Baptism
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
What is the worth of Baptism?
Summary
Two men are talking about whether to play golf on Sunday and one man says he is going to church for the baptism of his baby. The other man scoffs at his decision but reveals he doesn't have anything of worth in his life.
Playing Time 3 minutes
Setting
A workplace
Props
Two coffee cups
Costumes
Work clothes
Time
The present
Cast
DON -- a young married man
PAUL -- another married man
(ON COFFEE BREAK AT WORK. EACH MAN HAS A COFFEE CUP)
DON: So, how's the wife and family? All right?
PAUL: Yeah, yeah. The old lady spends my money. The same old thing. You?
DON: Okay. Not bad.
PAUL: How's the new kid? Lots of changes, right? (LAUGHING)
DON: Changes. That's what it's all about -- changes. (THEY BOTH LAUGH)
PAUL: So, is it 10 a.m. Sunday as usual? (TAKING A GOLF SWING)
DON: No, not really.
PAUL: C'mon. I got a pair of guys ready for Sunday. These guys will bet some big bucks for sure.
DON: Not this Sunday.
PAUL: What's with you? We've played golf Sunday morning for ... I don't know. Anyway, you're not backing out? How the heck am I going to get someone at this late date?
DON: Get Ron. He'll probably play.
PAUL: Naw, Ron won't. He goes to church.
DON: Oh, yeah?
PAUL: What's with you, anyway? (PAUSE) Hey, you're not going to church Sunday, are you? (PAUSE) You are, aren't you? You're going to church?
DON: So what if I am?
PAUL: Oh, come off it.
DON: Well, I am.
PAUL: Ah-ha. Wife got to ya, huh? (PAUSE) What's with you?
DON: This Sunday is important.
PAUL: Important! Golf is important! Taking some money from these patsies is important!
DON: Not this Sunday.
PAUL: Okay, what's so important about this Sunday?
DON: Miriam!
PAUL: Who?
DON: My daughter, Miriam.
PAUL: You got to baby-sit?
DON: We're having Miriam baptized.
PAUL: Really! Is that it? Good! That'll take about ten minutes. So, me and these guys will eat a slow breakfast. We'll tee off at 10:30. You can make it. Put your clubs in the car.
DON: We're going out to lunch after church with the family.
PAUL: I can't put these guys off 'til the afternoon.
DON: The whole day is filled.
PAUL: Well, you sure put me in a spot. Some friend.
DON: I'm telling you, this is important.
PAUL: More important than ...
DON: Yes, my daughter is important to me.
PAUL: Okay. Okay. Don't get snappy. Get the kid baptized, but it ain't gonna do no good.
DON: No? Your kids baptized?
PAUL: My kids? Naw. Me go to church? C'mon. What is baptism, anyway? The kid gets wet. The minister mumbles a few words. I can do that myself with the lawn sprinkler.
DON: Not really.
PAUL: C'mon. Okay, hotshot, you tell me. What is it?
DON: We met with the minister. He told us a few things about it. It's an "outward sign of an inward work." I remember that much.
PAUL: An inward work? The only inward work that kid of yours is doing is ... why, you change the diapers! (LAUGHING)
DON: Deep, Paul, real deep. I'll admit I don't understand it, not yet.
PAUL: It's a "mystery"!
I had to go to church when I was a kid. Whenever the priest didn't know the answer to a question -- a "mystery"! The whole church is a mystery to me.
DON: But what if there is a God?
PAUL: Oh, don't give me that. I believe in God. I just don't have time for someone who didn't have time for me when I could have used some help.
DON: Well, I'm going to church with my wife and I'll probably go again. I might start going all the time. I don't know. I don't have any answers for my life. I want some answers. SO I'M GOING TO CHURCH! (BEGINS TO EXIT)
PAUL: Great. GO! A lot of good it'll do for you or the kid. Look at my old lady. She goes to church. Prays all the time. A real religious nut! Prays for our kids. Ha! Hasn't done any of them any good. Our daughter's living with some bum, Jim is a druggie, and we haven't heard from John since he left home, I don't know ... five years. (THEY EXIT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS)
What is the worth of Baptism?
Summary
Two men are talking about whether to play golf on Sunday and one man says he is going to church for the baptism of his baby. The other man scoffs at his decision but reveals he doesn't have anything of worth in his life.
Playing Time 3 minutes
Setting
A workplace
Props
Two coffee cups
Costumes
Work clothes
Time
The present
Cast
DON -- a young married man
PAUL -- another married man
(ON COFFEE BREAK AT WORK. EACH MAN HAS A COFFEE CUP)
DON: So, how's the wife and family? All right?
PAUL: Yeah, yeah. The old lady spends my money. The same old thing. You?
DON: Okay. Not bad.
PAUL: How's the new kid? Lots of changes, right? (LAUGHING)
DON: Changes. That's what it's all about -- changes. (THEY BOTH LAUGH)
PAUL: So, is it 10 a.m. Sunday as usual? (TAKING A GOLF SWING)
DON: No, not really.
PAUL: C'mon. I got a pair of guys ready for Sunday. These guys will bet some big bucks for sure.
DON: Not this Sunday.
PAUL: What's with you? We've played golf Sunday morning for ... I don't know. Anyway, you're not backing out? How the heck am I going to get someone at this late date?
DON: Get Ron. He'll probably play.
PAUL: Naw, Ron won't. He goes to church.
DON: Oh, yeah?
PAUL: What's with you, anyway? (PAUSE) Hey, you're not going to church Sunday, are you? (PAUSE) You are, aren't you? You're going to church?
DON: So what if I am?
PAUL: Oh, come off it.
DON: Well, I am.
PAUL: Ah-ha. Wife got to ya, huh? (PAUSE) What's with you?
DON: This Sunday is important.
PAUL: Important! Golf is important! Taking some money from these patsies is important!
DON: Not this Sunday.
PAUL: Okay, what's so important about this Sunday?
DON: Miriam!
PAUL: Who?
DON: My daughter, Miriam.
PAUL: You got to baby-sit?
DON: We're having Miriam baptized.
PAUL: Really! Is that it? Good! That'll take about ten minutes. So, me and these guys will eat a slow breakfast. We'll tee off at 10:30. You can make it. Put your clubs in the car.
DON: We're going out to lunch after church with the family.
PAUL: I can't put these guys off 'til the afternoon.
DON: The whole day is filled.
PAUL: Well, you sure put me in a spot. Some friend.
DON: I'm telling you, this is important.
PAUL: More important than ...
DON: Yes, my daughter is important to me.
PAUL: Okay. Okay. Don't get snappy. Get the kid baptized, but it ain't gonna do no good.
DON: No? Your kids baptized?
PAUL: My kids? Naw. Me go to church? C'mon. What is baptism, anyway? The kid gets wet. The minister mumbles a few words. I can do that myself with the lawn sprinkler.
DON: Not really.
PAUL: C'mon. Okay, hotshot, you tell me. What is it?
DON: We met with the minister. He told us a few things about it. It's an "outward sign of an inward work." I remember that much.
PAUL: An inward work? The only inward work that kid of yours is doing is ... why, you change the diapers! (LAUGHING)
DON: Deep, Paul, real deep. I'll admit I don't understand it, not yet.
PAUL: It's a "mystery"!
I had to go to church when I was a kid. Whenever the priest didn't know the answer to a question -- a "mystery"! The whole church is a mystery to me.
DON: But what if there is a God?
PAUL: Oh, don't give me that. I believe in God. I just don't have time for someone who didn't have time for me when I could have used some help.
DON: Well, I'm going to church with my wife and I'll probably go again. I might start going all the time. I don't know. I don't have any answers for my life. I want some answers. SO I'M GOING TO CHURCH! (BEGINS TO EXIT)
PAUL: Great. GO! A lot of good it'll do for you or the kid. Look at my old lady. She goes to church. Prays all the time. A real religious nut! Prays for our kids. Ha! Hasn't done any of them any good. Our daughter's living with some bum, Jim is a druggie, and we haven't heard from John since he left home, I don't know ... five years. (THEY EXIT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS)
