Monday, October 20, 2014

REFORMATION (Matthew 22:34-46)

REFORMATION  (Matthew 22:34-46)





I’VE BEEN READING ABOUT THE REFORMATION

THE MORNING STARS THAT PRECEDED IT

LIKE HUS AND WYCLIFFE

ABOUT NOBLES WHO KEPT A HOUSE PRIEST
WHO AFTER DALLYING WITH THEIR MISTRESS
WOULD CONFESS
 BE RIGHT AGAIN

ABOUT HOW MANY MOVEMENTS
BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
CALLED FOR ITS RETURN
TO EARLY POVERTY

SO THAT CHURCH LIFE
MIGHT MORE CLOSELY RESEMBLE  
PEOPLE’S LIFE

AND BE TAUGHT THEM IN A LANGUAGE
THEY COULD UNDERSTAND

BUT AFTER THE BREAK
ARE WE ANY BETTER

DO WE LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR
AS OURSELVES
IF HE IS DIFFERENT

IN FAITH
RACE
NATIONALITY

DO WE PREACH LOVE
 PRACTICE HATRED

IF CHRIST CAME
WOULD WE KILL HIM FOR BEING A JEW

AS WE KILLED SIX MILLION CHRISTS

AND THE CHURCH WAS SILENT

 MILLIONS OF AFRICANS
ARE DYING NOW
SO FEW CARE

WE’D RATHER INVADE A COUNTRY FOR OIL

BUT WHEN CHURCH AND STATE ARE JOINED
WE HAVE LUTHER BETRAYING THE PEASANTS

OR COUNSELING THE PRINCE
TO PRACTICE ADULTERY
QUIETLY

AND FINALLY
AGREEING TO DIVORCE

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE BROKEN LANDSCAPE
OF THE CHURCH

EACH ONE LOOKING AT THE SHATTERED SHARD
OF THE MIRROR

SAYING
THEIRS IS THE TRUE REFLECTION

HOW MANY FACES HAS THE TRUTH

BUT ALMOST FROM THE BEGINNING
WE’VE HAD DISSENSION

WE’VE HAD
PAUL VERSUS PETER
JEW VERSUS GENTILE
PURE VERSUS IMPURE FOOD

WOULD NOT A BETTER LITMUS TEST BE
NOT WHAT WE BELIEVE
BUT WHAT WE DO

DOES KNOWING THE HYPOSTATIC UNION
MAKE ONE HOLY
IS IT NOT BETTER
TO LIVE THE WORD


AND WHAT IS THAT WORD
WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

LOVE GOD
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
THE REST IS COMMENTARY

Saturday, October 18, 2014

LUTHER A PLAYLET

LUTHER - ISAIAH 55, 1-13



WHEN I WAS A LAD
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY
WHEN I WAS A CHILD LIKE YOU
I HAD BEEN TAUGHT
I HAD BEEN TOTALLY TAUGHT
BY THE LEARNED PEOPLE OF THAT TIME
PRIESTS IN THE PULPIT
PARENTS IN THE HOME
TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL
BY THE TIME I WAS A YOUNG MAN
I HAD BEEN TAUGHT
THAT GOD HATED SIN
 THEREFORE GOD HATED ME

I WAS AFRAID OF GOD
I WAS TRAPPED LIKE AN ANIMAL
TRAPPED IN A ROOM WITH MOVABLE WALLS
TRAPPED IN A ROOM WHOSE WALLS HAD VOICES

ONE WALL CRIED OUT
CAN YOU BE FREE FROM SIN

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
                      (LIKE A MOAN)
(congregation join the choir)



ANOTHER
IS THERE A DAY OF JUDGMENT
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 
                                (LIKE A HISS)
(congregation join the choir)



ANOTHER
IS GOD INDIFFERENT TO SIN
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO    
                   (LIKE A MOAN)
(congregation join the choir)


ANOTHER
WILL YOU BE DAMMED FOR YOUR SINS
 YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS5      
                            (LIKE A HISS)
(congregation join the choir)

 OVER MY HEAD

LIKE THE SOUND OF THUNDER
WAS WHAT I WAS TOLD
WAS GOD'S VOICE
CRYING
VENGEANCE IS MINE
VENGEANCE IS MINE      
(BEATING ON TRASH CAN LID)

VENGEANCE IS MINE
VENGEANCE IS MINE      
(BEATING ON TRASH CAN LID)





THERE WAS NO ESCAPE
THE ROOM KEPT GETTING SMALLER
AND SMALLER
THE VOICES LOUDER AND LOUDER
THE THUNDER STRONGER AND STRONGER
TILL I CRIED OUT
GOD MY GOD
WHY DO YOU HAVE
SUCH AN ANGRY HATEFUL FACE     (LOUD BANG)

I FELL ON THE FLOOR
EXPECTING TO PLUNGE
INTO THE PIT OF HELL
AND NOTHING HAPPENED
THE EARTH DID NOT SWALLOW ME UP
RATHER IT PRESSED BACK
GOD'S LOVE PRESSED BACK
THEN I HEARD A SONG
 I HEARD IN THAT SONG
THE VOICES OF CHILDREN
THE VOICES OF CHILDREN
SINGING TO ME
TELLING ME WHY
THE EARTH HAD PRESSED BACK


SONG (TO BE SUNG SEVERAL TIMES)

(song to be supplied by frank vollmer)

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS
NOT LIKE YOURS
NOT LIKE YOURS
MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS
I FORGIVE ALL SINS

I HAD MADE THE MISTAKE
OF TRYING TO CREATE GOD
IN MY IMAGE

I DID NOT REMEMBER
NOR HAD BEEN TAUGHT
THAT I WAS HIS CREATION
FRAIL AND IMPERFECT
BUT STILL LOVED BY HIM
AS A PARENT WILL ALWAYS LOVE A CHILD
NO MATTER HOW IMPERFECT

I HAVE LIVED MANY YEARS
SINCE THAT DAY
WHEN I FORGET THAT LESSON
THE WALL PRESS IN
WHEN I REMEMBER
THE WALLS RETREAT
NOT GONE COMPLETELY
FOR I AM NOT PERFECT
BUT THE SONG HELPS
WOULD YOU SING IT TO ME AGAIN


SONG                (TO BE SUNG SEVERAL TIMES)

MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS
NOT LIKE YOURS
NOT LIKE YOURS
MY THOUGHTS AND WORDS ARE NOT LIKE YOURS
I FORGIVE ALL SINS


Frank a vollmer

Saturday, October 11, 2014

MOMENTO MORI

MOMENTO MORI



I’VE HAD A BRIEF VISIT WITH DEATH
HE STOPS BY OCCASIONALLY
TO REMIND ME OF MY PLACE

LIKE A FRIEND
WHO WALKS BESIDE THE EMPEROR
AT HIS CORONATION
WHISPERING IN HIS EAR
REMEMBER YOU MUST DIE

HE IS NOT VORACIOUS
IN HIS GATHERING OF SOULS
HE IS NOT LIKE SATAN
GOING ABOUT
SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR


HIS AIM
IS TO REMIND YOU
THAT ALL THINGS MUST END

HE IS NOT RSPONSIBLE
FOR THE WAY WE DIE

SOME WEAR OUT
SOME UNTIMELY RIPPED FROM LIFE’S FABRIC

HE COMES
AS A COMFORTER
THOUGH NOT ALWAYS RECOGNIZED AS SUCH

HE PROMISES PEACE
AN END TO SUFFERING
 AN END TO THE MANY MISTAKES WE MAKE

BUT HIS MAIN TASK
IS TO REMIND US
WE LEAVE LIFE
EMPTY HANDED

FRANK A VOLLMER

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