Sunday, March 31, 2013

TAP...TAP

TAP-TAP
 
IN THE CHURCH
WHERE I ATTENDED TENEBRAE
ON GOOD FRIDAY
THERE WAS A CEREMONY
 
IT BEGAN WHEN WE ENTERED THE CHURCH
WE WERE GIVEN A SMALL SQUARE OF BLACK PAPER
AND TOLD IT REPRESENTED OUR SINS
 
AS WE ENTERED THE NAVE
WE HAD TO PASS
A BIG
UNADORNED
WOODEN
CROSS
 
AS THE SERVICE PROGRESSED
LIGHTS DIMMING
CANDLES GOING OUT
WE REACHED THE CRUCIFIXION
WE WERE THEN ENCOURAGED
TO NAIL OUR SINS TO THE CROSS
 
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP…..TAP
 
NOW MOST OF OUR SINS
ARE HOUSEHOLD SINS
FEW WOULD SHOCK
A FATHER CONFESSOR
 
MOST OF OUR SINS
ARE THE RESULT OF SHEER STUPIDITY
WE MADE THE WRONG DECISION
FEW OF US ARE DELIBERATELY EVIL
 
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP…..TAP

 
WE PRAY
IN YOUR COMPASSION
FORGIVE US OUR SINS
KNOWN AND UNKNOWN
THINGS WE HAVE DONE
THINGS WE HAVE FAILED TO DO
 
OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
THREE REFER TO GOD
THE OTHER SEVEN
REFER TO OUR NEIGHBOR
 
CHRIST HAS SAID
WHATEVER YOU DO TO THE LEAST
YOU DO UNTO ME
 
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP…..TAP
 
THE SOCIAL GOSPEL
IS NOT AN ADDENDUM
TO THE GOSPEL
IT IS THE GOSPEL
 
HOW WE TREAT THE POOR
IS GOSPEL
HOW WE TREAT THE IMMIGRANT
 IS GOSPEL
HOW WE TREAT THE SEXUALLY DIFFERENT
IS GOSPEL
HOW WE TREAT THOSE WHO ARE DIFFERENT
IS GOSPEL
 
WHEN A POVERELLO
WITHOUT CLEAN WATER
AND LIVES IN A SHED
ASKS
WHAT HAPPENED TO GOD’S PLAN FOR ME
WHAT IS OUR ANSWER
 
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP…..TAP

 
THESE
AND OTHERS
ARE OUR SECRET SINS
ONCE WE RECOGNIZE THEM
WE NEED TO REPENT
 
WHEN I GO TO HEAVEN
AND THE RECORDING ANGEL
ASKS ME
WHY I WASN’T GREAT LIKE ABRAHAM
I’LL REPLY
I DIDN’T HAVE HIS GREAT VISION
 
WHEN HE ASKS ME
WHY I WASN’T GREAT LIKE MOSES
I’LL REPLY
I DIDN’T HAVE GREAT LEADERSHIP ABILITY
 
WHEN HE ASKS ME
WHY I
WASN’T AS GREAT AS I COULD BE
I HAVE NO ANSWER
 
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP
TAP-TAP…….TAP-TAP…..TAP
 
 
FRANK A VOLLMER


Sunday, March 24, 2013

longinus

LONGINUS


THEY SAY HIS NAME WAS LONGINUS
IF THEY KNEW HIS NAME AT ALL
IF HE EXISTED AT ALL

THE NAME MEANS SPEAR
HE WAS NOTED FOR PIERCING CHRIST’S SIDE
WITH A SPEAR
AND HIS DECLARATION OF FAITH
AT CHRIST’S DEATH
NOW THE CENTURION WAS A MAN OF DEATH
SOLDIERS DO NOT EXIST FOR PEACE
BUT FOR THE KEEPING OF PEACE
OFTEN BY BRUTAL METHODS

TO THEM THE END JUSTIFIED THE MEANS

TO THEM DYING WELL
HAD AN ALMOST MYSTICAL MEANING
TO THEM CHRIST HAD DIED WELL

THEY WERE USED TO THE CONDEMNED
CURSING AND SWEARING
PLEADING FOR MERCY
CRYING FOR THEIR MOTHER

BUT NOT CHRIST

THAT
WITH THE EARTHQUAKE

AND OMINOUS
BOILING DARKENING SKY



RAGING WIND
THAT RIPPED THE TEMPLE VEIL
PROMPTS HIS AWESTRUCK CRY
TRULY
THIS WAS A SON OF GOD


FRANK A VOLLMER

Monday, March 18, 2013

simon

SIMON
 
 
HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO THE TEMPLE
WEARING HIS BEST GOING TO THE TEMPLE CLOTHES
WHEN HIS WAY WAS BLOCKED
 
A POOR MAN
CARRYING A CROSS
TO HIS DEATH
 
HAD FALLEN
THE SOLDIERS
WERE WHIPPING HIM TO RISE
 
CLEVER
 
WHEN HE DIDN’T
A SOLDIER LOOKED INTO THE CROWD
 
PERHAPS
 BECAUSE I WAS DRESSED
BETTER THAN MOST
 
HE PICKED ME
 
YOU THERE
BLACK MAN
CARRY HIS CROSS
 
NOW IN THE LAND WE LIVED IN
SOLDIERS CARRIED ABOUT THEM
THE STINK OF DEATH
 
IF I DIDN’T HELP THE MAN
I’D BE DEAD
AND THEY’D PICK ANOTHER
 
THEY PUT THE CROSS ON OUR SHOULDERS
BUT I CARRIED IT IN SUCH A WAY
PROTECTING MY CLOTHES
THAT I PUT THE BURDEN ON HIM
HE FELL

 
THEY PUT THE CROSS ON MY SHOULDER
LETTING THE UNFORTUNATE ONE WALK
TOTTER REALLY
FOR SOON HE FELL AGAIN
 
I WAS ANGRY
BECAUSE MY CLOTHES WERE RUINED
 
I WAS ANGRY
BECAUSE MY VISIT TO THE TEMPLE WAS RUINED
 
I A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MAN
FORCED TO HELP
PERHAPS SOME COMMON CRIMINAL
 
BUT AS HE FELL
HE LOOKED AT ME
AND I THOUGHT I HEARD
WHISPERING IN MY EAR
 
TZA'AR BA'ALEI CHAYIM
ANIMALS AND MAN
SHOULD NOT SUFFER NEEDLESSLY
 
DOES YOUR PRAYERS HAVE MEANING
DOES YOUR FAITH HAVE MEANING
 
I HEARD IT IN SPITE OF THE CROWD NOISE
BUT NO ONE WAS NEAR
 
I PUT THE CROSS DOWN
AND WENT TO HELP HIM
FEARING THE WHIP
 
THERE WAS NO CLEAN WAY TO HELP HIM
HE WAS COVERED WITH BLOOD
SPIT
ANIMAL DUNG
 
I EMBRACED HIM WHOLLY
AND LIFTED HIM TO HIS FEET
THE CIRCLET OF THORNS ON HIS HEAD
CATCHING MY CLOTHES

 
WHEN WE REACHED THE PLACE OF EXECUTION
THE SOLDIERS SAID BEAT IT
I DID
 
SOME WOMEN SOUGHT ME OUT
AND THANKED ME
 
I DIDN’T THINK I HAD DONE ANYTHING NOBLE
BUT AFTER MY IRRITATION HAD VANISHED
JUST HELPING ANOTHER BEING
 
 
FRANK A VOLLMER

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

KADDISH

KADDISH

THE ESSENCE OF KADDISH
IS
THAT GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE
GOOD TIMES AND BAD
BRIGHT DAYS OR BLEAK
SUNNY DAYS OR RAIN
GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE

EVEN WHEN GOD IS SILENT
APPEARS DISINTERESTED

THERE ARE THOSE
WHO SAY
THAT GOD WILL BESTIR HIMSELF
AT MAN’S SEXUAL MORES
AT HIS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
BUT THE WHOLESALE SLAUGHTER OF HIS CHILDREN
LEAVES HIM QUIET

THE ROOT OF THE WORD
IS ARAMAIC
IT MEANS
HOLY
SEPARATE
SET APART

AFTER TWO THOUSAND YEARS OF SORROW
AT CHRISTIAN HANDS
ONE CAN ONLY STAND IN AWE
AT THEIR LOYALTY
TO G-D

THAT INSPIRES THEM

IN THEIR DEEPEST SORROW TO SAY

Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name

throughout the world which He has created

according to His will.

May He establish His kingdom

in your lifetime and during your days,

and within the life of the entire House of Israel,

speedily and soon; and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded

be the name of the Holy One,

blessed be He,

beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us

and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights,

may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.


FRANK A VOLLMER

Thursday, March 7, 2013

teach us to pray




FATHER

MOTHER

PARENT

PROGENITOR



JEALOUS GOD

WHO WILL NOT SHARE

 HIS CELESTIAL THRONE

WITH ANOTHER



WHO DOES NOT HONOR

RANK

WEALTH

POWER

BUT ONLY THE CONTENTS

OF ONE’S HEART



LIKE A PARENT

HE FINDS ALL HIS CHILDREN

EQUAL



MAY YOUR NAME BE KEPT HOLY

FROM PROFANE TRAFFIC



AND HYPOCRISY

FROM THOSE

WHO HAVE YOUR NAME ON THEIR LIPS

BUT NOT IN THEIR HEARTS



MAY WE APPROACH YOUR SECRET NAME

LIKE MOSES AND THE BUSH

WHERE YOU CALL YOURSELF

I AM



MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME

WE PRAY IT OFTEN

IF IT’S AN UNREACHABLE GOAL

WE SHOULD STOP DOING IT

WE DON’T NEED PIE IN THE SKY



BUT GOD HAS GIVEN US THE PRAYER

IT MUST BE TRUE AND ATTAINABLE

HE DOESN’T LIE



GIVE US TODAY

BREAD FOR TODAY



REMEMBERING

THAT WHEN ALL OUR NEEDS ARE MET

THE NEEDS OF THE POOR

SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED

AND ACTED ON



FORGIVE US OUR SINS

OF OMISSION

AND COMMISSION

IN RESPONSE TO YOUR GENEROSITY

MY WE FORGIVE

THOSE WHO HAVE HARMED US



DELIVER US FROM EVIL

CAUSED BY OUR PROPENSITY TO SIN

GIVE US GRACE

TO FIGHT OUR LOWER NATURE

WITHOUT IT WE CANNOT COPE



REMAND US AS A PARENT

LOVE US AS A FATHER

SCHOOL US IN THE RIGHT WAY TO LIVE



AMEN

SO BE IT

AMEN





FRANK A VOLLMER