Jesus Restores God’s Image in a Dying Criminal
About 5 minutes, from Luke 23
Participants (No need to memorize lines; the aim is to relive sacred events, not to perform)
Penitent felon
Godless felon
Voice (of Jesus)
Prompter                  Shout a brief line, and Echoes repeat it.
Echoes                       Children and all adults who want to take part. Echoes need no script.
Penitent felon |
Well, this is the end! We can’t escape now. |
Prompter & Echoes |
Crucifixion! |
Godless felon |
Look at this sadistic crowd! I‘d like to wring their necks! |
Penitent felon |
Not all of them. Those women are weeping. |
`Voice |
Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me. |
Penitent felon |
Now he is staggering under His cross. |
Godless felon |
Everyone is watching him. He must be someone important. |
Penitent felon |
Look, another man is now carrying his cross. |
Godless felon |
Those women speak with a Galilean accent. |
Penitent felon |
He doesn’t curse his executioners as we do. Strange! |
Godless felon |
Well, we’ve arrived. Oh, no! |
Prompter & Echoes |
Crucifixion! |
Penitent felon |
No, not that heavy sledgehammer! |
Prompter & Echoes |
Thud! Thud! |
Godless felon |
No! Oh, the pain! No! |
Prompter & Echoes |
They are hanging on the crosses. |
Godless felon |
How can that man hanging between us keep silent |
Penitent felon |
He does not look like a criminal. |
Godless felon |
You there, Jesus, |
Penitent felon |
I cannot stand this pain! |
Voice |
Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. |
Prompter & Echoes |
Forgive them! |
Godless felon |
Hey, are you crazy? |
Penitent felon |
He called God His Father. Imagine that! |
Godless felon |
Nonsense! |
Penitent felon |
I have never known anyone so loving, so godly. |
Godless felon |
You there. They call you King! And Messiah. So free us! |
Penitent felon |
Hey! How can you speak to this good man that way? |
Prompter & Echoes |
Anguish! |
Godless felon |
(Groan loudly.) |
Penitent felon |
Don’t say that! Am I the only one who sees that he’s is godly? |
Voice |
I assure you; today you shall surely be with me in paradise. |
Godless felon |
The sky’s growing completely dark but it is not night! |
Prompter & Echoes |
Mankind has been redeemed! |