POVERTY

POVERTY

 

BY

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

some thoughts (pope francis)

 

FRANCIS SPOKE OUT AGAINST THE INDIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD TODAY. PEOPLE DIE OF COLD IN THE STREETS BECAUSE OF THIS INDIFFERENCE: “IF IN SO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO HAVE NOTHING TO EAT, THAT'S NOT NEWS, IT SEEMS NORMAL. IT CANNOT BE THIS WAY! YET THESE THINGS BECOME THE NORM: THAT SOME HOMELESS PEOPLE DIE OF COLD ON THE STREETS IS NOT NEWS. IN CONTRAST, A TEN POINT DROP ON THE STOCK MARKETS OF SOME CITIES IS A TRAGEDY. A PERSON DYING IS NOT NEWS, BUT IF THE STOCK MARKETS DROP TEN POINTS IT IS A TRAGEDY! THUS PEOPLE ARE DISPOSED OF, AS IF THEY WERE TRASH. CONSUMERISM HAS LED US TO BECOME USED TO AN EXCESS AND DAILY WASTE OF FOOD, TO WHICH, AT TIMES, WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO GIVE A JUST VALUE, WHICH GOES WELL BEYOND MERE ECONOMIC PARAMETERS,” (POPE FRANCIS)

 

 

 

 

ONE OF THE MOST PERSISTENT HERESIES ESPECIALLY IN MODERN TIMES IS THE SEPARATION OF FAITH FROM DAILY LIFE

 

IT INFECTS EVERYONE FROM CLERICS HIDING PEDERASTY, POLITICIANS WHO PUT BEING REELECTED OVER MORAL JUDGMENTS, DOWN TO YOU AND I

 

 

AN ECONOMIST HAS SAID IN RESPONSE TO THE POPE’S STATEMENT

THAT CAPITALISM CAN CURE POVERTY

I ASK IF THAT IS SO WHY DOES IT STILL EXIST

IS IT BECAUSE OF LACK OF WILL.

 

 

THOSE IN CHARGE ARE COMMITTED TO THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE.

 

ALL OF US ARE DESTINED TO ASK THE QUESTION

WHEN WERE YOU HUNGRY

NAKED OR POOR

 

CAN WE LIVE WITH THE ANSWER

 

 

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THE GORILLA AND THE CAT

THE TEACHING STORY GOES

SOMETHING LIKE THIS

THERE WAS A GORILLA

AND HER CHILD

WHO WENT TO THE WATERHOLE FOR A DRINK

WHILE THERE THEY HEARD A THUNDERING SOUND

AS A HERD OF HIPPOS STAMPEDED

FRIGHTENED THE CHILD REACHED FOR HER MOTHER

GRASPING THE FUR ON HER BODY

SHE CLAMBERED ABOARD

MOTHER AND CHILD SCURRIED TO SAFETY

THERE WAS A CAT

ALONE

AT HOME WITH HER KITTEN

A FIRE BROKE OUT

SHE GRABBED HER KITTEN

BY THE SCRUFF OF ITS NECK

CARRYING KITTEN

SHE JUMPED OUT THE WINDOW TO SAFETY

THE MORAL OF THE STORY

IS TO WHAT IS

AND ISN’T

GOD’S GRACE FOR HIS CREATION

GOD’S LOVE FOR HIS CHILDREN

IN THE GORILLA STORY

THE CHILD ASKS FOR HELP

THE MOTHER RESPONDS

IN THE CAT STORY

MOTHER GRABS THE CHILD

AND FLEES

THE CHILD IS NOT CONSULTED

THE CAT STORY

IS GIVEN TO US AS A MODEL OF GOD’S GRACE

AND IT BOTHERS ME

IT IS TRUE THAT GOD’S GRACE

IS ALWAYS CALLING US TO GOODNESS

AND GOD’S GRACE SUSTAINS US IN GOODNESS

BUT IS WE HAVE NO CHOICE

AS THE KITTEN DOESN’T

WE ARE ROBOTS

I DON’T THINK GOD WANTS ROBOT LOVE

BUT FREELY SAYING

I WILL

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

THAT IS ME

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

TRYING TO SOAR

WITH FEET STUCK IN THE MUD

THIS UNIQUE BLEND OF CONTRADICTIONS

GIVEN FREEDOM OF CHOICE

THIS PERSON LOVED BY GOD

TO THE POINT OF DEATH

ASKS ME TO BE THE PERSON

HE CREATED ME

TO BE

SO TO ME

THERE MUST BE A I WILL MOMENT

GOD ENCOURAGES ME

TO THE MOMENT OF DECISION

THE I WILL MOMENT

GOD SUSTAINS ME

 AFTER THE I WILL MOMENT

BUT IN THE I WILL MOMENT

THE CHOICE IS MINE

I CAN RAISE MY HANDS FOR HELP

OR I CAN RUN AWAY

IT SEEMS TO ME

THAT THERE IS AN ENDLESS SUCCESSION 

OF DECISION MAKING

LIKE AN ELECTRIC LIGHT

THE POWER IS THERE

THE SWITCH MUST BE THROWN

IF GOD FORCED THE DECISION

THEN WHY HASN’T HE FORCED THE DECISION

EVERYWHERE

SHOULD THERE BE POVERTY

HUNGER

WAR

IF GOD COULD FORCE GOODNESS

WHERE THEN IS FREE WILL

AND LOVE FREELY GIVEN

I DO NOT CLAIM TO BE RIGHT

BUT QUESTING

PERHAPS I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS

OR INSIGHT

KNOCK AND IT SHALL BE OPENED

ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE

THEY REQUIRE

AN I WILL MOMENT

A LEAPING INTO THE DARKNESS

TRUSTING

THAT GOD WILL CATCH US

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SOCIAL GOSPEL (JOHN 3:16)

THE SOCIAL GOSPEL

IS NOT AN APPENDAGE

TO CHRISTIANITY

BUT THE ESSENCE OF IT

WE LABOR OVER THE DIFFERENCES

BUT DO NOT REMEMBER
THE COMMON THREAD

THROUGH OUT THE TESTAMENTS

LOVE GOD

LOVE NEIGHBOR

WHEN CHRIST WAS TASKED

TO GIVE THE FINAL SACRIFICE

HE WENT

THOUGH HE WAS AFRAID

HE WENT

ALONG WITH THE OTHER PROPHETS

PROCLAIMING GOOD NEWS

TO ALL PEOPLE

NOT REGARDING
SOCIAL STATUS

INTELLIGENCE

WEALTH OR POVERTY

POWER OR IMPOTENCE

WE SHOULD REMEMBER ONLY

THAT CHRIST HAS DIED FOR ALL

THEREFORE EVERYMAN
HAS DIGNITY

IS ENTITLED TO ALL
THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE

TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR

WITHOUT HUNGER

WITHOUT THIRST FOR CLEAN WATER

TO SEE HIS CHILDREN THRIVE

SLEEP IN A WARM BED

HAVE A FUTURE

A MINISTER HAS RECENTLY SAID

THAT HE EXPECTS

TO SEE GANDHI IN HEAVEN

WHICH CREATED A FIRESTORM

AMONG THOSE CHRISTIANS

WHO SAY

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
THERE IS NO SALVATION

THEIR IDEA OF CHURCH

IS SO NARROW

THAT IT PUTS A LIE

TO JOHN 3:16

THAT GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD

HE SENT HIS SON 

TO DIE FOR IT

WHERE DID THESE
GATEKEEPERS OF THE KINGDOM

GET THE POWER

TO BUILD A FENCE

AROUND THOSE

WHOM CHRIST WOULD SAVE

GOD’S CHURCH

IS BIGGER THAN CREED

GOD’S CHURCH IS BUILT

ON THE SOCIAL GOSPEL

WE WILL BE JUDGED
BY OUR CONDUCT

WE WOULD DO BETTER

TO BUILD THE KINGDOM

THE WAY GOD WANTS

RATHER

THAN RESTRICT MEMBERSHIP

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Skolops

WHEN PAUL

SPOKE OF A THORN IN HIS SIDE

HE USED THE GREEK WORD SKOLOPS

WHICH AT ITS ROOT MEANS SHARPENED STICK

LIKE SPEAR OR STAKE FOR IMPALEMENT

MUCH MORE THAN THORN

HE DID NOT MEAN

A TAG ON YOUR CLOTHES

THAT BOTHERS YOU

OR A PIN LEFT IN A NEW SHIRT

A REAL PROD

THAT HE PRAYED TO BE RID OF

TO NO AVAIL

JUST AS ALL OF US HAVE PRODS

THAT WE PRAY TO BE RID OF

TO NO AVAIL

TO BE RID OF THESE PRODS

WOULD DENY US THE JOY OF LIVING

BUT THERE ARE OTHER PRODS

TO THE BODY OF CHRIST

FAMINE IN AFRICA

POVERTY IN LATIN AMERICA

BILLIONS IN WEAPONRY

PENNIES FOR MEDICINE

RACIAL HATRED OR BLINDNESS

AFTER TWO THOUSAND YEARS

WE SHOULD BE DOING BETTER

WILL GOD’S HEART WOUND EVER HEAL

IF WE STAB IT CONTINUALLY

IF WE PAY NO HEED TO HIS TEACHING

WHAT YOU DO TO THE LEAST OF YOUR BRETHREN

THAT YOU DO UNTO ME

PROD US FATHER

MAY YOUR KINGDOM COME

NOW

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

 

.

WTC (Matthew 18:21-35)

WTC 

THOUGHTS OF 9-11 ON CHRISTMAS MORNING

WHEN THE STORIES FELL

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

WHAT STORIES TO TELL

UNTOLD

UNSUNG THE SONG

THAT WAS YET TO BE SUNG

UNWOVEN THE LIFE TO BE LED

AND IN THE SILENCE

THAT FOLLOWED THE ROAR

THE ECHO OF NAMES

MY LAI

AUSCHWITZ

BIAFRA

SUDAN

THE STARVING MOTHER

SUCKLING HER CHILD

WITH A TEAT GONE DRY

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

AGAINST A TEAT

GONE DRY

WHAT CHILD IS THIS

WHO LAID TO REST

BY GUNFIRE'S RHYTHMIC CHATTER

ALL IS CALM

ALL IS BRIGHT

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR YOU HERE

HEROD'S MEN WILL SEARCH YOU DOWN

DON'T COME

DON'T COME

EMMANUEL

IN THE BLEAK MID WINTER

DO NOT COME

THE LULLABY

OF NAMES CONTINUES

JIM CROW

BIRMINGHAM

SELMA

MARTIN LUTHER KING

COME ALL YE FAITHFUL COME

PASSING HOMELESS IN THE STREETS

SHUT THE INN

THEY CANNOT COME IN

THEY HAVE NOT HEARD THE ANGELS SING

WE STAND AROUND AN EMPTY CRIB

WONDERING WHERE THE BABY IS

HE IS NOT HERE

HE IS RESTING ON HIS MOTHER'S BREAST

AGAINST A TEAT GONE DRY

HAVE I NOT SUNG THIS SONG BEFORE

BUT NEVER WITH SUCH MIXED EMOTIONS

OH COME LORD JESUS

FOR WITHOUT YOU

THERE IS NO JOY AT ALL

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR SO MANY

WHERE SHALL I FIND FOOD FOR MYSELF

HOW SHALL I TURN SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS

BUT CHRIST IS BORN AGAIN

LIKE WHEAT THAT SPRINGETH GREEN

LIKE A ROSE THAT BLOOMS IN WINTER

ON A TENDER BOUGH

I SHALL NAME A NEW NAME

FORGIVENESS

I SHALL SING TO THE HUNGRY CHILD

A WORD THAT WILL NOURISH HIM

FOR TODAY

I WILL TRY TO FORGIVE MY ENEMY

AS YOU HAVE FORGIVEN ME

 WHEN I FALTER

LET ME HEAR

THE WORDS OF THE LULLABY

HUNGER

POVERTY

BIGOTRY

COME LORD JESUS

COME AGAIN

BRING THE WHEAT

AND GENTLE RAIN

COME AGAIN

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