B41 Skit for September 3, 2006, 22nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Children's Liturgy, Children's church play, Gospel related skit,

B41 Skit for Sunday, September 3, 2006

Good or Evil Comes from the Heart

Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

Written by Joan Y. Edwards

Mark 7:1-8; 14-15;21-23 New American Bible

Mark 7:1-8; 14-15;21-23 Bible Gateway New International Version

Good or Evil Comes from the Heart

It is what comes out of a man that makes him “unclean.”

Scene: Near the market

Props: grapes, fruits, vegetables, meats at market, cups, bowls to wash hands, pitchers, table, towels, huge poster with prayer in the skit on it, huge sign cards to come out of the mouth, cardboard stand up man with heart shape cut out where his heart would be.

Jesus

Pharisee 1

Pharisee 2

Teacher 1

Teacher 2

Teacher 3

Sharon

Steven

Father Thom

Narrator: At St. John Neumann Catholic Church, watching a skit of today’s Gospel. (Pharisees and Teachers wear big name tags around their necks.)

Pharisee 1 Did you see that? Peter ate without first washing his hands.

Pharisee 2 James and John did, too.

Pharisee 3 You won’t catch any of us eating without washing our hands. That would be against the Jewish laws.

Pharisee 1 Teacher of the Law of Moses, what do you say about this?

Teacher 1 Our ancestors said, “Always wash your hands in the proper way before eating.”

Teacher 2 We are teachers and we set a good example by obeying the Jewish laws.

Teacher 3 We obey these laws as our fathers did.

Teacher 2 As our grandfathers did.

Teacher 1 And all our grandfathers before him.

Teacher 3 You won’t catch us eating without washing our hands.

Pharisee 1 Ooh! They just bought those grapes in that store and they are eating them without washing them.

Pharisee 2 You should always wash everything you buy at the store before you eat it.

Teacher 2 They didn’t wash the cups.

Pharisee 1 They didn’t wash the pitchers.

Pharisee 2 They didn’t wash the bowls, either.

(The Pharisees and the teachers get together in a huddle, then they approach Jesus)

Pharisee 3: “Jesus, why don't your disciples obey the Jewish laws as our ancestors taught us to do?

Teacher 3: Why don’t they wash their hands before eating?

Pharisee 1: Why don’t they wash the grapes and other things they buy at the market?

Jesus: You are nothing but show-offs! These laws you are speaking of were made by man. Isaiah wrote that God said, “It is useless for you to worship me, when you teach rules made up by humans.”

(Jesus motioning for the crowd of Pharisees, Teachers, and others to come together)

Jesus: You disobey God's commands in order to obey what humans have taught.

Pay attention and try to understand what I mean.

(Have a standup cardboard head with a big mouth. Have fruits, vegetables, meats. Push through mouth fruits, vegetables, meats)

The food that you put into your mouth doesn't make you unclean and unfit to worship God. The bad words that come out of your mouth are what make you unclean."

(Have a standup cardboard of a man with a heart shape cut out of it where his heart would be. Have someone push pieces of cardboard with these words: evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. out of the heart and walk around the church with them.)

Out of your heart come evil thoughts, vulgar deeds, stealing, murder, unfaithfulness in marriage, greed, meanness, deceit, indecency, envy, insults, pride, and foolishness. All of these come from your heart, and they are what make you unfit to worship God.

(After Mass)

Sharon: Did you see all those evil things coming out of that man’s heart?

Steven: Yes, I saw them.

Sharon: That was gross. If good things come out, then are we fit to worship God?

Steven: Perhaps Father Thom can answer your question. (Sharon and Steve walk over to Father Thom)

Sharon: Father Thom, if good things come out of our hearts, are we fit to worship God?

Father Thom: Yes.

Steven: What if we have spit evil words out of our mouths and have done evil things?

Father Thom: All of us are human. We make mistakes. Jesus Christ died on the cross so that our sins could be forgiven. That is why God gave us the sacrament of Reconciliation. When you tell God you are sorry for all those evil things that you do and say, God gives you graces that help keep you from saying and doing the wrong things again. God forgives you every day in every way.

Sharon: Even after I tell God I am sorry, I still have trouble doing and saying the right thing.

Steven: Me, too. Sometimes my tongue has a mind of its own. Like the time I called a new kid in our class a nerd. I knew it was wrong. I knew it was hurtful. Somehow I couldn’t stop those unkind words from rolling out of my mouth.

Father Thom: That’s when you need to pray.

Steven: What’s the best way to pray?

Father Thom: Jesus taught us the very best way to pray:

Narrator: Father Thom reads the prayer on a big poster in the foyer of the Church. This is what it said: Our Father, I want to see you in your kingdom of heaven. Your name is holy to me. Help me do your will on earth, just as everyone in heaven does. Please furnish my needs for food, water, shelter, clothing, money, good health, and all the other things that only you know that I need today. Forgive me for doing wrong, as I forgive others who have done wrong to me. Keep my feet away from temptations and help me say “NO” to all evil. Amen.”

Sharon: I said the Our Father and it helped me but I am still tempted to spit out those ugly words. Last week my Mother had to wash my mouth out with soap 10 times.

Father Thom: Just saying one prayer at night might not be enough.

Sharon: You mean that I should pray every time I am tempted to do wrong.

Father Thom: Pray and walk away from what is tempting you.

Steven: Boy, I might be spending most of my time praying.

Sharon: Me, too.

Father Thom: The more you pray, the closer you will be to God. He will help you keep his laws and be worthy to worship him in this life and the next.

Sharon: Then it’ll be worth it.

Steven: I’ll say. Eternal life with God is my destination.

Sharon: Thanks, Father Thom.

Father Thom: You’re welcome. Go in peace to love, worship, and serve the Lord.