Transfiguration
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
There needs to be a transfiguration in all of us. We need to carry the spiritual experience with us out into the world.
Summary
Ralph has just had a wonderful spiritual experience in church and wants it to last forever. Mabel, his friend, tells him he doesn't have to stay in church to do that -- he can "take it with him."
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Setting: Church
Props: None
Costumes: Clothes appropriate for church
Time: The present
Cast
MABEL
RALPH
RALPH: Wasn't today's worship wonderful?
MABEL: Yes, it was.
RALPH: I loved the music -- people singing in one accord.
MABEL: Inspiring.
RALPH: I could stay here forever.
MABEL: You could, eh?
RALPH: I really could.
MABEL: Here?
RALPH: Right here.
MABEL: Forever?
RALPH: Right here, forever. Worshiping God.
MABEL: You'd die.
RALPH: What do you mean, I'd die?
MABEL: You'd die. There's no food here. You'd starve to death.
RALPH: I love to pray with everyone.
MABEL: And no water. The human body needs water. It's mostly water, you know. You'd need water in three days or you'd die.
RALPH: I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about what a spiritually uplifting place this is.
MABEL: It is.
RALPH: Well?
MABEL: Well?
RALPH: Well?
MABEL: That's it, then. You'd die in three days in a very spiritually uplifting place. So what?
RALPH: So what? I'll tell you so what. You've got to get with the program, that's what. Where's your spirit? Where's your Christian spirit?
MABEL: My Christian spirit is right where its always been -- right here in my Christian body.
RALPH: I mean, this place is such an inspirational place. Couldn't you just soak it all up for a long time?
MABEL: I could. I do.
RALPH: Well, that's what I'm talking about. I want to stay right here and worship God.
MABEL: You'd freeze.
RALPH: Don't start that. I wouldn't freeze. The place is heated. Your church dollars at work.
MABEL: They turn the heat down when the people leave. You'd freeze or starve or thirst to death ... in this very inspirational place. You could lay right down on the altar, here, a living sacrifice.
RALPH: You're ruining the whole thing for me.
MABEL: Will you get a life? You can't stay here. This is just a building.
RALPH: This is the church.
MABEL: It's still just a building.
RALPH: But, this is the place where I really feel alive, more than anyplace else in my life, my job, my home, anyplace. I didn't expect you to understand. This is where my friends are. This is where we worship together.
MABEL: And this is the place you'd like to build a little wall around and shut the world out, right?
RALPH: Well, yes, I would.
MABEL: Then your friends -- the members of this church -- would all starve to death -- right here in this very inspirational place.
RALPH: You just don't understand spiritual things.
MABEL: I'm just as spiritual as you are. But I do understand this: "You can take it with you!"
RALPH: I thought the saying was, "You can't take it with you."
MABEL: Your spirituality -- you can take it with you. You have to or else you don't have it at all.
RALPH: Do you mean I can feel just as good at my job as I do here?
MABEL: You should be able to. If you don't then there's something wrong with your relationship with God.
RALPH: I can't praise the Lord out loud at work. Everyone would think I'm crazy.
MABEL: I'd think so, too. No, I mean, if you aren't the same person at work that you are at church then there's something wrong with who you are in both places.
RALPH: But, you don't get it. Here, at church, I can be who I really am. I'm different when I'm not here. I feel free here.
MABEL: Why aren't you free away from here?
RALPH: Well, for instance, I hug a friend here -- a guy. If I did that at work they'd think I was weird.
MABEL: I wonder why?
RALPH: Well, because you just don't do that, you know, out there. They're different out there.
MABEL: That's a shame, isn't it?
RALPH: Yes, I guess it is. I guess it is.
MABEL: Why can't you take what you have here, the thing you love so much, and take it with you out there, to your work, to your other activities ...
RALPH: Bowling?
MABEL: Of course, bowling. Why can't you take it with you and change the world?
RALPH: I can't change the world.
MABEL: Sure, you can.
RALPH: No.
MABEL: Wouldn't it be nice if you could praise the Lord whenever you wanted, and talk about the Bible and pray whenever you wanted to? Wouldn't that be nice?
RALPH: Well, of course. That's what I'm talking about. That's what I have right here.
MABEL: If you truly carry the Holy Spirit with you ...
RALPH: I do.
MABEL: If you truly do then you should be able to duplicate church wherever two or three are gathered.
RALPH: Aha, that's a problem. There aren't two or three Christians at work or on my bowling team.
MABEL: Aha, then pray about that and see who the Lord wants to convert.
RALPH: Yes, I could do that. I would like to do that.
MABEL: Well, go do it.
RALPH: Will you pray with me?
MABEL: Sure, let's go.
There needs to be a transfiguration in all of us. We need to carry the spiritual experience with us out into the world.
Summary
Ralph has just had a wonderful spiritual experience in church and wants it to last forever. Mabel, his friend, tells him he doesn't have to stay in church to do that -- he can "take it with him."
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Setting: Church
Props: None
Costumes: Clothes appropriate for church
Time: The present
Cast
MABEL
RALPH
RALPH: Wasn't today's worship wonderful?
MABEL: Yes, it was.
RALPH: I loved the music -- people singing in one accord.
MABEL: Inspiring.
RALPH: I could stay here forever.
MABEL: You could, eh?
RALPH: I really could.
MABEL: Here?
RALPH: Right here.
MABEL: Forever?
RALPH: Right here, forever. Worshiping God.
MABEL: You'd die.
RALPH: What do you mean, I'd die?
MABEL: You'd die. There's no food here. You'd starve to death.
RALPH: I love to pray with everyone.
MABEL: And no water. The human body needs water. It's mostly water, you know. You'd need water in three days or you'd die.
RALPH: I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about what a spiritually uplifting place this is.
MABEL: It is.
RALPH: Well?
MABEL: Well?
RALPH: Well?
MABEL: That's it, then. You'd die in three days in a very spiritually uplifting place. So what?
RALPH: So what? I'll tell you so what. You've got to get with the program, that's what. Where's your spirit? Where's your Christian spirit?
MABEL: My Christian spirit is right where its always been -- right here in my Christian body.
RALPH: I mean, this place is such an inspirational place. Couldn't you just soak it all up for a long time?
MABEL: I could. I do.
RALPH: Well, that's what I'm talking about. I want to stay right here and worship God.
MABEL: You'd freeze.
RALPH: Don't start that. I wouldn't freeze. The place is heated. Your church dollars at work.
MABEL: They turn the heat down when the people leave. You'd freeze or starve or thirst to death ... in this very inspirational place. You could lay right down on the altar, here, a living sacrifice.
RALPH: You're ruining the whole thing for me.
MABEL: Will you get a life? You can't stay here. This is just a building.
RALPH: This is the church.
MABEL: It's still just a building.
RALPH: But, this is the place where I really feel alive, more than anyplace else in my life, my job, my home, anyplace. I didn't expect you to understand. This is where my friends are. This is where we worship together.
MABEL: And this is the place you'd like to build a little wall around and shut the world out, right?
RALPH: Well, yes, I would.
MABEL: Then your friends -- the members of this church -- would all starve to death -- right here in this very inspirational place.
RALPH: You just don't understand spiritual things.
MABEL: I'm just as spiritual as you are. But I do understand this: "You can take it with you!"
RALPH: I thought the saying was, "You can't take it with you."
MABEL: Your spirituality -- you can take it with you. You have to or else you don't have it at all.
RALPH: Do you mean I can feel just as good at my job as I do here?
MABEL: You should be able to. If you don't then there's something wrong with your relationship with God.
RALPH: I can't praise the Lord out loud at work. Everyone would think I'm crazy.
MABEL: I'd think so, too. No, I mean, if you aren't the same person at work that you are at church then there's something wrong with who you are in both places.
RALPH: But, you don't get it. Here, at church, I can be who I really am. I'm different when I'm not here. I feel free here.
MABEL: Why aren't you free away from here?
RALPH: Well, for instance, I hug a friend here -- a guy. If I did that at work they'd think I was weird.
MABEL: I wonder why?
RALPH: Well, because you just don't do that, you know, out there. They're different out there.
MABEL: That's a shame, isn't it?
RALPH: Yes, I guess it is. I guess it is.
MABEL: Why can't you take what you have here, the thing you love so much, and take it with you out there, to your work, to your other activities ...
RALPH: Bowling?
MABEL: Of course, bowling. Why can't you take it with you and change the world?
RALPH: I can't change the world.
MABEL: Sure, you can.
RALPH: No.
MABEL: Wouldn't it be nice if you could praise the Lord whenever you wanted, and talk about the Bible and pray whenever you wanted to? Wouldn't that be nice?
RALPH: Well, of course. That's what I'm talking about. That's what I have right here.
MABEL: If you truly carry the Holy Spirit with you ...
RALPH: I do.
MABEL: If you truly do then you should be able to duplicate church wherever two or three are gathered.
RALPH: Aha, that's a problem. There aren't two or three Christians at work or on my bowling team.
MABEL: Aha, then pray about that and see who the Lord wants to convert.
RALPH: Yes, I could do that. I would like to do that.
MABEL: Well, go do it.
RALPH: Will you pray with me?
MABEL: Sure, let's go.
