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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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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

 

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FRANK A VOLLMER



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

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

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

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