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

COMMON GOOD

COMMON GOOD

THE COMMON GOOD TRUMPS PERSONAL PRIVILEGE

THE LAW OF GOD TRUMPS THE SECOND AMENDMENT

WHEN A SINGLE PULL OF A TRIGGER

PUTS TEN BULLETS IN A CHILD’S BODY

IN CIVILIAN LIFE

WHO NEEDS THAT WEAPON

ITS CAPACITY TO HARM

WHEN CHRIST WAS QUESTIONED

SHOULD WE USE WEAPONS

HE ASKED

HOW MANY HAVE YOU

TWO THEY REPLIED

IT IS ENOUGH

WHAT NEED DO WE HAVE OF WEAPONS

IN EXCESS NUMBERS AND CAPACITY

IN CIVILIAN LIFE

WHEN IT CAN HARM OUR NEIGHBOR

THE COMMON GOOD PREVAILS

ALL OTHER THINGS BOW BEFORE IT

FRANK A VOLLMER

This is the rule of most perfect Christianity, its most exact definition, its highest point, namely, the seeking of the common good. For nothing can so make a person an imitator of Christ as caring for their neighbors.

St. John Chrysostom

FATIGUE

FATIGUE
TIREDNESS
IS THE NEW NORMAL FOR YOU

WE ARE ABUSING YOUR BODY
TO MAKE IT WELL

YOUR BODY OBJECTS
AND SULKS

THIS FROM MY RADIOLOGIST
AS MY TREATMENT CONTINUES

I FIND MYSELF
WITH SHOE OR SOCK IN HAND
TEN MINUTES LATER
I STILL HAVE MY SOCK
OR SHOE IN MY HAND

MY PRAYER LIFE HAS UNDERGONE CHANGE TOO

FROM COMPLICATED PRAYERS
I FIND MYSELF REVERTING TO CHILDREN PRAYERS
THEY ARE SIMPLE
MORE SOOTHING PRAYERS

A PARAPHRASE
LIKE
BE NEAR ME LORD JESUS
I ASK THEE TO STAY
CLOSE BY MY BED
GUARD ME I PRAY
BLESS ALL THE CHILDREN
IN THY TENDER CARE
TAKE US TO HEAVEN
TO LIVE WITH YOU THERE

I’VE SPENT MANY YEARS
TRYING TO BISECT THE NEEDLE POINT
UPON WHICH ANGELS DANCE



BUT NOW I’M MORE COMFORTED
BY
JESUS LOVES ME
THIS I KNOW
FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO

HOW MANY THINGS BECOME DROSS
WHEN THE END IS NEAR

I TAKE COMFORT FROM THE QUOTE

I HAVE CARVED YOUR NAME
ON THE PALM OF MY HAND

IT IS ALWAYS BEFORE ME

I SHALL NEVER FORGET YOU


FRANK A VOLLMER

SELF EVIDENT NOT SELF FULFILLING

SELF EVIDENT NOT SELF FULFILLING

WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS ARE SELF EVIDENT

THAT ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL

NOBLE WORDS

THAT LAUNCHED OUR NATIONS

NOBLE WORDS ARE SLOGANS

NOBLE ACTIONS ARE NOT

IN SO MANY CASES

WE HAVE MISSED THE MARK

WE COUNTED SLAVES

AS THREE FIFTHS OF A MAN

DISPOSSESSED THE LOCAL PEOPLE

THEN DESPISED THEM FOR HOMELESSNESS

WE ARGUE

HANG THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN A PUBLIC PLACE

NOT THINKING OR CARING

THAT TO DISENFRANCHISE A PERSON

IS TO STEAL HIS BIRTHRIGHT

WE MARCH OUR YOUTH OFF TO WAR

HAVE THEM DO HORRIBLE THINGS

WITNESS HORRIBLE ACTS

RETURN MAIMED IN MIND AND BODY

ORDERED TO KILL FOR QUESTIONABLE REASONS

YOU SHALL HONOR YOUR FATHER

AND MOTHER

ALL LIVING THINGS

WE ARE A GOD FEARING PEOPLE

AND HIS NAME BETTER BE

JEHOVAH

NOT ALLAH

G*D

BRAHMA

BUDDHA

GREAT WHITE SPIRIT

KAMI

EXCESS PROFITS

AT THE EXPENSE OF WORKERS WAGES

LIMITING THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

THE RICH HAVE PRIVILEGES

AT THE EXPENSE OF THE POOR

THE STRANGER IN OUR MIDST

 IS OSTRACIZED

WIDENING GAP BETWEEN RICH AND POOR

I LOVE MY COUNTRY

BUT NOT BLINDLY

TO IGNORE HER FAULTS

IS TO DO HER NO SERVICE

ANY OF US WHO DO NOT LIVE UP

TO HER STANDARDS

DO HER NO SERVICE

WE HAVE MUCH TO BE PROUD OF

BUT IF IT DOESN’T INCLUDE ALL

IT’S A LIE

IT DOESN’T LIVE UP TO OUR FOUNDING WORDS

ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL

FRANK A VOLLMER

LUNGTA

LUNGTA

THE TIBETANS CALL PRAYER FLAGS

 LUNGTA

WHICH LITERALLY MEANS

WIND HORSE

PRAYER FLAGS IS A MISNOMER

IF IT IS THOUGHT

THAT EVERY FLAP OF THE CLOTH

IS A PRAYER TO THE GODS

BUT INSTEAD IT IS A PRAYER

OF BENEVOLENCE

AND FOR WELL BEING

ON THOSE PEOPLE AND THINGS

THE WIND TOUCHES

AFTER IT FLAPS THE CLOTH

BEYOND THE THOUGHT OF THE LUNGTA

IS THE CONCEPT

THAT IF YOU WISH YOUR NEIGHBOR WELL

YOU WILL TREAT THEM WELL

IT’S LIKE THE PALMS

WE HOLD

ON PALM SUNDAY

JUST A BRANCH OF A TREE

BUT IF IT REMINDS US

OF CHRIST’S PASSION

AND MOVES US

TO LIVE A LIFE

WORTHY OF SALVATION

IT BECOMES A HOLY THING

A SACRAMENTAL

AN ORDINARY THING MADE HOLY BY USE

HOW MANY SACRAMENTALS

ARE COMMON TO THE RELIGIOUS EXPRESSION

ROSARIES

OR COUNTING BEADS

PILGRIMAGES

TO HOLY PLACES

CLERGY

SACRIFICES

WHERE THE VICTIM BECOMES THE MEAL

CODES OF CONDUCT

SACRED WRITINGS

AND PAINFUL TO SAY

FRACTIONS

FACTIONS

PREJUDICE

HATRED

BETRAYAL OF THEIR FOUNDER’S MESSAGE

WALLS TO SHUT OUT NON BELIEVERS

WALLS WHERE GOD WOULD HAVE NONE

GOD SO LOVED HIS CREATION

HE ESTABLISHED NO WALLS

TO THE EXTENT

THAT WE AS HUMANS

ARE CAPABLE

OUR HEARTS

SHOULD BE AS WIDE AS GOD’S

FRANK A VOLLMER