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

the purse

THE PURSE

THE WORD CALENDAR
COMES FROM THE LATIN WORD CALENDS

WHICH MEANS THE FIRST OF THE MONTH

SO A CALENDAR
IS A DEVICE
THAT HELPS PEOPLE
FIND THE FIRST OF THE MONTH

THE WORD CALENDS
ALSO MEANS
THE COIN PURSE OF THE MONEY LENDER

WHO WOULD COME BY
ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH
WITH HIS PURSE OPEN
TO RECEIVE THE PAYMENTS DUE HIM

DURING THIS WINTER
WITH ITS MANY DISASTERS
SOME FELT THAT GOD WAS COMING  
TO COLLECT HIS DEBT

THAT HE WOULD COME
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

LIKE A MONEY LENDER
DEMANDING PAYMENT

BECAUSE WE WERE IMPOVERISHED
WE COULDN'T PAY

WE WOULD BE PUNISHED
FOR OUR SINS

NOT A NEW IDEA

OUR FOUNDER
MARTIN LUTHER
LABORED MUCH OF HIS LIFE
UNDER THE IDEA
THAT TRY AS HE MIGHT
HE COULD NOT PLEASE GOD


 AS A RESULT
AN ANGRY
MEAN SPIRITED GOD
WOULD PUNISH HIM

BUT
HAVEN BEEN FORGIVEN OUR DEBT
HAVEN BEEN GIVEN SUCH A GIFT
WE FEEL UNWORTHY

WE CANNOT MEASURE UP TO THE MARK
WE CANNOT FILL THE MONEY LENDER'S
PURSE

UNWORTHY OF THE GIFT OF REBIRTH
WE FEEL THAT WE WILL BE CRUSHED
BY ITS WEIGHT
BY ITS OBLIGATIONS

BUT JESUS SAYS
MY FATHER SO LOVED THE WORLD

HE SENT ME

HE SENT ME
TO SAVE IT

 ANYONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME
BELIEVES IN THE FATHER
AND WILL RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE

BUT THE GIFT IS TOO GREAT

TOO GREAT FOR US

TOO GREAT FOR US
WHO ARE TOO SMALL

HOW CAN WE EVER REPAY YOU

BELIEVE IN ME
IS ALL I ASK

BELIEVE
AND LET YOUR LIFE FLOW
FROM THAT BELIEF

BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE SHALL STUMBLE
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE WEAK
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE UNWORTHY
BELIEVE IN ME

BUT WE ARE SINNERS
I HAVE FORGIVEN YOU

SO WHEN THE TEMPTER COMES

AS COME HE WILL
TO MAKE YOU DOUBT
YOUR BELIEFS

TO MAKE YOU FEEL
UNLOVED AND UNWANTED BY GOD

TELL THE TEMPTER
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

TELL THE TEMPTER
MY DEBT HAS BEEN PAID

MY DEBT HAS BEEN PAID BY JESUS

WHO DID NOT PAY
THE GREAT PRICE HE PAID

SO THAT LATER HE COULD DESTROY ME
AS YOU ARE TRYING TO DESTROY ME

TELL THE TEMPTER

WHEN HE COMES
WITH HIS OPEN PURSE

TELL THE TEMPTER
MONEY LENDER
TELL HIM

CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID


CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID IN FULL

CLOSE YOUR PURSE
AND MARK MY BILL
PAID IN FULL BY JESUS


FRANK A VOLLMER

THOUGHTS ON A CHRISTMAS SONG

THOUGHTS ON A CHRISTMAS SONG

THEY LOOKED FOR SOMEONE

WHO THIRSTED FOR ANIMAL BLOOD

THE SCENT OF BURNING FLESH

BUT ONLY A BABY CAME

FOR AN IMPRESSIVE FIGURE

WHO WOULD ROUT THE ROMANS

BUT ONLY A BABY CAME

A VOICE OF THUNDER

WHICH WOULD QUELL THEIR ENEMIES

BUT ONLY A BABY’S CRY

CLAD IN ROYAL GARMENTS

SPLENDID TO SEE

BUT ONLY A DIAPERED BABY

TO CHANGE THE WORLD

TO MAKE IN THEIR IMAGE

BUT ONLY A BABY NEEDING CHANGING

LIKE A CHILD

LOOKING THROUGH HIS LEGS

SEES THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN

SO THE WORLD IS TOPSY-TURVY

BECAUSE A BABY CAME

FRANK A VOLLMER

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN

 

SUFFER/ALLOW

 

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN

TO COME UNTO ME

SUFFER

AS IN ALLOW

 

WORDS I GREW UP WITH

 

NOT

LET THE CHILDREN SUFFER

 

WHEN OUR LITTLE WORLD IS SHATTERED

BY THE DEATH OF CHILDREN

WE ARE AGHAST

 

WOULD THAT WE WOULD TAKE THIS GREAT EMOTION

AND CHANNEL IT TO CONCERN

FOR ALL CHILDREN

 

WHO ARE HUNGRY

TRAUMATIZED BY BOMBING

OR KILLED

LIVING IN SLUMS

UNDER EDUCATED

SCORNED BY RACE

CREED

SOCIAL STATUS

DELIMBED BY MINES

OR KILLED

 

WOULD THE EMOTIONS

UNLEASHED BY THE DEATH

 OF OUR CHILDREN

WOULD SPREAD TO ALL CHILDREN

 

FOR THEY ARE ALL OUR CHILDREN

 

WE PRAY

OUR FATHER

OR SOME OTHER FORM

OF PARENTAL GODHEAD

 

WE ARE ALL

HIS CHILDREN

 

THE TEARS OF OTHERS

ARE OUR TEARS

 

FRANK A VOLLMER