A Covenant with God

I made a covenant with God
when I was born
and couldn't even see
the love He had planned out for me.
I know it seems a little odd,
so early in the morn
of life, to be
so conscious of His mystery.

He, full aware of all that's fine,
arranged the pact,
and writing on my heart
so carefully inspired my part,
hiding the faith that would be mine,
while what I lacked
He set apart
and filled the rest with His mysterious art.

I slow awakened to His song --
around me swirled
so many new
things that I thought were true,
but they would be outlasted long
in His immortal world
by just a few
mysterious notes that I already knew.

He sealed our treaty with His love,
resealed it in His truth,
revealed for me to know,
His love to share, His truth to show.
While angels happily witnessed it above,
I in my youth
tripped on it here below,
bright memory of
a mystery in love
from long ago.

-- by Pete Voelz      1999

Spirit Sight

When human Christ ascended in the sky,
some scientists ask where did His body go?
But our faith says there's more than meets the eye,
and we can know things science cannot show.

When Moses helped God split the sea in two,
some moderns give a natural explanation;
the stable's star is treated casually too,
Darwin's abused to dismiss all Creation.

Some say our mind is only just our brain,
and that our spirit's really not a soul,
and so we have no soul for sin to stain,
and conscience is just spiritual rigmarole.

Lord, faith shows me Your sweet invisible face,
I hear Your quiet voice and feel Your grace.

                              -- by Pete Voelz        1/06

God Rock

God is a rock, in Him I am secure,
no end to God, can’t see the farthest star,
He shows His love so much, I can be sure,
Creation yes, but that can seem too far.

Which is more good--the universe or me?
I feel me here, I only see it there,
it will all pass, I will forever be,
as great it is, He’s given me more care.

God’s bigger than it all and me together,
only great love could make us function here,
His greatness sits on me light as a feather,
He could be heavy, yet I do not fear.

You made me free--to love You and obey,
in faith I do, my Rock,--all’s I can say.

                   by Pete Voelz     2/26/14

My Dark Knight

Sometimes I wonder if God does His part,
like when I pray and pray, and nothing hear,
an empty silence steels over my heart,
the dark night of my soul is gripped with fear.

My past looms up, the poor-choice sins I’ve made,
confessed, forgiven, still they nag at me,
and desperate now, I beg God for His aid,
no place to go, I’m driven to my knee.

I know You often work in secret, Lord,
You say, “Be not afraid, trust Me, be strong,
someday I’ll let you see your prayer’s reward,
sometimes your prayer and fasting must be long.”

So patient prayer and quiet faith I bring,
Your love and mercy answer everything.

                       by Pete Voelz     2/25/14

Great Plans

O God, I know You have great plans for me,
You have called me--they taught me in my youth--
to touch with You today each one I see,
to spread Your news and always tell the truth.

To follow in Your footsteps all the way,
to see You in each person that I meet,
to know You, love You, serve You, praise You, pray,
to feed the hungry and to wash their feet.

To rue my sins and give the poor their due,
to give You children, be a journalist,
to show my faith in public witness true,
to eat and drink You in Your Eucharist.

Before my birth through all eternity,
O timeless God, You’ve had great plans for me.

                    by Pete Voelz     6/04

Poor Words

I speak one word to God, not good enough,
I say one thousand words, and it’s too many,
to find the right words is so very tough,
I search for words I want, I can’t find any.

The words I finally say all seem so trite,
 nothing is new, I’ve said them all before,
the words I come up with just don’t seem right,
inside, the meanings rich, the words are poor.

The prayers that fit the best I’ve memorized,
some are God’s words and help me meditate,
some are for centuries by the faithful prized,
some are best said when more participate.

Each conversation with You, Lord’s, a prayer,
if not the best words, trust the love is there.

                      by Pete Voelz     2/23/14

Angel of God

I do not want to make, you, angel fail,
my guardian and my ever-present friend,
next to, for me, all other angels pale,
with me from the beginning to the end.

You, constant, pray for me before God’s face
to my unearthly eyes made visible,
with stream of prayer, an avenue of grace,
and messenger of many a miracle.

Before our age, you shared that fateful choice,
by heaven’s bi-location sent to me,
to guard and guide and be my heavenly voice,
help me to choose to ever faithful be.

O Guardian Angel, fill my every need,
that we not fail to always here succeed.

                      by Pete Voelz     2/22/14

I Can't Deny

That God is there and good, I can’t deny,
that would be pride and just stupidity,
who else could make the stars and sea and sky?
For me, I’d rather choose humility.

Like Socrates, there’s so much I don’t know--
admitting that the Oracle said was smart,
yet for the love God has and wants to show,
I feel I can respond best with my heart.

Humility and intelligence are good,
but I am something more than R2D2,
God made me free to choose the things I should,
in faith, I choose You, Lord, because I’m free to.

Your works and words lead me to look above,
but more, I choose to love Your look of love.

                           by Pete Voelz     2/21/14

A Lot for God

In life I only have one choice--
to be for You or not,
so let me lift my lonely voice,
with You I cast my lot.

I can end up in just one place
with all that I’ve been given,
to take or leave Your gift of grace,
why not take You and heaven?

It’s me down here or You up there,
when all is said and done,
I use Your gifts for me or share,
for in You all are one.

I can’t know all the mystery
You ask me to believe,
with faith I do all You decree
for You cannot deceive.

I will not kick against the goad,
or want what I have not,
so light Your burden, sweet Your load,
I will accept my lot.

           by Pete Voelz     2/20/14

Two Words

In the beginning, there You were, O Word,
the Word of God, God’s Son, His only Son,
God spoke His Word and all Creation heard,
God’s Love, His Spirit soared, You Three in One.

My word, so weak, O would that I could keep,
so many promises I’ve made I’ve broken,
are they too steep or is my word too cheap?
I need to add some spine to what I’ve spoken.

Your Word, O Lord, in Scripture and in law,
writ on my heart or in the book You wrote,
and mine, both, Lord, I should more hold in awe,
so that, like Yours, I could with honor quote.

Your Words, O Lord, and covenants are true,
may I speak mine responsibly like You.

                           by Pete Voelz      2/19/14

Who Is My Friend

Who is my friend who's with me every hour,
Who brings me dawn and one more day to live,
Whose angel comes to guard me with His power,
Who gives me more than ever I could give?

If He wakes me for time to meditate,
and comforts me when down to bed I lie,
and brings me friends my birth to celebrate,
He also marks unknown the day I die.

Just as in youth He wiped away my tears,
and strengthened me throughout my growing years,
so He will be there as my leaving nears,
to lend His comfort, calming all my fears.

He does this for me basically for free,
so we can stay friends all eternity.

                              -- by Pete Voelz     9/04

Our Better Angels

The “better angels of our nature” cry out*
to be our conscience voice of God within,
to make sure that His word and law won’t die out,
and be replaced there by the lure of sin.

Whose sound competes to lead our soul astray?
His “devil talk” gives us another voice,
this angel-demon war goes on all day,
old Abe and Screwtape struggle for our choice.**

This tug of war can happen since we’re free,
God’s natural law that’s written on our heart
vies with our fallen nature’s mystery,
with each free human act we do our part.

Lord, help me always choose to listen to
my better angel voice that speaks for You.

*Famous phrase from Lincoln’s First Inaugural.

**Demon in C.S. Lewis’s “Screwtape Letters.”

                             by Pete Voelz     2/17/14

God's Free to Love

Some people think God loves us equally,
but He can separate the goats and sheep,
God loves yet judges us, for God is free,
He loves us more His word and law we keep.

God loves our love, not unrequited love,
without His love, we wouldn’t be alive,
He loves us more when we look to above,
He wants us to desire Him and to strive.

God’s foolishness is wiser than our way,
He’s not bound by our principle or fad,
He does not follow what we do or say,
God’s free to see our reasoning as bad.

You left Your word and Church to tell what’s true,
let me obey, O Lord, not me, but You.

                            by Pete Voelz       2/15/14

God's False Divide

There are two Gods, although They’re both the same,
the God out there, and then the God in here,
They both go by the same most Holy Name,
one God is far, the other God is near.

One God’s transcendent, thus too far away,
the other’s immanent, and so close by--
the human Christ we call on night and day,
while God Creator seems beyond the sky.

One’s in the Old Book, and one’s in the New,
a false divide, since both are everywhere,
the Trinity--we should give each His due,
divinity--each has an equal share.

Three in One, far or near, a mystery,
one, two or three, You are, Lord, dear to me.

                        by Pete Voelz      2/9/14

Steadfast Muddle

How can I be so fickle, Lord, withYou,
when You’re so faithful, steadfast, true to me?
Despite my ways, I can still muddle through,
this fallen world is not my destiny.

The stars obey Your laws, I twist and turn,
this freedom You give me leads me to sin,
after repeated falls, You’d think I’d learn,
without Your steadfast strength, I’d never win.

But free, I can be strong if I so choose,
Your laws, Your Church, Your love--what are they for,
if not to give me strength I’m free to lose?
Let me delight in them and pray for more.

You, Lord, mix joy and love with truth and pain,
I must accept it all if I’m to gain.

                                 by Pete Voelz     2/13/14

Free Valentine

How can I give to God a Valentine,
when I have nothing He’s not given me?
The only thing He gave that’s truly mine
is that, for good or ill, He made me free.

This freedom seems to be the whole ball game,
we need it here to make each human choice,
the choice for love or sin for all the same,
our freedom ends up as our only voice.

So, Lord, I send my freedom back to You,
You made me free so I could choose Your way,
free to believe that what You say is true,
with free eternal love if I obey.

I freely follow Your command and call,
and send a Valentine of love to all.

                         by Pete Voelz     2/13/14

The Heart of Faith

What is the heart of faith, what is our joy?
Unless we know, we do not understand,
God does His work in us, He is not coy,
the way we come to faith is by His hand.

Faith is God's gift He offers everyone,
He plants the seed of faith deep in our heart,
yet to our head He does not place a gun,
we must accept His gift and do our part.

Just like our life, God's gift is born of love,
His gift is free and we must freely take it,
He urges us, sometimes He gives a shove,
He covenants with us, but we must break it.

This minuet of faith I do choose free,
I thank You, God, for offering it to me.

                            -- by Pete Voelz      6/06

God's Dawning

There is a difference when I dwell on me
then turn, O God, to thinking about You,
a flash of light in changing I to we,
as I recall in awe what all You do.

The difference is from being all alone
to taking needs to One Who's glad to share
and ease the anxious burdens that I own,
so I gain some relief from them in prayer.

A world awash in worries melts away,
to help all my anxieties to cease,
I sense I'm lifted up above the fray,
for You replace my problems with Your peace.

O God, how can I any longer fear,
as now I feel Your presence real and near?

                          -- by Pete Voelz          1/07

Inscrutable God

Sometimes, O God, life doesn’t make much sense,
Your ways, O Lord, seem so inscrutable,
I look at me, why do I seem so dense?
Then You cut through it with some miracle.

It seems, O Lord, You want my questioning,
my prayer to seem to vanish in the void,
You often seem to want my suffering,
my faith be tested, but not be destroyed.

Without the struggle, where’s the victory?
Without the false, how can we gain the true?
Without temptation, how can I be free?
Unless we die, how can we rise with You?

Instead of doubting, Lord, let me be sure,
by acting out my faith, I keep it pure.

                     by Pete Voelz      2/10/14

Two Sides God

The God Outside created everything,
the God Inside lives only in my soul,
the first rules all Creation as a King,
the second lives a humble servant role.

How great the mighty God Outside must be,
yet all His works will someday fade away,
how mightier still’s the God Inside of me,
His handiwork--my soul--will ever stay.

The universe was never meant to last,
it’s only made for humans to behold,
for everything will end up in the past,
we who forever live will not grow old.

O God Outside, You serve the God within,
for love can only live beneath my skin.

                      by Pete Voelz     2/9/14

Serene Providence

God, all serene, shows us serenity,
God, provident, provides us everything,
God offers His serenity to me,
Our God-King's Providence makes me a king.

With everything I too am provident,
full of God's gifts, these I provide to all,
God gives them not to keep but to be spent,
a servant king, says He, is my true call.

Serene, God is at peace, so why not I?
All things fit into His great masterpiece,
I share with all, the air, the earth and sky,
and sharing, all remain, like Him, at peace.

Though small, I still am king and therefore keen
to share God's Providence and be serene.

                             -- by Pete Voelz       5/05

(Dedicated to Brother Lawrence)

Gratuitous Grace

How can we get God's favor if we try?
How can we milk the Sacraments for grace?
It's not a process open to the eye,
it's not a thing we capture on its face.

Grace is not automatic, but a gift,
gratuitous, it's out of our control,
without the means of grace we are adrift,
it is God's choice, to starve or flood the soul.

Yet much depends upon our disposition,
if we desire grace, He gives it free,
God wants to help us carry out our mission,
if we use reverence and humility.

I'll pray for grace sincerely in my heart,
and trust, O God, that You will do Your part.

                       -- by Pete Voelz       3/06

God's Pull

The world pulls first, and then God pulls His way,
we're born with such self-centered wants and needs,
we're led to stumble by our feet of clay,
we need a church to show the way God leads.

If parents, teachers, heroes don’t much care,
we struggle with our body's selfish ways,
we need their help to save us from despair,
and cut us through the weak world's motley haze.

The pull of God is harder to discern,
we know God always gives sufficient grace,
the grace the worthless world tempts us to spurn,
so we lose this divine and human race.

Make me, O God, strong in my faith to see
that where You pull is always best for me.

                            by Pete Voelz

God's Good

How can I question God Who is so good,
a perfect God from Whom all good things come,
beyond our good, so rarely understood,
His deep mysterious good we cannot plumb.

God's goodness dreamed us up ages ago,
good God from timeless time and spaceless space
created us as good ex nihilo,
our time and place He chose by His good grace.

God's goodness gives us every good we need,
good things for our good time on God's good earth,
good people and good children that we breed,
for our good work that gives our good life worth.

With so much bad God’s goodness must transcend,
I'm glad His good will win out in the end.

                                               by Pete Voelz

Humble Greatness

From all His power, God’s greatness does not stem,
nor does it grow from His divinity,
no, it flows from a babe in Bethlehem,
God’s greatness stems from His humility.

God’s Mother told in her Magnificat,
that mighty God “has done great things to me,”
she hid herself, instead praised God a lot,
God chose her for her great humility.

God’s great creation is the human race,
yet without God, where would our greatness be?
Our greatness is the greatness of His grace,
God gives us heaven for our humility.

God takes my humble dust and makes it great,
 if I humility substantiate.

                         by Pete Voelz      2/4/14

God and Love

If love’s so great, then God is greater still,
for God is love, yet these do not equate,
we say, “God’s will be done,” not that love’s will,
not God in song, but love we celebrate.

We say we have love, not that we have God,
yet where true love exists God must be there,
we don’t say, “I God you,” that would be odd,
but “I love you” means that it’s God we share.

The Beatles said that “all you need is love,”
and that’s a message we can understand,
but all we really need is God above,
let’s hammer out God’s love--all over this land.

You, Lord, and love are one--a mystery,
but when I love, I want You, Lord, with me.

                       by Pete Voelz      2/3/14

Fear and Love

How do I know my fear of God is right?
There is good fear like reverance and awe,
fear of the Lord, His justice and His might,
fear of just punishments and righteous law.

Yet God is love, and does not love trump fear?
And does not fear drive us from love away?
Yet don't we fear to hurt One we revere?
And fear helps us control our feet of clay.

With God a healthy fear is not a crutch,
and when we sin, fear helps us to repent,
without respect we don’t love God so much,
good fear and love are meant to complement.

I doubt, O God, I'll get my due reward
without due love and due fear of the Lord.

                                       by Pete Voelz

Missing Listening

I talk to God and always miss something,
is it because I'm not listening enough,
or am I lacking in what I can bring,
or that I am afraid of some rebuff?

What comes between my hearing and His voice?
God being God, He holds some in reserve,
how carefully I listen is my choice,
God always tells me more than I deserve.

I am not sure how much I want to hear,
so much I let distractions come and go,
sometimes God's message comes through loud and clear,
but I resist what I don't want to know.

Lord, let me listen more and clear the way,
so I am more in touch with what You say.

                                     by Pete Voelz