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