PARABLES

 SOME SAY JOSEPH AND JESUS

WERE CARPENTERS

WHICH BRINGS TO MIND

A MIDDLE CLASS HOME

WITH A SHOP OUT FRONT

PERHAPS WITH A SIGN

THAT SAYS

JOSEPH AND SON

MAKER OF EASY YOKES

SOME SAY HE WAS NOT

I TEND TO AGREE

NOT OUT OF SOME SCHOLAR DISCOVERY

BUT LIFE EXPERIENCE

I SPENT MOST OF MY WORK LIFE

AS AN AIRCRAFT WORKER

WE SPOKE A JARGON

WHICH A NEW EMPLOYEE

FOUND DIFFICULT

BUT WE SPOKE WHAT WE KNEW

READING THE SCRIPTURES

WE FIND

PARABLE OF THE SOWER………FARMING

PARABLE OF THE TARES AND WHEAT……………FARMING

PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED………FARMING

PARABLE OF THE TENANTS…………….FARMING

PARABLE OF THE YEAST…………..DOMESTIC LIFE

PARABLE OF THE LOST COIN………….DOMESTIC LIFE

PARABLE OF THE TREASURE IN A FIELD……….POOR MAN’S DREAM

PARABLE OF THE PEARL……………….POOR MAN’S DREAM

PARABLE OF THE FISH AND THEIR SORTING……………..FISHING

PARABLE OF LAZARUS THE BEGGAR…………HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW

PARABLE OF THE VINEYARD WORKERS……………..INJUSTICE IN THE WORKPLACE

THESE AND OTHERS SEEM TO SAY FARM BOY

DAY LABORER

HANDYMAN

JACK OF ALL TRADES

THERE WERE MORE OF THEM IN PALESTINE

THAN MIDDLE CLASS

WHEN JOSEPH AND JESUS LIVED

JESUS CAME TO EXPERIENCE

FULL HUMANITY

THEN WHERE ELSE

WOULD HE GO

THAN TO THE VERY BOTTOM

WHERE SUN RARELY PEAKS THROUGH

AND LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS STRUGGLE

WHERE ONE COULD WORK ALL HIS LIFE

AND DIE POOR

WHETHER JESUS WAS A CARPENTER

OR NOT

DOESN’T MATTER

WHAT MATTERS

IS WHEN WE SEE

 MIGRANT FARM WORKERS

OR

DAY LABORERS

OUTSIDE OF HOME DEPOT

OR LOWES

THEY TOO WERE SAVED BY CHRIST

CREATED IN GOD’S IMAGE

BLESSED WITH DIGNITY

AND HONOR

YOU SHALL NOT HOLD A DAY LABORER’S WAGES

TILL THE NEXT DAY

YOU SHALL NOT HOLD BACK A MAN’S DIGNITY

TILL A BETTER TIME

FRANK A VOLLMER

WHEAT AND TARES (Matthew 13:36-43)

IN THE PARABLE OF WHEAT AND TARES

THE TARES ARE DARNEL

WHICH CLOSELY RESEMBLES WHEAT

IN ITS EARLY STAGES

JESUS SAYS

LEAVE THEM

WE WILL SORT THEM OUT AT HARVEST

IN THE PLANT WORLD

WHEAT IS WHEAT

DARNEL IS DARNEL

IN THE HUMAN WORLD

UPRIGHT ONES CAN FALL

FALLEN ONES CAN RISE

PATIENCE IS ASKED OF THE GOOD

REPENTANCE IS ASKED OF THE SINNER

UNTIL THE HARVEST

SIMILARLY

DIFFERENCE OF OPINION

DOES NOT MAKE AN ENEMY

BRUTAL ENFORCEMENT OF OPINIONS DO

NO MATTER WHO DOES THEM

IN THE MEANTIME

SAINTS IN THE GARDEN

MUST WORK WITH THE WHEAT

TO SUSTAIN THEM

WORK WITH THE TARES

TO CHANGE THEM

TO NOT DESPAIR

UNDER THE HOT SUN

FOR GOD’S PURPOSE WILL PREVAIL

FRANK A VOLLMER

THE SOWER (Matt 13:3-23; Mk 4:2-20; Lk 8:4-15 )

 THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS

TRA-LA

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS

HE FLUNG THEM HIGH

HE FLUNG THEM LOW

HE FLUNG THEM WIDE

HE FLUNG THEM NEAR

TRA-LA

SOME FELL ON HARD GROUND

LIKE A TAMPED DOWN PATH

COULD NOT ROOT AND DIED

WHOSE FAULT

TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT

IN WHICH NOTHING THRIVES

LIKE KEEPING A CHILD ALIVE IN THE WOMB

IGNORING IT THE REST OF ITS LIFE

WHILE BIRDS DEVOURED ITS SUBSTANCE

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEED

PRODIGAL IN HIS SOWING

THOSE WHO FAILED TO THRIVE

BECAUSE OF PERSONAL FAULTS

DESERVE THEIR FATE

BUT THOSE WHO FAILED TO THRIVE

BECAUSE OTHERS FAILED TO PREPARE THE FIELD

OR MADE THE FIELD UNFRUITFUL

WITH ROCKS AND THORNS NOT REMOVED

WHO SINS FOR NOT THRIVING

THE SEED

OR THOSE WHO ILL PREPARED THE FIELD

BY EITHER NEGLIGENCE

OR DELIBERATE

LIKE A CHILD

BORN POOR

WHO DIES HUNGRY

DO WE BLAME THE CHILD

FOR FAILING TO THRIVE

LIKE A CHILD BORN

TO A RACE THAT IS HATED

WHO NEVER BLOOMS

FOR LACK OF LIGHT

WHO’S TO BLAME

FOR SEED FAILURE

IN EVEN GOOD LAND

WHEN FEW CONTROL MOISTURE

AND FIELDS GO DRY

WE’RE TOLD

THERE WILL BE A RECKONING

WHY NOT NOW

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS

TRA-LA

THE SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEEDS

HE FLUNG THEM HIGH

HE FLUNG THEM LOW

HE FLUNG THEM WIDE

HE FLUNG THEM NEAR

TRA-LA

FRANK A VOLLMER

(Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6) LOCUSTS AND WILD HONEY

HIS DIET

WAS LOCUSTS

AND WILD HONEY

MANY EUROPEANS

TURN THEIR NOSE UP

AT THE LOCUSTS

BUT IN HIS DAY

AND CULTURE

LOCUST AND HONEY

WERE A MEAL FOR THE POOR

THE VERY POOR

WHO COULD SCAVENGE FOR IT

IN THE WILDERNESS

IT WAS THE VERY POOR

AND POOR

THAT JOHN PREACHED TO

THE MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION

THE PEASANTS

ROUGH TREATED HUMANS

CREATE

A ROUGH RELIGION

SO JOHN SPOKE TO THEM ROUGHLY

BUT IN HIS HEART

HE WAS LIKE A PARENT DISCIPLINING HIS CHILD

WHAT MUST WE DO THEY CRIED

SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE

CLOTHING

FOOD

BE HONEST IN YOUR WORK

BE HONORABLE

IN YOUR DEALING WITH OTHERS

BE A CHILD OF ABRAHAM

REMEMBER

BEING A CHILD OF ABRAHAM

GAINS YOU NOTHING

IF YOUR ACTIONS ARE UNWORTHY

OF BEING ABRAHAM’S CHILD

JOHN WASN’T A DIPLOMAT

HE WAS BEHEADED

NEITHER WAS JESUS

HE WAS CRUCIFIED

BUT BEFORE THAT

JESUS

WITH A DAWNING SENSE OF VOCATION

JOINED JOHN’S

RENEWAL MOVEMENT

HE WAS BAPTIZED

GOING DOWN INTO THE WATER

LIKE THE RED SEA

COMING UP A MEMBER

DEDICATED TO CHANGE

FROM THE SLAVERY OF THE OLD

TO THE FREEDOM OF THE NEW

BY THE TIME JOHN DIED

JESUS HAD BRANCHED OUT ON HIS OWN

JOHN WAS A GOOD FRONTMAN

BUT JESUS THOUGHT

HE PREACHED

AN ANGRY GOD

HIS CONCEPT WAS DIFFERENT

HE BELIEVED GOD LOVED HIS CREATION

WANTED WHAT WAS BEST FOR HIS CREATION

WHO WOULD

THOUGH HE DIDN’T KNOW IT AT THE TIME

DIE FOR HIS CREATION

JESUS WAS A PEASANT

HIS FATHER WAS A TEKTON

A DAY LABORER

HE SHARED WITH OTHER PEASANTS

A NATURAL DISTASTE

FOR CHURCH

AND STATE

BOTH IN HIS MIND

WANTED TO KEEP HIM DOWN

AND TAKE HIS MONEY

HE SAID TO HIS FELLOW PEASANTS

YOU HAVE DIGNITY

WHICH CANNOT BE TAKEN AWAY

YOU HAVE BEEN CREATED BY GOD IN HIS IMAGE

WALK PROUDLY

HOLD UP YOUR HEAD

YOU ARE

EACH OF YOU

GOD’S FAVORITE

WHICH WAS WHY

WHEN HE ENTERED THE TEMPLE

WHEN HE SAW THE GOUGING OF THE POOR

HE BECAME INCENSED

AND IN A HOLY RAGE

CHASED THEM FROM THE TEMPLE

SO DOING

HE HAD SIGNED HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT

HE HAD UPSET

HOWEVER BRIEFLY

THE MONEY MACHINE

FOR THAT

HE MUST DIE

THEY KILLED HIM

THEY PLANTED HIM

THEY WALKED AWAY DUSTING THEIR HANDS

THAT’S THE END OF HIM THEY THOUGHT

BUT HIS TEACHING

BURST FROM THE TOMB

LIKE A SWARM OF LOCUSTS

AND THEY SANG AS THEY FLEW

TASTE AND SEE

THE SWEETNESS OF GOD

FRANK A VOLLMER

SHEEPDOG

 WE MIGHT AS WELL BE SHEEP DOGS

WE’RE AT THE MALL

AND THE WIFE SAYS

WAIT HERE

I’LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE

WHICH IS GIRL TALK

FOR STAY

I RETIRE TO A BENCH

AND WAIT

IN COMPANY OF OTHER MEN

WHO DON’T LIKE SHOPPING

THE CONVERSATION CIRCLES

OVER SPORTS

WEATHER

AND SETTLES OVER WHAT’S KEEPING HER

FINALLY SHE COMES OUT

BURDENED WITH BAGS

WHICH I INHERIT

WE THEN RESUME OUR PILGRIMAGE

TO FIND THE HOLY GRAIL OF BARGAINS

HOWEVER

IF A BOOKSTORE LOOMS

OR A GADGET STORE

AND I SUGGEST I’D LIKE TO GO IN

IN FIVE MINUTES

I’VE TIMED IT

SHE’S AT MY SIDE SAYING

ARE YOU GOING TO BE ALL DAY

SO BEING THE OBEDIENT SHEEPDOG

I’VE BECOME

I PROGRESS TO THE NEXT STORE

WHERE I SIT OBEDIENTLY

FOR MY MASTER

FRANK A VOLLMER

IT HAPPENS (JOHN 9:1-5)

IT HAPPENS

Ecclesiastes 9:11-12

 I have seen something else under the sun:

   The race is not to the swift 

   or the battle to the strong, 

nor does food come to the wise 

   or wealth to the brilliant 

   or favor to the learned; 

but time and chance happen to them all.

 Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:

   As fish are caught in a cruel net, 

   or birds are taken in a snare, 

so people are trapped by evil times 

   that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Ezekiel 7:8-9

  I am about to pour out my wrath on you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices.  I will not look on you with pity or spare you; I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the LORD who strikes the blow.

John 9:3-5

    “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

A BETTER TRANSLATION OF JOHN 9

MIGHT BE

NEITHER

IT HAPPENS

BUT GOD CAN USE THIS MISFORTUNE

TO PROVE HIS GLORY

THERE IS A RUDE BUMPER STICKER

WHICH SAYS IT BETTER

WHICH IF WE WEREN’T SO PRUDISH

WE MIGHT HAVE CHRIST SAY

IT HAPPENS

BETTER THAN THE PIOUS MONSTROSITIES

WE SAY

WHEN MISFORTUNE HIT

IT HAPPENS

SOUND SHALLOW

BUT IT’S ALL A CREATOR CAN DO

WHO GAVE HIS CREATURES

DOMAIN OVER CREATION

DO I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES

YES

BUT SIX MILLION JEWS

PRAYED FOR LIFE

GOD WAS SILENT

THEY DIED

IT HAPPENS

THERE IS A MYTHIC TALE

THAT CAMP PRISONERS

PUT GOD ON TRIAL FOR THAT SILENCE

AND FOUND HIM GUILTY

AFTER THE VERDICT

THEY HAD EVENING PRAYER

IT DIDN’T CHANGE THE CIRCUMSTANCES

IT CHANGED THE PRAY-ER

AND SPEAKING OF THAT SILENCE

WE HAVE THOSE WHO SAY THAT GOD

IS PUNISHING US FOR HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVIOR

WHY WASN’T HE ACTIVE DURING THE HOLOCAUST

AND ALL THE HOLOCAUSTS

PAST AND PRESENT

SEX ACTS………ABOMINATION

MURDER…………NOT SO BAD

FOR THOSE WHO CRITICIZE GOD 

FOR HIS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES

OR LACK OF

CONSIDER

IF HE RAN THE WORLD

ACCORDING TO OUR STANDARDS

WE’D BE PRETTY QUICK

TO PRAY FOR A RETURN

TO THE OLD WAY

IT HAPPENS

C’EST LA VIE

THAT’S THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES

HARSH WORDS

WHEN ONE SEEKS COMFORT

TRUE WORDS

WHEN ONE SEEKS FANTASY

WHY DO BAD THINGS

HAPPEN TO THE GOOD

IT’S A PUZZLEMENT

I DO NOT CLAIM THE ANSWER

BUT TO SAY THAT GOD ALLOWS IT WILLINGLY

HURTS MY IMAGE OF GOD

WHO WEEPS WHEN MISFORTUNE FALLS ON US 

WHICH WE CREATED

WHO WEEPS WHEN MISFORTUNE HITS

WHICH WE HAVE NOT CREATED

WHO LOVES US

GOOD TIME

AND BAD

WHO SEES OUR SINS

THEIR AFTERMATH

AND HATES BOTH

WHO SEES OUR HARD TIMES

OUR MISFORTUNE

AND IS SORRY FOR BOTH

FRANK A VOLLMER

FLOURISH

I’VE ALWAYS THOUGHT

AND HOPED

I’D GO OUT WITH A FLOURISH

WAVE MY WHITE PLUME

DISMISSIVELY AT DEATH

AND BE GONE

PERHAPS WITH SOMETHING

DRAMATIC ON MY LIPS

IT’S THE WAY ACTORS DIE

BUT LATELY

IT’S BECOMING MORE OBVIOUS

I’M GOING

MORE LIKE AN APPLE

LEFT ON A TREE

AFTER PICKING

LEFT TO GO BROWN

AND WRINKLED

OH LACKADAY AND FORSOOTH

I REMEMBER

A BUNCH

OF POOR HUNGRY BOYS

AMONG THEM ME

WHO FOUND SUCH APPLES

AND THOUGHT THEM

AMBROSIA

PERHAPS MY DEMISE

MAY BE

BIGGER THAN A HERO’S

FLOURISH AT DEFEAT

A BOY’S BITE

AN EMPTY BELLY

FRANK A VOLLMER