Friday, August 29, 2014

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

Thursday, August 28, 2014

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

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

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

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

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

Monday, August 25, 2014

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


Sunday, August 24, 2014

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

Saturday, August 23, 2014

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

Friday, August 22, 2014

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

Thursday, August 21, 2014

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

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

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

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

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

Monday, August 18, 2014

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

Sunday, August 17, 2014

The Yoke of Love


I don’t exist just for myself I know,
I must cooperate, life’s not a joke,
and in the end I need something to show,
to be successful, who can share my yoke?

God has the goal, the journey and the map,
we need each other for the mission plan,
we pull our share, a pair, we overlap,
in bond responding fondly man-to-man.

God said His burden’s light, His yoke is sweet,
we’re yoked together with a yoke of love,
we share our yoke with everyone we meet,
beyond--a yoke of joy forever above.

But if I try alone to bear it free,
why then, O Lord, You see--the yoke’s on me.

                       by Pete Voelz     8/3/14

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Four Mysteries


Who are we men that made our God die so?
Who is this God that loves us through such pain?
What is this love that we can barely know?
What is this sin we did and still maintain?

We men are great, made in Your image here,
You, God, almighty in Your power there,
Your love brings goodness, truth and beauty near,
but since You’re perfect, our sin brings despair.

 Yet sin so bad is still by You forgiven,
and love so great can still be shared by grace,
and we, though broken, still can merit heaven,
and You, though hidden, still display Your face.

Sin fogs my mind from knowing each mystery,
Your love so blinding shows them clear to me.

                              by Pete Voelz     8/15/14

Friday, August 15, 2014

Priority God


There are two gods I must prioritize,
the god of me, then, God, the God of You,
small me, then You Whose name we capitalize,
one is the greater god, more real, more true.

Which do I spend more of my money on?
When others I look at, who do I see?
Who most I think about, who makes me yawn?
My time, my needs, who’s my priority?

Who made the universe, who’s more like God?
To which one do they pray, who answers prayers?
Who sets the norm, and who’s a little odd?
When people get in trouble, Lord, who cares?

When I pretend I’m God, what have I got?
Why do I think I’m You, Lord, when I’m not?

                        by Pete Voelz     8/13/14

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Her Assumption


O Mary, what a trip you made that day,
I wish I could have gone along for the ride,
to race through sky and space your heavenward way,
and share a spiritual journey at your side.

Immaculately conceived and full of grace,
Oh, simple, humble maid in Nazareth,
conversant with an angel face-to-face,
you're unlike us in maybe cheating death.

As Theotokos bearer of the Lord,
Oh Virgin Mom who raised a Godly Son,
your heart pierced by a seventh sorrowful sword,
as losing your dead crucified Boy, you won.

It would be great to go along for the ride,
if I could skip the times you almost died.

                    -- by Pete Voelz      2003

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Blest Queen


To Our Lady the Blessed Virgin Mary
on the feast of her Assumption, Aug. 15

No relics, Mary? Where’s your grave and shrine?
No incorrupted body? Where’s your tomb?
Mother of God, though you are not divine,
you only bore His Son within your womb.

Perhaps you fell asleep in your dormition,
and did not die and thus not get entombed,
Immaculately Conceived in Church tradition,
we’ve thus assumed your body was assumed.

We honor you this feast of your Assumption,
our faith--your body was drawn up above,
and loving you so much is not presumption,
Christ for His Mother has the greatest love.

The one we greatly honor, not adore,
you are our Queen enthroned forevermore.

                         by Pete Voelz     8/11/14



Tuesday, August 12, 2014

The Space of Grace


God gives me strength but also lets me be,
sometimes I pray, He showers me with grace,
yet not so much that I’m no longer free,
along with help, He always leaves me space.

God grants support to give my will some spine,
He wants to guide and yet not to control,
He knows the choice, but wants it to be mine,
we both do battle for my fickle soul.

I want what's right, my body drags me back,
it seems to want a life that's all its own,
God's only there to help take up the slack,
He wants the true me, not some godly clone.

God made me real, which means He made me free,
He leaves my fate and choices up to me.

           by Pete Voelz     2/5  (7/11)

Monday, August 11, 2014

'Twixt God and Me


What barrier stands between You, God, and me?
The only obstacle I know is I.
Between us You have cleared a path I see,
an empty space beyond a cloudless sky.

Why have You paved so clear a way to me?
and left it, Lord, so there is only I?
Between us You have made me really free
to come or go, left almost high and dry.

If space is vast 'twixt You, O God, and me,
I know there's nothing in between when I
brush close Your face to mine as spiritually
I close the tiny gap if I just try.

You’ve left it all completely up to me,
a humble glance of prayer on bended knee.

                          -- by Pete Voelz      1/04

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Cosmic Conception


The Lord created us sometime somewhere,
but how did He this fabulous gift bestow?
Did God just pull us out of empty air,
or were we lined up in some timeless row?

Made in God's image and His likeness too,
were we a part of Him before our birth?
With His look traced on us from our debut,
how special does that make our docking earth?

What light-speed zipped our arc from heaven to here,
where ranged the path of our trajectory,
what starship bore us to our parents' sphere,
what atoms felt our cosmic destiny?

Did God create me with majestic style,
or did He just conceive me with a smile?

                                  -- by Pete Voelz        8/05

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Wait for God


Why can't I wait on God, He waits for me,
so long as I keep working for what's right,
God takes His time with what I cannot see,
I trust His patience, wisdom, love and might.

God's Providence provides for everyone,
God waits on us though we don't understand,
just as our light and warmth come from the sun,
all that we have and need comes from His hand.

It's true I wait for God in work and prayer,
but most by waiting on the ones in need,
I see and serve the image that they bear,
and understand I wait on God indeed.

You use me, God, to wait on others too,
as here You wait on me waiting for You.

                          -- by Pete Voelz      10/08

Friday, August 8, 2014

Blent Faith


It’s not my faith in You I live up to,
You see the future yet have faith in me,
and it's that faith I scent as I seek You,
to set my faith with Yours in harmony.

My faith in You should be commensurate
with Yours in me as we walk hand-in-hand,
I can’t see much of Yours from where I sit,
but You can see mine plain from where You stand.

I have faith in Your faith because I trust
One Who knows me from birth until I die,
to Your great faith in me I must adjust,
at least so both of us can see me try.

My faith’s not equal to Yours without end,
I just hope, Lord, that our two faiths can blend.

                       by Pete Voelz     8/8/14

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Mostly God and Me


O God, is it mostly just You and me?
I know we often praise You in a crowd,
it helps to worship in community,
yet we meet silently more than out loud.

You steal upon me and You grab me most
when I'm alone and in the dark of night,
yet You're best in the Eucharistic Host,
still there we are alone in quiet light.

I know that You desire our public prayer,
and when I help someone I'm helping You,
yet we relate more when no one is there,
and when I pray alone it seems more true.

Created all alone, in death I'll be
with just You Three in Trinity with me.

                        -- by Pete Voelz      5/08

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Love and Mystery


I love the Father and I love the Son,
I love the human Jesus, Gospel true,
I love the Spirit and the Three in One,
but most of all, O God, I just love You.

O Trinity, I love Your mystery,
a mystery I cannot just discard,
humility is good enough for me,
Thy will be done, let not my heart be hard.*

With eyes of faith I look upon Your face,
with heartfelt hope I listen to Your voice,
You make me free and fill me full of grace,
made in Your image, I make You my choice.

No mystery can drive my love away,
my faith and love are strong through dark and day.

* Ps. 95:7-8, Heb. 3:15

                           by Pete Voelz     8/6/14

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

God In Touch


Sometimes, O God, I feel You are not there,
have You deserted me, am I alone?
I want to know, I want to feel You care,
I pray for bread, do not give me a stone.*

If love’s forever, Lord, why can’t I feel it?
If feelings come and go, does love remain?
We made a deal, I felt my feelings seal it.
What makes love real? Is unfelt love in vain?

You proved Your love, O Lord, long, long ago,
depending not on feelings, sight or touch,
Your soul commitment cannot help but show,
You ask my love by faith and trust, that much.

You made me, Lord, my little prayer You hear,
You’re there, and here, so I should have no fear.

* Luke 11:11

                    by Pete Voelz      8/5/14

Saturday, August 2, 2014

When the Spirit Speaks


O God, when does Your Holy Spirit speak?
His words divine He doesn’t try to hide.
Not from a thunder roll or lofty peak,
His voice comes like a whispering breeze inside.

He speaks in church--in homilies, hymns, and prayer,
in symbols, pictures, readings, what we do.
His voice is nature’s beauty everywhere,
His word is nature’s law, so good and true.

In Godly people we can hear His voice,
our parents, friends who lead us to good things.
He speaks in spiritual readings of our choice--
in lives of saints and Scripture His word sings.

God's Spirit softly tells us what He wants,
our conscience listens, then gives our wise response.

                         by Pete Voelz     8/2/14

Friday, August 1, 2014

God Thoughts


When I wake up at night and all is dark,
groggy at first, still wondering at a dream,
a God thought seeps in like some distant spark
that slowly struggles to become a beam.

Just as we do not plunge into the day,
but watch dawn's dim blush tint the shaded sky,
so God thoughts don't create some great display,
but sneak up with celestial alibi.

A thought forms into words and then a line,
lines and ideas join to match a beat,
the ends of lines create some awkward rhyme,
and finally--thought and poem and sleep must meet.

Strange how a whispered thought with blessings on it
ends up to sing in some abiding sonnet.

                                   -- by Pete Voelz      3/05