A50 Skit Ten Virgins with Lamps and Oil, 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Skit for Children’s Liturgy,Matthew 25:1-13, November 6, 2005 written by Joan Y. Edwards

Skit for Children’s Liturgy

Bring Extra Oil for Your Lamp!

(Bring Extra Batteries for Your Flashlight)

November 6, 2005

32^nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Written by Joan Y. Edwards

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones, when taking their lamps, brought no oil with them, but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps. Since the bridegroom was long delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. At midnight, there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'

Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise ones replied, 'No, for there may not be enough for us and you. Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.' While they went off to buy it, the bridegroom came and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him. Then the door was locked. Afterwards the other virgins came and said, 'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!' But he said in reply, 'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.' Therefore, stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Characters:

Narrator

Wise Bridesmaid 1

Wise Bridesmaid 2

Wise Bridesmaid 3

Wise Bridesmaid 4

Wise Bridesmaid 5

Foolish Bridesmaid 1

Foolish Bridesmaid 2

Foolish Bridesmaid 3

Foolish Bridesmaid 4

Foolish Bridesmaid 5

Bride (You or Me)

Father of Groom (God the Father)

Groom (Jesus Christ)

Groomsmen

Background: The apostles wanted to know how they were going to know when Jesus would come again. He compared it to a Jewish wedding. First a man and woman would become engaged. They would live apart for a year or two. The groom had to get a special room built that was worthy of his bride. When the groom’s father said the room was ready for the bride, then the groom would come and steal the bride away. He would announce himself when he got close, so the Bride would have enough time to get ready. She had bridesmaids to hold the lamps to light the way to make sure the Groom could find her. The Groom would have men to come along with him. Then the Groom would snatch his bride quickly and take her back to their special room. They would have their honeymoon under their canopy. They spend 7 days and nights together, then they spend the rest of their lives together. While they are on their honeymoon, all the family and friends would be having a big feast which lasted for a week or two. This is where the scene takes place today. The Bride knows the year is almost up. She knows that the groom’s father has to approve their special room. The groom is supposed to come. But she doesn’t know exactly when. She has chosen 10 bridesmaids to bring lamps every night so that she will be able to go out and meet the groom will be able to find her easily. The groomsmen carry a torch and musical instruments to meet his bride.

Bride: I have chosen you for my bridesmaids. My Groom’s had time to finish the special room he added onto his father’s house for me. His Father may give him permission to come for me tonight. I must be prepared. I am packing my bags. Bring your lamps and oil to light the way so he can find me.

Bridesmaids: Yes, we will do that.

Narrator: So the bridesmaids went home to get their lamps.

Wise Five: We had better buy extra oil, in case it’s after midnight when he comes.

Foolish Bridesmaid 5: We won’t need the extra oil to light the way. Her groom’s not coming tonight.

Foolish Bridesmaid 1: He couldn’t be ready for her yet.

Foolish Bridesmaid 3: He probably won’t be here for another month or two.

Narrator: So the bridesmaids came back to watch for the Groom. At 9:00 they stood along the path holding their lamps. Time passed by.

Foolish Bridesmaid 5: We’ve been standing here two hours. It must be 11:00 by now.

Foolish Bridesmaid 4: I told you he wouldn’t come tonight.

Foolish Bridesmaid 3: I’m sure getting tired of standing here holding this silly light for nothing.

Wise Bridesmaid 1: I must admit I’m getting sleepy.

Wise Bridesmaid 2: I’m drowsy too. It won’t hurt if we just lay down a little while. He’ll see the light from our lamps.

Father of the Groom: You did a good job in building this special room for your bride. You may go get your bride now. (Groom and Groomsmen head to the Bride’s home across the altar)

Groomsmen: (Carrying a torch about a block away from the house) Behold, the bridegroom. Come out to meet him. (Blowing the trumpet made from a ram’s horn).

Wise Bridesmaid 4: Our lamps have gone out. Get out your extra oil and put it in the lamps.

Foolish Bridesmaid 5: We didn’t bring any extra oil. Our lamps are going out.

Foolish Bridesmaid 1: The stories we heard were false. We didn’t think he would come to take her tonight.

Foolish Bridesmaid 2: Give us some of your oil.

Wise Bridesmaid 3: No way. If we give you oil, we won’t have enough oil to light their way.

Wise Bridesmaid 2: Go to the store and buy your own oil.

Foolish Bridesmaid 3: Oh, all right.

Foolish Bridesmaid 1: We’ll go to the store and buy our own oil.

Narrator: So the Foolish Bridesmaids had to walk to the nearest store to buy oil. While they were gone, the bride and groom were treated like a king and queen. The groomsmen adorned them with crowns. After the Bride, Groom, Wise Bridesmaids and Groomsmen got inside the house, they locked the doors. An hour later, the Foolish Bridesmaids finally arrived.

Foolish Bridesmaid 1: Whew! What a long way we had to go to get more oil for the lamps.

Foolish Bridesmaid 2: Five miles there and five miles back.

Foolish Bridesmaid 3: My feet are really tired.

Foolish Bridesmaids: Lord, Lord, open the door for us!

Groom: Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.

Foolish Bridesmaid 1: He doesn’t know us.

Foolish Bridesmaid 2: We should have been prepared.

Foolish Bridesmaid 3: We should have been alert and ready.

Foolish Bridesmaid 4: We don’t know the day or the hour when the groom will come for us.

Foolish Bridesmaid 5: We missed out on the party of a lifetime.

Narrator: The Bride and Groom went to their special room where they stayed by themselves for 7 days for their honeymoon. Afterwards they joined all the people who had been partying and feasting. Everyone partied for another week. The Bride and Groom lived together for all eternity.

Narrator: Now we take you to St. John Neumann Catholic Church where two students are trying to understand the Gospel.

Jane: I just don’t get it.

Luke: Me, either.

Jane: Not everyone gets married.

Luke: I don’t think this story is really about getting married.

Jane: What’s it about then?

Luke: It’s about when you die and whether or not you get into heaven.

Jane: You mean it’s about Jesus coming to get me when I die.

Luke: Yes. The Oil in the story is listening to the Holy Spirit and having faith that Jesus Christ is the son of our heavenly Father.

Jane: So those foolish bridesmaids didn’t have faith that Jesus Christ would come.

Luke: No. They didn’t read the Holy Scriptures.

Jane: They paid no attention to God’s word.

Luke: Exactly.

Jane: That reminds me. I haven’t been to Reconciliation lately. I see the light’s still on in that little booth of Father Thom’s. Thanks for explaining it to me. I’m off to get straight with God. I’ve got to tell him I am sorry for some things I did this week. God might send Jesus, the Groom of his people to come for me tonight. I want to be ready.

Luke: Me, too. Wait up and I’ll go with you.

Narrator: And so Jane and Luke spread the word to all the members of their parish. They went to Reconciliation as soon as they could. Father Thom and Father Art were exhausted from hearing all those confessions, but really excited that so many of their parishioners had gotten right with God. The Catholic bookstore sold out of Bibles. One parishioner is worried because he doesn’t have an oil lamp.

Tim: I don’t have an oil lamp like the Bridesmaids. I hope I will be able to get into heaven.

Sue: We always carry flashlights when we go camping. I think if this happened today, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen would probably be carrying flashlights.

Tim: I hope you are right.

Sue: I have a flashlight here in my backpack. (Turns it on). Uh Oh. My batteries are dead.

Tim: That’s not good. How do you get your batteries recharged to get into heaven? How do you get lit up for Christ?

Sue: Get baptized. Read the Bible. Follow the 10 Commandments. Forgive yourself and others. Recognize that Jesus is your savior. Be prepared.

Tim: Are you sure I don’t need an oil lamp like in the Gospel?

Sue: Yes, I am sure. Flashlights will work.

Tim: Well then, I’m going to go out and buy flashlights for me and my family to put by our beds. The flashlights will let Jesus know that we are ready for him.

Narrator: We pray that this skit may have turned on the flashlight in your soul to Jesus Christ. We ask God to send the Holy Spirit to prepare you so that you are ready when God sends his Son to come for you. We pray that each of you will enjoy living forever with Jesus in heaven in the special room he has built for you. We ask this through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.