016. Lord Jesus Tells of a Father’s Grace and a Son’s Disgrace

Lord Jesus Tells of a Father’s Grace and a Son’s Disgrace

About 5 minutes, from Luke 15: 11-32

Participants (No need to memorize lines; the aim is to relive sacred events, not to perform)
Â Â Son
Â Â Father
Â Â Older brother
Â Â Bargirl
Â Â PrompterÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Shout a brief line, and Echoes repeat it.
Â Â Â EchoesÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.

Son	Dad, give me my share of the estate. It’s my inheritance.
Father	Your inheritance! I’m not dead yet!
Son	But I want to enjoy it now, dad.
Father	Very well, son. Here is your portion of the family wealth.
Son	Goodbye. You will not be seeing me. I am going far away.
Prompter & Echoes	Sad!
Son	Now, here I am where I can live just as I want.
Bargirl	Hi, handsome! I like a man who enjoys sharing his wealth. Buy me a drink.
Son	Why not? Call your friends over, and we will all celebrate.
Prompter & Echoes	Watch out!
Son	Well, I live extravagantly for a few years. Thenâ€¦
Prompter & Echoes	His money runs out!
Bargirl	What? Now you beg me for a drink? You’ve got things backward! You’ve squandered all your coins, sonny. Foolish boy! Get lost!
Son	Please don’t make fun of me. Now I have nothing. Do you know anyone who might offer me a job?
Bargirl	There is a famine now. Everyone is looking for a job!
Son	But I am desperate! I will do any kind of work.
Prompter & Echoes	Anything!
Bargirl	See that drunk stumbling away from the bar? Ask him when he’s sober. He raises pigs, thousands of the filthy things. He hires drifters like you. Wait! You look Jewish. Jews and pigs do not get along.
Son	Pigs! Oh, no! I can’t! But I have to! Sir! May I have a word with you?
Prompter & Echoes	He goes to the hogs!
Son	Here I am, feeding these filthy pigs, and I am still hungry! I wish I could eat these pods that I give to the hogs. They eat better than I do!
Prompter & Echoes	Months go by.
Son	My dad's hired hands have lots of bread but I am wasting away with hunger! It’s time that I came to my senses.
Prompter & Echoes	Finally!
Bargirl	That Jewish boy is leaving town. I wonder where he is going.
Son	I will return to my father. But how can I face him? What can I tell him?
Prompter & Echoes	The truth!
Father	It has been so long now since my son left! So very long! It breaks my heart! Â (Shield your eyes with your hand, looking far off.) Daily I scan the horizon, hoping to see him coming down the road. Dear God, hear my prayer!
Prompter & Echoes	Bring him home!
Father	Oh! Is that my son I see, coming down the road? Is itâ€¦? Yes! It is he!
Prompter & Echoes	He has come back!
Son	To my surprise, my father runs, weeping, embraces me and kisses me!
Prompter & Echoes	Mercy and grace!
Son	Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
Father	Come. Servant, bring out the best robe and put it on him, quickly. Put our family ring on his hand and sandals on his feet! Bring the calf that we have fattened, and kill it. We will feast and celebrate! My son was dead and now lives again; he was lost and has been found.
Older brother	I come in from the field and hear music. They are dancing! What is going on? What’s that? They killed the fattened calf to celebrate my brother’s return! I will not go in! I won’t! I won’t!
Prompter & Echoes	He won’t share the joy!
Father	Come, son. I have received your younger brother back, safe and sound. Come join the celebration.
Older brother	(Wave a clenched fist in the air.) No, father, I won’t go in! How could you? Look! For years, I have served you and obeyed your every command; yet you never gave me even a goat, to celebrate with my pals. Now this son of yours comes, who wasted your wealth with prostitutes, and you kill the fattened calf for him!
Father	Oh, son! You have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we must celebrate with joy, for your brother was lost and has been found. He was dead; now he is now alive!
Prompter & Echoes	He is alive!

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