C49 Skit for Sunday, October 31, 2004

Priesthood Sunday in 2004

“Come Down, Zacchaeus”

Written by Joan Y. Edwards

Copyright 2004 Joan Y. Edwards

 

 Luke 19:1-10 New American Bible

Luke 19:1-10 New International Version Bible Gateway

Scenes 1 and 2. 

Props:

Very tall and low wide branches, strong enough to hold Zacchaeus, Thom, Art, and John

Sign:  Tax Collector

Sign:  Closed

Gifts:  (Parishioner1 is in charge of gifts)

Characters:

 

Zacchaeus

Little Old Farmer Lady

Daniel

Susan

Jake

Jesus

Crowd

God

Thom (First Name of Your Pastor)

Art (First Name of Your Assistant Pastor)

John (First Name of Your Deacon)

 

 

Narrator: Let’s look in on Zacchaeus just before today’s Gospel.

(Scene 1)

 

Zacchaeus:  (to young man with wife and baby) I don’t care if your wife is sick and you lost the roof of your house in a storm.  This tax money must be paid today.

(Man gives Zacchaeus the money.  Then he, his wife and baby leave with heads down and heavy hearts.)

 

Zacchaeus:  Next. 

 

Little Old Farmer Lady:  I can’t pay my $100 tax today.  It rained and we didn’t get to harvest the wheat.  We will harvest it, sell it and then next week I can pay you. 

 

Zacchaeus:  If you don’t pay me $100 today, you will have to pay two times as much -$200.00.

 

Little Old Farmer Lady:  I don’t have it today. 

 

Zacchaeus:  Then you now have to pay $200.00.

 

(Villagers outside Zacchaeus office.  He hears them talking and listens.)

 

Daniel:  Look at all the people on both sides of the street.  Everyone wants to get a good look at Jesus, the man who teaches to feed the hungry and clothe the naked.  

 

Susan:  Where is he? 

 

Jake:  He’s the man with the red robe in the middle of that crowd.

 

Susan: Now I see him. 

 

Narrator:   puts a CLOSED sign and comes and looks towards where Jesus is walking and the crowd is so thick he cannot see him.

 

Zacchaeus:  Man, I can’t see a thing.  I really want to see Jesus.  I’ll climb up this sycamore tree.  Nobody will notice me up here, but I’ll be able to see him.

 

Narrator:  The crowd closes in on Jesus.  He passes by the tree that Zacchaeus is in.  Then he backs up to look up in the tree.  Jesus calls him by name:

 

Jesus:  Zacchaeus, come down.  Let’s go to your house and eat lunch together.

 

Zacchaeus:  Lord, how did you know I was up here?

 

Jesus:  I know where you are all the time. 

 

Zacchaeus:  Do you really want to eat with me?  No one ever wants to eat with me.

 

Jesus:  I share my bread and my blood so that you will have life everlasting. 

 

Zacchaeus:  Lord, be merciful to me.  I am a sinner.

 

Jesus:  You haven’t been treating others very well, have you?

 

Zacchaeus:  No, but I am changing right now.  I am giving every person I cheated four times the amount of money.  If I cheated them out of $100.00, I will pay them $400.00.  I am going to give 1/10th of my money to the poor who need food, clothing, and shelter.  (Zacchaeus kneels before Jesus) I will make it up to you, Lord.  You will see.

 

Narrator: Many years later, Thom, Art, and John want to find out how God wants them to serve him. 

(Scene 2)

Thom:  I think God wants me to be a priest, but I am not sure. 

 

John:  How can we be sure of what God wants us to do?

 

Art:  Zacchaeus climbed a tree to see Jesus clearly.  That helped him understand what God wanted him to do.

 

Thom:  If it worked for Zacchaeus,

 

Thom, John, Art:  It’ll work for us.

 

(Thom, John, and Art climb up the tree)

 

God:  Come down, Thom. 

 

Thom: I’m scared, God.

 

God: What’s wrong, my son?

 

Thom:  I want to follow in your footsteps of your son, Jesus.  A priest is in charge of so many things.  I am afraid I can’t handle so many responsibilities.

 

God:  I will be by your side every day. I will give you caring people to lighten your burden.  I will give you parishes with wonderful families to make you laugh and be happy.

 

Thom:  I love families.  I come from a really big family.   Will I have a piano and an organ in my parish? 

 

God:   Trust me. You will have everything you need.

 

Thom:  I do trust you, Lord.  You are the music to my soul. (Thom goes off stage)

 

God:  Come down, Art.

 

Art:  Are you talking to me, Lord.

 

God:  Yes. (Art comes down.)

 

Art:  Do you really want me to be one of your priests?

 

God:  Oh, yes.  You are very humble.  Because of your humility, people will listen to you.

 

Art:  I will give up all my worldly things for you, Lord.

 

God:  If you keep your eyes focused on me, you will have all the worldly things you need.

 

Art:  Some of the scriptures are hard to understand.  How can I explain them to your people?

 

God:  When you need help, the Holy Spirit will send you simple words to explain my words. 

I will always be there for you, Art.  You will never be alone.

 

Art:  Thank you, God. (Art leaves)

 

God:  Come down, John.

 

John:  I’m jumping down now, Lord. 

 

God:  That’s what I like about you, John.  You’re always willing to jump right in when my people need help.

 

John:   I help others as a way to thank you for all that you have done for me. 

 

God:  My people learn from your example.  You work behind the scenes not asking for any thing in return.

 

John:  Your priests are overworked.  How could I help them?

 

God:  You can preach, teach, baptize, and officiate at weddings and funerals as a deacon. 

 

John:  I can do that, Lord, with your help. 

 

Narrator:  All three men were filled with the Holy Spirit.  Thom and Art became Augustinian priests.  John became a Permanent Deacon. Today they work together for God’s people at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Charlotte, North Carolina sharing their wisdom, help, and unconditional love.  They lead others to choose him, help hearts to love him, and give many good reasons to stay close to God. They are true gifts from God, himself.