I Will Move Them to a Higher Place of Honor

Copyright 2004 Joan Y. Edwards

Skit for Gospel, Luke 14:1, 7-14

Lk 14:1, 7-14

Characters:

Narrator

Jesus

Bride

Groom
Sam

Grandfather

Braggart

Humble

Mrs. Goodrich

Mr. Goodrich

St. Peter

Angel

Props: 2 sets of barbells, yards long list of good things people at SJN parish do, phone

Narrator: Jesus told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

Jesus: Those who are last will be first. Those who are first will be last.

Narrator: If Jesus were here today, he might explain it like this. Let’s watch the lives of two characters: Sam and Grandfather

There is a wedding feast. We see the table closest to the wedding cake and food has been saved for the bride and groom, their parents and grandparents,

The last table is down the hall and out on the patio. Sam arrives first.

Sam: My nametag is at the table outside here on the patio in the hot sun. I deserve better than this. I’ll just move this person’s name tag to the Last Table and move my nametag to the First Table. (Sitting down at First Table) Now this is better. I am close to the food, the cake, and the music.

Narrator: When the Groom and his Bride pass by the patio they see Grandfather sitting there.

Groom: Grandfather, what are you doing way back here? We reserved a place for you at the First Table. Come with me.

Groom: (to Sam at the First Table) Get up. This place is reserved for my grandfather. There is one seat left at the Last Table. You may sit there.

Sam: I am embarrassed and angry that you would ask me to sit at the last table. If I can’t sit here, I’m leaving.

Narrator: Sam even left without any food or cake. As Jesus said, “Those who are last will be first. Those who are first will be last.”

Jesus: “For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

Narrator: Look at these two teenage boys, Braggart and Humble,

contestants in a weight-lifting contest for high school Olympics.

Braggart: That boy can’t win the weight lifting contest. He’s too skinny. I am much stronger than he is. I can beat him easily. I don’t even need to practice.

Humble: He surely looks strong. I have practiced many hours. I’m going to give it my best. With God’s help, I’ll do okay.

Narrator: Both contestants lifted the weights. Braggart dropped his and Humble lifted the weights up high and held them for one minute and won the Gold Medal. The Braggart exalted himself and he was humbled by his failure to win the contest.

Jesus: When planning a dinner party this week, don’t always invite people who will invite you to their party the next week. Rather, have a meal for those who cannot provide one in return.

Mrs. Goodrich: My Dear, who shall I invite to our luncheon?

Mr. Goodrich: It costs a lot of money to buy the food to serve so many. Let’s make sure we only invite people who will invite us to their party next week.

Mrs. Goodrich: (Reading her Bible) Honey, I just read in Luke 14:12-14 that Jesus said we should invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind to our dinner parties.

Mr. Goodrich: If we invite the poor this week, they will not be able to invite us to a dinner party next week in return.
Mrs. Goodrich: God will pay us back for the good we do for others ten times over. When we die, we will get our just reward and more.
Mr. Goodrich: Let’s invite the homeless people in our town to our luncheon.

Mrs. Goodrich: I’ll see if the YMCA and YWCA will provide them a place to wash up and the Salvation Army to provide them clean clothes.

Mr. Goodrich: I’ll invite our priest to speak encouraging words to them and ask local businesses with job openings to interview them after the luncheon.

Mrs. Goodrich: Let’s get started. Who shall we call first?

Narrator: Once someone feels that others care about them, they begin to care about themselves. How are the people of St. John Neumann Parish following my advice in Luke’s Gospel. Let’s look in as Jesus is checking his books with St. Peter at the golden gate of Heaven.

Jesus: What’s the status of the people in St. John Neumann Parish, Peter?

St. Peter: They share their many gifts with others.

Angel: They put others first, they are loving and kind.

St. Peter: One young teenage girl, Kelly Santore, even conducted a shoe drive for children who had no shoes in a small town of Biscoe, North Carolina.

Angel: She was doing unto others what she would like for them to do for her.

St. Peter: All parishioners, even the very young give money in the collection, not expecting the Church to give money back to them.

Angel: They help with the Loaves and Fishes program in Charlotte collecting and bagging groceries for those without.

St. Peter: You can see here, Lord. The list of things these people do for others is limitless (Have a lot of computer paper sheets that goes for yards and yards).

Jesus: What these people do for the least of these, they do it for me!

The people in St. John Neumann parish belong at the top of my list. These people are humble and put others first. I will build their mansions close to me in heaven. I will move them to a higher place of honor.

Narrator: To putting others first, we say Yes my Lord.

Being humble about our talents, we say Yes, my Lord.

To sharing with others who can’t share back, we say Yes, My Lord.

Please join us in Thanking God for all our gifts by praying the “Our Father.”

The End