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