima in 1917, died in 2005,
and needs a miracle with her help to get beatified.

by Pete Voelz     11/9/14

Half-Empty Hands

Death comes, I go to give my gifts to God,
What will I do, O God, when You appear?
Deny no more, avoidance nor facade,
I can’t escape, Lord, finally we are here.

What gifts bring I in my half-empty hands--
the sins I’ve done, and some, I hope, good deeds,
I don’t recall this scene was in my plans,
where’s all the stuff I got for all my needs?

But what’s in Your full hands held out to me?
Repentance done, prayers for me by a friend,
my faith, my worship for You, Lord, so free,
Your mercy and forgiveness without end.

How sad I am my hands do not hold more,
how glad--enough to get me in the door.

                    by Pete Voelz     11/8/14

The Force of Love

I love You, Lord, because I want something,
there are a hundred things I want, of course,
and I can bargain with the love I bring,
or trade, or buy, or bribe, or just use force.

Saints say You like it if we make demands,
the more we pray, the more we stir Your power,
for nothing is impossible from Your hands,
the more we plead, the more on us You shower.

You say Yourself that we should persevere,
pound doors, and seek and find, ask and receive,
so long as my love’s real, I shall not fear,
my prayers will count if I enough believe.

I know, O God, my prayer’s a kind of test,
when I love and keep faith, You do the rest.

                          by Pete Voelz     11/7/14

The Glue of God

Right from the start, my soul’s been glued to God,
we’re held together by a special glue,
God is the norm with me, sin is what's odd,
whatever’s glued to God, I know is true.

The glue of God is given to me by grace,
God sends it with His Spirit from above,
glued to my self’s the image of His face,
glued to my soul, His Eucharist of love.

Christ in His Host stands up to our inspection,
He glues our faith together in my heart,
as Paul said of faith in His Resurrection:
together it all holds or falls apart.*

Your love, Your grace, Your Host, Your face--all glue
that keeps me, Lord, forever stuck on You.

* 1 Cor. 14:15

                             by Pete Voelz     11/5/14

Christ's Bride

The God Who made the stars and made a Church,
both done from His intelligent design,
would never want to make us have to search
through fog to find His Christian Church Divine.

The Christ Who always prayed for unity,
and bid us baptize all--His Great Command,
would never want His only Church to be
a disunited and discordant band.

The Spirit, charged to help as Paraclete
this universal Church to spread and guide,
and guard what the Apostles taught complete,
would not allow to fail Christ’s Holy Bride.

Lord, You give all Your Catholic Church might need
to ‘til time’s end remain safe and succeed.

                             by Pete Voelz     11/4/14

More Miracles

(Dedicated to my niece who got her miracle last week.)

If we had faith, we’d have more miracles,
God wants to work His miracles to show
the world’s ruled by the supernatural--
He parts the sea, then makes the waters flow.

Christ’s Godly power could cure all the sick,
now to Himself He changes bread and wine,
His miracles are not some magic trick,
He can suspend His own divine design.

Christ did His signs to prove that He’s God’s Son,
He sees our faith weakened by faith in science,
His wonders stun to show He is the One,
so we’ll give Him our faith and our reliance.

If we’d just have more faith than heretofore,
Lord, You would do Your miracles all the more.

                                   by Pete Voelz     11/3/14

How Much, Lord?

How much, All-Knowing God, my sins You know,
how quick, All-Merciful Lord, You do forgive,
how much, Almighty God, Your power You show,
O Loving Lord, how long You let me live.

How much Your love and mercy I’ve declined,
how much I’ve sinned, Lord, when I should have prayed,
how much I’ve turned my back when You’ve been kind,
to face my fears, how much I am afraid.

How much I keep my sins closed up inside,
if I just hide from them, they’ll go away,
I know what’s fooling me’s my foolish pride,
my insecurity at what You’ll say.

I know, O Lord, if just a bit I bend,
Your way we win, my Good All-Loving Friend.

                          by Pete Voelz     11/3/14

No Joke

Of ISIS and Ebola there’s no joke,
it’s hard to find much humor in the news;
what laughter can a journalist evoke,
I ask, how can such horrible things amuse?

And yet we are a culture based on fun,
in some ways we amuse ourselves to death,*
we’ve got addictions fit for everyone,
and even church must entertain our faith.

In every evil, comics find the mirth,
on every good deed, cynics put a smirk,
we choose the good or evil here on earth,
our souls are lost to fun when God we shirk.

How can we get the light of Christ to glow,
when we want just to see or do a show?

* Title of Neal Postman’s best-selling book on TV

                          by Pete Voelz     10/18/14

The Jewels of Judgment Day

(In honor of the souls waiting on All Souls Day)

So what will be the jewels of Judgment Day?
The hungry fed, the captives freed from prison,
the thirsty, naked, homeless, sick--all they
will thank the souls who helped their bodies risen.

The ones who in their hearts gave God a home,
the souls who guarded holy purity,
the folks who sailed through Dante’s triple poem
will see their virtues glow for all to see.

The humble faithful who on Christ’s right dwell
will hear His words, “Blest, welcome to my heaven,”
while to His left He’ll say, “Cursed, off to hell,
since not repenting, you died unforgiven.”

God knows who loves Him best, as was His call,
so love will shine, the brightest jewel of all.

                      by Pete Voelz     10/26/14

The Train of Saints

(In honor of all the saints on All Saints Day)

The saints are ones who bring to heaven a train,
the souls of those who follow in their wake,
trailing behind as on a long, long chain,
like rows of ducks converging on a lake.

They are the folk a saint crossed on their path,
people they knew--or not, but who they prayed for,
their sheltered souls, avoiding all God’s wrath,
on Judgment Day, their saint they will parade for.

O fortunate few, who for a time once knew
someone you had not recognized as a saint,
from whom you took your cue, though sinner like you,
now you can honor them without restraint.

In heaven, O God, we’ll hear no more complaints
of all Your friends, Your multitude of saints.

                         by Pete Voelz     10/31/14

Holy Halloween

We all know Halloween is Hallowed Eve
because November First is All Saints Day,
we celebrate that Eve like we believe
there is some god of fun to whom we pray.

We hear of “Devil’s Night” and “trick or treat,”
though much is innocent and full of play,
it’s ghosts and death and devils that we meet,
and from God’s holy saints we’re led astray.

At Easter Vigil and Christmas Eve, it’s Christ,
more than some bunny’s eggs and Santa’s sleigh,
Who’s born and raised as death is sacrificed,
while devils bow to saints and heaven’s sway.

The Hallowed deviltry will go away,
while You, Lord, and Your saints forever stay.

                          by Pete Voelz     10/30/14

Auschwitz Max

(St. Maximilian Kolbe  1894-1941)

St. Kolbe, you were faithful to the max,
when Mary appeared, she tested out your ardor,
a red or white rose, which one more attracts?
You chose each rose--red martyr and white martyr.

One prisoner from Auschwitz got away,
the Nazi penalty--death for ten men,
one pleaded for his family in dismay,
you said you’d take his place as number ten.

They took you ten and threw you in a hole,
no food, no water for more than a week,
you led their song and cared about their soul,
and in the end, you turned the other cheek.

A priest of Christ, for Whom your blood you shed,
a saint of Mary, martyr--white and red.

                          by Pete Voelz     10/29/14

God's Answers

We speak to You, O God, and call it prayer,
we ask You, Father, Son and Spirit, for bread,
but how do You speak back with love and care?
With bread, You said, and not a stone instead.

You give us more to prove it’s from Your hand:
a miracle reveals it comes from You,
because a house divided cannot stand,
Your supernatural answer shows it’s true.

Lord, You’re attentive to my prayers down here,
not from below, You answer me from above,
not demons, but You hear my prayer sincere,
You send me bread and miracles with love.

Good cures, good saints, good fruit, all show it’s true,
that’s how we’re sure Your miracles come from You.

                           by Pete Voelz     10/27/14

More or Less Faith

The less God does for me, my faith is more,
the more God does, the less of faith I need.
If God did all, it seems my faith would soar,
yet there would then be nothing to concede.

What if for us God parted every sea?
There would be little left for us to do.
What if we fell and God just let us be?
Our faith would have to then be strong and true.

God rations out His grace, knowing we are
so fickle in our faith if graced too much;
then rations out our troubles just so far,
so that our faith and needs at least can touch.

God, grace me more, yet boost my faith, I pray,
to keep both faith and grace strong all the way.

                                  -- by Pete Voelz      3/06

Messy Certainty

What is there certain in a messy world?
We have to deal with it, there is no other,
where do true lovers turn once they have quarreled?
A child’s so lucky to have a good mother.

That life’s a mess for all, we know is true,
“What is truth?” Pilate asked a suffering Christ.
“I’ll rest,” said Mother Therese, “when life is through.”
She knew life’s best when self is sacrificed.

It’s selfishness that makes life such a mess,
both on a personal and worldly scale,
the saints showed there is nothing God can’t bless,
except our sins, the only way we fail.

While messy ones will muddle as we must,
in God Who made the stars we put our trust.

                            by Pete Voelz     10/26/14

A Thousand Minds

A thousand minds far greater than my own
have long ago interpreted the Bible,
for me to change their wisdom all alone
and trumpet mine would surely be a libel.

How could I disagree with Saint Augustine,*
the Fathers of the Church with smarts supreme,
great theologians like Jerome or Justin,
whom Christ appeared to in his memorable dream.

Who am I, but one who’s so often failed
to tell what God’s word means by my conceit?
Why am I wiser than those great ones hailed
by centuries for the scholarship they treat?

How can I claim that I am on God’s side,
when I’m wild-eyed and blind by my own pride?

* Augustine is still taught, even in secular universities, for
his City of God in philosophy and political theory courses.

                         by Pete Voelz     10/16/14

Christ Light

My path is dark, but Jesus is my light,
a searchlight for my train on down the track.
He stabs the fog, a lighthouse in the night,
His light of love, when lost, to lead me back.

Christ is the shining flashlight in my hand,
the headlight bright to show the highway clear,
a candle light for shadows where I stand,
my cell phone glow to light the gloom that’s near.

Christ is the light of faith to see His face,
the light of courage that keeps me in control,
He spreads in rays the sunlight of His grace,
He shines His light of mercy on my soul.

And in the twilight shadow of my life,
Christ will fire up His floodlight like a knife.

                      by Pete Voelz     10/24/14

Power Fear

One part of God I fear is His great power:
what power a volcano can reflect!
The power in a storm or just a shower
strikes fear for nature’s God, at least respect.

The stars, the sun, the moon portray His power,
so much of nature’s far beyond control,
and He, Who forms the beauty of a flower,
much more than I can beautify a soul.

God’s power with the universe is plain,
how fierce the fearsome power of the sea,
how much He rules my comfort and my pain,
I hold in awe His power over me.

God’s care and power with everything is clear,
I’m glad my prayer He has the care to hear.

                            by Pete Voelz     10/23/14

You Crowd Me, God

It’s hard to be alone in such a crowd,
alone with You, O God,--or just alone,
there’s always Three of You, One’s not allowed.
No place, no time--that I can call my own?

In liturgy, so many folks around,
Your Cloud of Witnesses goes everywhere,
my patron saints, Your daily saints abound,
Your angels and my Guardian always there.

Sometimes I just don’t want this crowd I’m in,
though with no crowd there’d be a vacuum,
especially when I have a yen to sin,
then who with his crowd would come in--ka-boom!

I’m most alone when in a crowd of two,
I share, O Lord, my Eucharist with You.

            by Pete Voelz     10/21/14

How Little, Lord

How little do I know of You, O God,
of Your Creation, what I know is small,
yet if I knew too much of You, how odd!
I often feel I don’t know You at all.

Enough for me to know what You reveal,
yet most about you still is mystery,
You tell me just enough to make You real,
though much of what You show I cannot see.

I know what You’re up to--You want my faith,
You want me for eternal life with You,
You aim to save me from eternal death,
You want me to believe Your word is true.

It matters not, O Lord, how much I know,
just so my faith grows and I let it show.

                  by Pete Voelz     10/17/14

Love Force

Your truth is not what forces me to faith,
nor does Your goodness finally make me go,
Your beauty doesn’t, nor does fear of death,
but love, O Love, You make me love You so.

Your love compels because You, Lord, are love,
I’m forced to love by love though I am free,
can I resist love’s home I’m dreaming of,
where You are waiting, Lord, in love with me?

Love brings on truth for all Your love is true,
love causes goodness like a miracle,
all beauty’s lovely power comes from You,
for You are wholly supernatural.

So strong Your love stirs me to loving too,
I’m forced to freely give my love to You.

                    by Pete Voelz     10/18/14

The Greatest Loves

How is it true I am most loved of all?
God’s love is infinite because He is,
His love endured for me beyond the Fall,
He loved me, made me, owns me, I am His.

The Father loved me so, He gave His Son
to be like me, then for me suffer and die,
for only me were I the only one,
from love Christ did all that--I wonder why?

Nothing will last, Christ said, and yet I will,
to love Him first and most God orders me,
while living evermore, I’ll love Him still,
mine will, like His, last to infinity.

Your love for me’s the greatest love, that’s true,
mine, Lord, will be the greaest love for You.

                             by Pete Voelz     10/19/14

Wafer and Wayfarer

I am a lonesome journeyman, a wayfarer,
although I never travel all alone,
on journeys I’m joined by a fellow-traveler,
and we’re so close, I seem almost a clone.

Each morn I drop by Mass to take a wafer,
my spiritual food with me throughout the day,
my soulful self could not feel any safer,
than with Him here Who’ll ever near me stay.

Just as I am one physical-spiritual whole,
so Christ, beneath what looks like bread and wine,
is Incarnation--body, blood and soul,
a wafer mine, whole, holy, and divine.

We’ll journey high beyond the sky, my Friend,
until our trip comes to a gripping end.

                           by Pete Voelz     10/18/14

Breach of Humility

Is it a breach of my humility
to hope to have a hand in their salvation,
to seek to save the souls from sea to sea,
and lay my axe to all devilish temptation?

Is it my pride bids me strike for the Lord,
be a real “Master of the Universe,”*
to wield on earth His “terrible swift sword,”**
and wage a spiritual war on Eden’s curse?

Who helps Your love to live and evil kill,
who dons invisible armor at Your side?
“Here I am, Lord, I come to do Your will,”***
with no heed of humility or pride.

We are at war with Satan and his crew,
let me not shrink from fighting, Lord, for You.

* Popular saying, movie and toys of fake heroes.
** From the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
*** The boy Samuel’s answer to God’s call to him.

                              by Pete Voelz     10/15/14

Human God

The  whole time Christ is man He's also God,
the whole time now He's God He's also man;
that changeless God changed to a man is odd,
unless Almighty changeless God just can.

Or maybe He just took a different form,
God did not change, but looks a different way;
it's hard to know for God what is the norm,
something can change and then it’s here to stay?

Is changeless God steadfast with fickle me,
or will He tire of all my sinfulness?
Why do I change when I should steadfast be?
Will God love more if sinning I love less?

As my state so depends upon His grace,
I'm glad He's graced us with His human face.

                          -- by Pete Voelz          4/04

Soul-Self Love

In love, my soul comes first, my body second,
my soul made up of mind and will and heart,
my body follows only when it’s beckoned,
my soul-self leads, not some too eager part.

I draw my lead from God who made me whole,
for God is love, to His my love is true,
my soul-self keeps my body in control,
so I am not a slave to devils-brew.

Who am I, what is my identity?
My honor, self-respect, integrity;
the master of my fate and destiny,
that hopes someday to share divinity.

I know I fail sometimes, my love is flawed,
then I repent and grasp Your love, O God.

                   by Pete Voelz     10/14/14

Great Fatima

(On the 97th anniversary of the final vision, Oct. 13)

Why did they build a great basilica,
for what three children told in Portugal,
requested by Our Lady of Fatima,
sealed by a great gigantic miracle?*

St. John Paul’s bullet rests within her crown,
shot her first vision day--thirteenth of May,
the great crowd saw her dancing sun come down
October thirteenth, her last vision day.

Thousands of miracles come to her shrine,
the Church proves most of them, her visions too,
both show her help is by divine design,
as her predictions one-by-one come true.

Your Fatima, O Mary, is so great,
the anniversary days still resonate.

* The miracle of the sun became a story in the N.Y. Times.

                     by Pete Voelz     10/13/14

God Depends

You are so great, O God, You don’t need me,
so why do You resort to one so small,
is it Your masterplan and mystery
rule for some things, I’m needed most of all?

In this world You don’t intervene too much,
You give us freedom so we can discern
how to deal with the ones we meet and touch,
so that our wings to fly to heaven we earn.

Augustine said to pray like all depends
on God, but work like all depends on me,
and JFK says, as his great speech ends,
on earth God’s work is ours because we’re free.

Just as we, Lord, depend on You above,
below You must depend on us to love.

                        by Pete Voelz     10/11/14

God's Hunger

Why does God hunger for me if He’s full?
Does not some hunger leave an empty place?
I feel Him push me, then I feel Him pull,
this hungry “Hound of Heaven” gives me chase.*

Upon His cross, Christ thirsted for my soul,
His emptiness appears to me a flaw,
to fill that space, God’s left me in control,
such power, such freedom leave me full of awe.

What shall I do because I am so free?
See God’s face in my neighbor here on earth,
discern God’s will amidst His mystery,
see in His hunger just how much I’m worth.

I know, Lord, Your desire for me is true,
stir up in me a hunger strong for You.

* Famous poem about God by Francis Thompson.

                             by Pete Voelz     10/9/14

Love in Bloom

Love’s not just now, it grows from deeper roots,
it buds in little ways beyond our eyes,
the tender shoots take time to bear their fruits,
still its maturing blooms come as surprise.

Sometimes like an Hibiscus overnight,
love flowers quick with blossoms opening fast,
yet love will test love flowering at first sight,
will love fade fast, like blooms that do not last?

Love fast or slow needs nurturing to grow,
God’s nature means for us to do our part,
the gentle work must oft be done just so,
or love will never last beyond the heart.

On looking back, we easily see love’s sprouts,
true love finds joy, forgetting all time-outs.

                         by Pete Voelz     10/10/124

Remember and Survive

I think a lot about my own survival,
for food and clothes and house I’m in a sweat,
for helping those I love, I have no rival,
but You, O God, I tend here to forget.

O Lord, when do You come to my attention?
If I don’t listen, I do not hear their pleas--
the hungry, thirsty, homeless that You mention,
I help You when I help the least of these.

You said, “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you alive,
you love yourself--love Me, and love them too.”
I also need to help my soul survive,
when I see them, let me remember You.

O God, when I hear You and heed their plea,
by helping them I will be helping me.

                      by Pete Voelz     10/5/14

God and His Love

God’s not my lodestone, but His love sure is.
How can I love His love, but not love Him?
Since God is love, and all my love is His,
the difference ‘twixt Him and His love is slim.

If I don’t know Him, I sure know His love,
I wallow in the gifts He loves to give,
I love His earth below, His stars above,
I dearly love the life He lets me live.

I do not fear God’s love, it’s Him I fear,
so much of God is such a mystery,
I want His love, but don’t want Him too near,
He sees my sin and may be mean to me.

I’ll never give up on your love, it’s true,
so, Lord, I guess I’ll have to love You too.

by Pete Voelz     10/4/14

Francis and the Wolf

(For Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi)

The wolf was large and hungry at the door,
his fame became part of the village lore;
the hungry wolf would sometimes chance to meet
a village child that he would quickly eat.

St. Francis was a famous holy man,
to him the desperate parents finally ran,
and Francis bade the hungry carnivore,
to not eat any children anymore.

Through Francis' gentle chiding in the end,
the wolf obeyed his animal-loving friend,
and Francis bade the villagers to feed
the hungry wolf, and all of them agreed.

O dear St. Francis, you I do implore
to keep the wolf from scratching at my door.

-- by Pete Voelz

To Help God Give

God gives Himself as much as I can take,
He slowly lifts the veil so I can see,
He shows Himself for mine, not for His sake.
How much? He mostly leaves it up to me.

God is the light of truth for which I search,
He dawns on me from youth, but not too bright,
His light shines through my family and our Church,
to see more, I must keep Him in my sight.

God shows me more, the more my faith grows stronger,
the world’s distraction make the light grow dim,
it’s I decide if I look higher longer,
God’s sight’s on me, and mine should be on Him.

Lord, if more of Your light I want to know,
more of my faith and love I need to show.

               by Pete Voelz     10/2/14

Ever-Present Sign

Upon my wall it hangs, on it You hang,
Your neck bore it to here, Your albatross,
each glance I cast upon it brings a pang,
Your ever-present Crucifixion cross.

Your suffering casts perspective on my own,
I need it when my faith is on the wane,
knowing You’re there, I can’t leave You alone,
with ever-present Crucifixion pain.

“Beloved Son,” I hear Your Father’s voice,
Your Holy Spirit hovers like a dove,
I see what saves me makes my heart rejoice,
Your ever-present Crucifixion love.

Hangs on my neck Your sign of victory,
You ever-present, crucified for me.

                    by Pete Voelz     9/16/14

True Love in Every line

True love does not just make the world go ‘round,
God makes the world go ‘round, for God is love,
love makes no sense--no scent, no scene, no sound,
for love supplies the soul what souls dream of.

Though it’s unseen, love can inspire desire,
though it is felt, love’s not for how we feel,
love draws us to the higher we aspire,
for real, love does require the God appeal.

Love overflows, it grows the more we share,
love turns an enemy into a brother,
love’s not for us, it dares because we care,
true love must be directed to the other.

So let’s not kid ourselves, love’s understood--
not bad nor brief, love is, like God, for good.

                        by Pete Voelz     9/26/14

God's Habits

God doesn’t change much, He’s a God of habits,
He’s quite creative and likes making things,
like robins, ribeyes, and especially rabbits,
and lots more common folk than queens or kings.

When things went wrong, God showed His habit to save,
He loves to use His mercy to forgive,
He dies to prove His habit to be brave
and save from death the ones He wants to live.

Of all His habits, the greatest is to love,
that’s why He made the stars and human race,
came down to be a man from heaven above,
when we repent, to shower us with grace.

The habit I’m most curious to see
is how He’ll spend eternity with me.

                      by Pete Voelz     9/25/14

In No Denial

9/24/14
Your servants say in Your love I’m awashed,
that You flood me with infinite love and grace,
Your burden’s light, and so I am not squashed,
though I cannot deny You’re in my face.

No way, God, are You only far away,
You want the all of me, not just a part,
and once invited in, You mean to stay,
I can’t deny to let You in my heart.

Awash with love, You too get in my hair,
thus, bold and brave, I cede You some control,
I can’t deny the sin I see is there
when I allow Your entry in my soul.

With courage, Lord, help me not be afraid,
someday I won’t deny I’m glad You stayed.

                      by Pete Voelz     9/24/14

Two Fowls

(Dedicated to a friend who is devoted to the Holy Spirit.)

St. Peter warns Satan’s like some foul lion,
who prowls the world for souls he might devour,
but he is not the only fowl who’s tryin’
to capture souls by using spiritual power.

The other fowl is just a little bird,
with coat of white and speed of light, a dove,
the Spirit of the Father and the Word,
Who seeks our restless souls with cooing love.

The first makes bad things look good in disguise,
the next prompts us with whispering breeze and grace,
Christ calls the lying lion the “Father of lies,”
their deadly race takes place in spiritual space.

This serious fight we duel with prayer and sword,
and with devotion to our Spirit Lord.

by Pete Voelz     9/20/14

The Car Ballet

 The Car Ballet  --  9/20/14
(My favorite poem of all) --

My son and I were five years old
when we met at a car ballet;
the street we rolled was a carpet gold
for the auto play-by-play.

I had never seen this boy before
when our rendezvous began;
he was crouched on the floor as I stepped in the door,
so I knelt down beside a sedan.

It followed his car as if by design,
and his squealed without surprise,
but he checked the whine when his glance met mine
with a curious look in his eyes.

His car was a little red tin Ford,
mine a green Chevrolet;
his screeched and roared at a high-pitched chord
when my growl warned his car away.

His crashed on the ground and flew through the air
while mine meandered by;
he streaked with flair down a thoroughfare,
as I drove into the sky.

I was forty-six going on five
as my car swooped over a bridge,
but I was young and alive and I sure could drive
in that dim old orphanage.

We had left America far away,
my daughter, my wife and I,
to fly all day to a car ballet
across the bright Asian sky.

As we walked down the Bangkok boulevard
I suddenly just had to run,
and my heart beat hard as I raced through the yard
to see my adopted son.

He climbed atop an old divan
with his tin Ford tightly clutched,
and our two cars ran along man-to-man
'til our bumpers barely touched.

Then sped away to almost hide,
but before I could count to ten,
all mischiefied he pulled up aside,
and we bumped again and again.

His speedy car I could not outchase,
as the sun could not outshine
the grin on his face at the end of the race
when his eyes looked up into mine.

Oh, East is East and West is West
and never the twain shall meet,
except when you're five in overdrive,
two boys on a carpet street.

Yes, my son and I were five years old
when we met at a car ballet,
and that hour of gold has never grown cold
through our years of play-by-play.

                -- by Pete Voelz        1998

Prayer Enders

The sister said my Guardian Angel dear
woud finish any prayer I left undone,
a pious thought, though it was never clear
God blessed such prayers taught by a grade school nun.

I wondered who else prayed prayers left unended,
a Cloud of Witnesses, so says St. Paul,
made up of saints and angels I’ve befriended,
joins me in prayers and always is on call.

I sometimes count on my dear Mother Mary
to finish at days end my Rosary,
and take, no longer small and ordinary,
my ended prayers to Christ her Son for me.

Yet, Lord, let me not take advantage of
their pious little exercise of love.

                       by Pete Voelz     9/19/14

Inspired Out?

O God, when will You be inspired out?
Is there a limit to Your inspiration?
Since You are infinite without a doubt,
It’s only I who has the limitation.

Got lots more inspirations for a poem?
You just gave me a topic for a speech,
remind me how to help around the home,
or stretch for stars that I can barely reach.

How often You inspire me to pray,
how many times I sense You plant the seed,
if no words come, You tell me what to say,
You’re always there for anything I need.

How endlessly You try to me inspire,
You’re all the inspiration I desire.

                 by Pete Voelz     9/18/14

God's Humility

There’s nothing like, Lord, Your humility,
compelled by love, to go from best to least,
to empty Godliness to be like me,
then let Yourself be hurt worse than a beast.

From there so low You raised us up on high,
the ones whose sins had caused You all Your pain,
from love, forgiving us if we but try,
then letting us with You forever reign.

What humbleness do You want us to show?
To recognize Your true reality,
that we obey You and resist the foe,
that we believe and pray on humble knee?

Lord, let me prove my love by what I do,
not worship me, but humbly worship You.

                      by Pete Voelz     9/17/14

God's Yes and No

God wants to hear me say my "yes" and "no,"
He has His limits with the "maybe" word,
He wants me to commit and to forgo,
He wants to hear with His Word I've concurred.

God asks I turn to Him and take a stand,
my hem and haw He's awfully tired of,
to turn away from sin by His command,
and to accept His gift of infinite love.

God wants me to believe and love and serve,
to put procrastination far behind,
to look Him in the eye if I've the nerve,
not be too busy or pretend I'm blind.

O Lord, I do not pray for any less
than You give me the grace to tell You "Yes."

                          -- by Pete Voelz          4/10

Seven Sorrow Swords

(The Feast of the Seven Sorrows of Mary)

Old Simeon warned her seven swords of sorrow
would pierce her heart, presenting her new Son;
far Egypt she and Joseph had to borrow,
as Herod thought by killing kids he’d won.

When He was twelve, three days she suffered loss,
‘til teaching temple teachers He was found;
at thirty-three, while bearing His cruel cross,
she met Him bloody, falling to the ground.

She hoped she’d seen the last of these sad harms,
when by the cross she still stood as He died,
then there in pity, held Him in her arms,
and viewing them, we have for centuries cried.

Last, at the tomb, a seventh sorrow sword
was buried in her heart for her dead Lord.

                             by Pete Voelz     9/15/14

Dancing God

God sometimes dances to get my attention,
He dances for me in important ways,
from cross to Resurrection to Ascension,
His blaze of glory leaves me full of praise.

God danced to earth from heaven for my salvation,
my stream of thoughts He struggles to invade,
like His, my body and soul are Incarnation,
to let your soul dance too, be not afraid.

God dances with desire to be my guest,
to dance with me in Scripture and in prayer,
to dance into my mouth in Eucharist,
to dance with me in people everywhere.

O God, I know I should take every chance
to practice here for our forever dance.

                    by Pete Voelz     9/12/14

See to Believe?

(Old adage: “If you can’t trust your banker,
who can you trust?”
New adage: “Maybe your Maker?”)

Why do I trust a God I cannot see?
Since I was born, we’ve talked of God as real,
I trust the deep faith of my ancestry,
by instinct His strong presence I can feel.

For all the stars, God’s Providence makes most sense,
I know so many things I cannot see,
His mighty works are obvious evidence,
so grand a God, I grant some mystery.

His Church, the fortress of His faith, is there,
He owns the greatest minds of history,
He speaks to me in GMC and prayer,*
His saints, heroic and loving, I can see.

O God unseen, I see You spiritually,
my eyes of faith are good enough for me.

* A GMC is a God-Made Coincidence.
Pope Saint JP2 said there are no coincidences,
only God’s Providence. So God sends us small
miracles, or coincidences, with a blessing and
a message--if we see them with our eyes of faith.

                              by Pete Voelz     9/10/14

The Google God -- 9/9/14

 “I’m not just God, I am the Google God,
you don’t just bide on earth, you’re in a search,
you need search engines as a Google prod,
I’ve given you the Spirit and My Church.

“‘Twas Socrates who said the goal of life
is searching for the truth, and I am Truth,
your lack of interest cuts Me like a knife,
be not afraid to turn into a sleuth.

“Don’t get too wrapped up in technology,
I made you spiritual with a human side,*
your better part’s your spirituality,
what will you take with you once you have died?”

I hear You, Lord, and I will search for Thee,
don’t give up, Google God, Your search for me.

* The great paleontologist priest Tielhard de Chardin
said, “We are not human beings with a spiritual side,
we are spiritual beings with a human side.”

                                   by Pete Voelz     9/6/14

Mary's Day of Birth

My mother died the day of Mary’s birth,
she found new birth by being heavenbound,
her soul to God, her body back to earth,
as Mary’s Gabriel said, His grace she found.

This is my niece’s last novena day,
from cancer death, new life so wonderful,
to Sister Lucia now so many pray
that Fatima’s Mary wins God’s miracle.

Mary was born to bring Christ’s birth and death,
He had to die, we have to die sometime,
a miracle for our soul is best--by faith
we know it births forever life sublime.

No matter which our Lady and God give,
God’s life--here or in heaven--we want to live.

                   by Pete Voelz     9/8/14--on the
Feast of the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Proof of Love

O God, I try to prove my love with prayer,
Your love response to my free prayer is free,
it's easy too, I pray You anywhere,
it helps me practice my humility.

I show my love composing You a poem,
some hours of time, a bit of writing skill,
a thing that I can do in bed at home,
a sacrifice less bloody than a kill.

There's more to prove my love that I must do,
my love is proved if I obey Your laws,
when I love others I am loving You,
my talents must be active in Your cause.

If I fall short, O Lord, these other ways,
let me indulge at least a gift of praise.

                    by Pete Voelz     9/3/14

Anchor Prayer

For storms inside and out, there is an anchor,
for raging seas, or maybe just a swell,
and best to cool a heart that’s full of anger,
the call of greed or lust we need to quell.

To calm the ship of faith, prayer is an anchor,
the gluttony of qualms of doubting Thomases,
for sloth, depressed despair, and lazy languor,
we call on peaceful prayer with all its promises.

Prayer is a port for those who care to anchor,
weary of pride, hope for humility,
to put an end to envy, fighting, rancor,
prayer brings its peace to surging sinful sea.

Your port from seven seas of deadly sin,*
my ship of prayer, O Lord, drops anchor in.

* The Seven Deadly Sins are pride, greed,
lust, gluttony, sloth, envy and anger.

                              by Pete Voelz     9/5/14

Know by Faith

By faith we know Christ won’t disown His Church,
He and the Holy Spirit have never erred,
we who’ve found Christ no longer need to search,
by faith we know He’s Eucharist and Word.

We turn to God--no other place to go,
when desperate, we know by faith to pray,
that prayer will help us by His word we know,
‘twixt God and us, we tear the veil away.

Faith knows the Trinity’s a mystery,
Faith says at Mass that Christ is sacrificed,
that Mary is our Mother too we see,
that Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ.

So many things by honest faith are known,
if we but make that faith sincere our own.

                     by Pete Voelz     9/4/14

House on Rock

Not on the sands of sin I build my house,
instead I want to build it up--on rock,
to build it like a man and not a mouse,
and with, to keep sin out, a sturdy lock.

Your grace and truth are rock, for them I search,
with grace I listen to what tells me true,
and here on earth, Your body is the Church,
You, Lord, are truth, the Church of truth is You.

A house on rock I also build my soul,
not like the rotten soul of Dorian Gray,*
God gives me grace to keep me pure and whole,
repentence wipes the sands of sin away.

With these let’s build, Lord, our community too
on rock--my house, our Church, my soul and You.

* In Oscar Wilde's "The Portrait of Dorian Gray" his
portrait looks more rotten as the soul is more sinful.

                                     by Pete Voelz     9/2/14

Faithful Messenger

I am Your faithful messenger, O Lord,
my model is St. Peter, man of faith,
I look to You and ask for no reward,
except Your love, already birth to death.

“You are the Christ, Son of the Living God,”
I say as he said, looking at Your face,
my zeal for You is known with no facade,
keep me from sin, and help me win Your grace.

I wait for me Your Spirit to inspire,
I take up mine, like Jeremiah’s cross,
Your message burns inside me like a fire,
it must come out and never count the loss.

Your message now I’ll write and not defer,
let me, Lord, be Your faithful messenger.

                   by Pete Voelz     9/1/14

Sister Lucia's Miracle

Sister Lucia, you need a miracle,
so God will see that you’re beatified,
at Fatima you saw Mary beautiful,*
nine years ago at ninety-eight you died.**

My niece with cancer needs a miracle cure,
we’re praying friends around the world to pray,
with two small kids, stage four she must endure,
Lucia, please make the cancer go away!

If you can’t have one now, still you can do
some spiritual miracles because they’re prized,
for they save souls and last forever too,
though one more cure will get you canonized.***

Friends, share in our novena these nine days
to end on Mary’s birthday, God we praise.****

* Lucia, age 10, with her cousins, Jacinta, 6, and
Francisco, 8, had visions of the Blessed Virgin on
the 13th of each month from May to October, 1917,
which predicted communism in Russia and then its
demise if people prayed the Rosary for peace.

** On my birthday two months before Pope St. JP2 died.

*** Saints need one miracle to be beatified or blessed
and another to be canonized a saint by the Church.

**** September 8

by Pete Voelz     8/29/14

Best Bucket List

So what is on my spiritual bucket list,
(and God has His own bucket list for me)
the things in life I don’t want to have missed,
that make me glad for all eternity?

O God, I pray You help me to compose
whatever You want me here to fulfill,
the vital items for me You have chose,
so what I do may be true to Your will.

Your Ten Commandments I’ll put near the top,
Your corporal works of mercy I’m fond of,
the scroll of sins I deeply wish to stop,
but most of all Your Great Commands to love.

Lord, as I kick the bucket and I die,
I hope that both our bucket lists are dry.

                         -- by Pete Voelz       6/11

God's Luck

God does not deal in luck, He knows it all,
we cannot understand luck nor define it,
God knows and wills whenever a sparrow should fall,
we let God’s Providence Divine divine it.

We gain God’s luck or favor when we pray,
when prayers are answered, it is not by luck,
to us ‘tis mystery how God gets His way,
not gold, but God’s good golden grace we’ve struck.

To everyone God gives His fate, His fortune,
what coincides is just God’s Providence,
God’s will rules, not Miss Fortune or misfortune,
a GMC, God-Made Coincidence.

To choose God’s luck or grace, God made me free,
no mystery here, God leaves it up to me.

                                  by Pete Voelz     8/27/14

How I Rate

My Guardian Angel told me how I rate:
“You have God’s image stamped upon your soul,
behold the world for you He did create,
then called it good and put you in control.

“God brought your soul from baptism undefiled,
built there a temple to the Holy Ghost,
adopted you as His beloved child,
gives you Himself in Eucharistic Host.”

“God’s Providence provides you from above,
with mercy, sees your blood-stained sins forgiven,
He smothers and floods you with His infinite love,
then drags you kicking and screaming close to heaven.

“Yes sir, you really rate, but, oh, just wait,
it’s up to you to unlock the Pearly Gate.”

                 by Pete Voelz     8/26/14

Fear Not Fear

Do not let fear of fear cast you adrift,
some fear of God is good for God is just,
fear of the Lord’s the Spirit’s final gift,
and yet be not afraid, in God we trust.

Let us dispel the myth that hell’s not real,
we should fear sin and God’s just punishment,
Christ speaks of hell in parables that reveal
when we help those in need, we’re heaven sent.*

We are not sinners just because we sin,
a sinner loves his sin and keeps it near,**
when we repent, God’s mercy we will win,
and mercy’s God’s best quality, have no fear.***

Some fear is good, Lord, leads to heaven, it’s true,
but first is mercy, love, and faith in You.

* Lazarus and the rich man, and the Last Judgment
** When asked what a sinner was, St. Bernadette
replied, “A sinner is one who loves evil.”
*** St. Sr. Faustina said that Jesus told her
His number one quality was mercy.

P.S. Today's Responsorial Psalm reads:
"Blessed the man who fears the Lord."--GMC

                             by Pete Voelz     8/25/14

Greatest Power

God whispers, for He doesn’t need to show
His power, which after all is infinite,
just see the stars and watch the galaxies go,
what greater show of power can you get?

 God made the game, as everybody knows,
He’ll win my soul, unless I choose to lose it,
He could control my life if He so chose,
but great power is used best when you don’t use it.

God gave His greatest power to me--I’m free
to chart and choose and do my destiny,
a choice that lasts for all eternity,
and live my choice to be--or not to be.

You show me, Lord, Your greatest power--You love me,
to choose it, I’ll look not down, but above me.

                              by Pete Voelz     8/23/14

Love Binds

Do we fear love or do we fear to bind?
With love there’s lots of take but more to give,
the binding makes demands, Lord, we be kind,
for me, or You and others do I live?

Since You are love, I must love like You, Lord,
if I don’t love like You, I don’t love true,
love comes with pain and cuts me like a sword
from selfish self, to bind with them and You.

Commitment means to give more than I take--
to You and to responsibility,
bound to a promise only love can make--
true love for You and others more than me.

It’s normal to feel love and want what’s mine,
real love binds us to give like love divine.

“Papa, I love you like God loves you,”
-- my grandson at 4 in my lap.

                      by Pete Voelz     8/22/14

What Do Prayers Do?

What do my prayers that I pray daily do?
Are they “stars in my crown” I’ll someday boast?
Do they stack up so all my wants come true?
Or is it mainly me they’ll help the most?

God is attentive to my smallest prayer,
my faith as much my words He does reward,
He died for me and counts my every hair,
I am His servant and He is my Lord.

God calls me to be faithful, not successful,*
the God Who made the universe I trust,
I work hard and don’t worry if it’s stressful,
He does His part and I pray what I must.**

I know You love me, Lord, and with great care,
You hear and answer best my every prayer.

* Bl. Mother Theresa said, “I am not called
to be successful, but to be faithful.”

** St. Augustine said, “We should pray as if it all
depends on God, but work as if it all depends on us.”

                                   by Pete Voelz     8/14/14

Every Anywhere God

God is transcendent and He’s immanent,
He is both far away and also near,
while He’s mysterious and reticent,
He speaks through prophets to reveal He’s here.

God makes us time: a present, future, past,
and history so that we can track Him down,
with light-speed stars expanding space so vast,
that science can expound to His renown.

God goes with ease from far to near to show
in every anywhere He does exist,
and any way He wants can come and go,
like He comes to us in the Eucharist.

It’s good to know, Lord, You’re both near and far,
that anywhere and everywhere You are.

                       by Pete Voelz     8/21/14

Resenting Mystery

Why do I, Lord, resent Your mystery?
Who am I that I get to know it all?
Why must God be accountable to me?
To make demands of God takes lots of gall.

Three Persons in one God, how can I know?
Are puny minds like mine so worthy of
Your knowing how the galaxies all go?
It’s not enough we’re flooded with Your love?

How dare I challenge You, Almighty God,
me but a speck in Your huge human race?
It’s not You’re some elaborate facade,
hiding and tricking, laughing in our face.

To know You love me, Lord, the rest can wait
‘til I arrive too soon at heaven’s gate.

                            by Pete Voelz     8/20/14

Beauty's Gratitude

It’s great that You create our space and time,
I’m awed as Hubble’s galaxies rotate,
so pleased by all their beauty most sublime,
my gratitude I can’t articulate.

Your flowers intrude to stir my gratitude,
I stop to smell, distracted from my duty,
impressed that You raise such a multitude,
though down-to-earth, I’m raised up by their beauty.

From them I marvel at myself inside,
beyond the physical I sense so real,
I’m grateful there my heart and soul abide,
how beautiful their love and faith I feel.

‘Tis beauty draws this gratitude from me,
in proudest hearts it births humility.

                     by Pete Voelz      8/17/14

On Bended Heart

Not sacrifice or goats do I desire,*
but rended hearts instead of garments torn,**
no bloodied lambs nor bullocks burnt by fire,
but bruised and bended reeds I will not scorn.***

I do not want a prayer that’s born of pride,
but one you send on lowly bended knee,
and better yet from lowliness inside,
a bended heart filled with humility.

My Godliness I did not hold on to,
but emptied I Myself of every part,****
I did not look to Me, I looked to you,
I came to serve with humbled bended heart.*****

I see by Your example I can try,
if, Lord, You can, then so can lowly I.

* Is. 1:11
** Joel 2:13
*** Is. 42:3
**** Phil. 2:7
***** Mk. 10:45

                      by Pete Voelz     8/18/14