A Hiding Place
Drama
Thespian Theology
Advent, Christmas, Epiphany -- Cycle B
Thespian Theological Thoughts
Several years ago, I quit a high-pressure/high-power job, and with no visible means of support I decided to become "a Christian writer" (a.k.a. unemployed bum). My next step was to spend a week in the words of north central Vermont, ostensibly fasting and praying about what God would have me do with the rest of my life. I listened to a lot of Christian tapes that week -- a new experience for someone more accustomed to Credence Clearwater Revival and the Guess Who. I learned and grew a lot that weekend. One thing that has really stayed with me was a song based on Psalm 32: "You are my hiding place / You always fill my heart / With songs of deliverance / Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you."
This is a profound truth. Believe it!
Cast
Narrator
Peter Paralytic
Albert Absolution
Irving Indignation
Ralph Revenge
Victor Violence
Props/Costumes
Narrator -- blanket
Irving -- t-shirt: "Irving Indignation"
Ralph -- t-shirt: "Ralph Revenge"
Victor -- t-shirt: "Victor Violence"
(Narrator is at podium, stage left. Peter Paralytic enters stage right, looking behind himself, scared. Peter finally sees Narrator and runs to him)
Peter: Hey, man! I need a hiding place. Can you help me?
Narrator: A hiding place? Why do you need a hiding place, brother?
Peter: I just need a hiding place, okay? If I don't find a place to hide out, I'm gonna be in deep doo-doo!
Narrator: Hey, wait a minute. I know you!
Peter: (Frightened) Huh? Who, me?
Narrator: You're Peter Paralytic, the man who was healed by Jesus of Nazareth, aren't you?
Peter: So what if I am?
Narrator: Well, what's the matter with you, Peter? You look awful!
Peter: Man, I feel awful! My whole body aches; I have no appetite; I'm losing weight; I've got no energy at all. I thought when Jesus healed me I was gonna be okay! What's up with this?
Narrator: Why do you need a hiding place, Peter?
Peter: Well, ya see, it's like this: Coupla nights ago, I was hangin' out in the bar over at Capernaum Cafe, and I met this girl. We had a coupla pops, and I suggested we go over to my place and slip into somethin' a little more comfortable, if ya know what I mean. Well, turns out this babe is the wife of my buddy Albert.
Narrator: You picked up your buddy's wife?
Peter: Hey, man, I didn't even know the guy was married, fer-Pete's-sake! And the worst part of this mess is that ol' Albert was one of the guys who took the roof off that house and got me in to see Jesus! I feel awful about that, man!
Narrator: Well, I imagine you do, Peter.
Peter: (Looks around apprehensively) But I gotta hide out. Albert's gonna kill me if he finds me! Can't you help me, man?
Narrator: (Pulls out a blanket) Well, here's a blanket; it's the best I can do. Maybe you can hide under it.
Peter: Thanks, man! (Covers himself with blanket)
(Irving Indignation, Ralph Revenge, and Victor Violence enter together, stage right; they are obviously upset)
Narrator: Whoa! What have we here? Looks like a passionate posse!
Irving: Darn right we're passionate. I'm so mad at that scum-bag Peter Paralytic, I could spit nails! Anybody who'd fool around with his friend's wife is on my fecal register, lemme tell ya!
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes, and softly moans "Oh, Lord!")
Ralph: Just wait 'til I get my hands on that no-good cheat. I'll teach him to mess around with my buddy's wife!
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes, and moans a little louder)
Victor: You just leave that scum-bag to me, Ralphie. I'll clean his clock! Peter'll wish he never met Victor Violence.
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes violently and screams)
Irving: (Looks at shaking blanket) What's up with this?
Ralph: (Pulls blanket off Peter) Well, look what we have here!
Victor: Let me at him!
(Irving, Ralph, and Victor grab Peter and start manhandling him. Albert enters stage left)
Albert: Hey, what're you guys doing?
Ralph: We're giving this dirt-ball what he deserves for messin' with your lady, Al!
Albert: Don't do that, guys! Let him go.
(Irving, Ralph, and Victor let go of Peter; Peter crawls to Albert and throws his arms around Albert's legs)
Peter: Oh, Albert, I'm so sorry, man! Can you ever forgive me? Pl-e-e-e-e-a-s-e forgive me, Albert!
Albert: Of course I can, Peter.
(Peter hugs Albert's legs more tightly)
Irving/Ralph/Victor: Say what?
Albert: (Kneels down and embraces Peter) He asked for my forgiveness, so I have to forgive him ... or God won't forgive me.
Irving: But, Al, man, you 'n Ralphie 'n Vic and I carried this good-for-nothin' bum all the way to that house, and we tore the roof off, and we let him down so's he could meet Jesus and be healed. And now this scum-bucket goes and commits adultery with your wife! How can you just forgive him?
Albert: I can just forgive him because Jesus just forgave me, Irving, remember? (Points to Peter) Look at this brother, Irv. His body is wasting away in groaning; his strength is dried up. And it's all because of his sins.
Ralph: That's right. Pete is a no-good sinner, and he deserves to suffer!
Albert: But Peter acknowledged his sin, Ralph, and he didn't hide it. So when he asked for forgiveness, I had to say, "Yes."
Victor: Why, for God's sake? Why not just smack him upside the gourd (Makes a move to smack Peter), like he deserves?
Albert: I had to say, "Yes," because I am trying to follow Jesus. The one in whom every single one of God's promises is yes! Jesus expects me to do this, and I don't want to disappoint him. (To Peter) I say again, my brother, "I forgive you." (They hug)
Peter: (Stands up) I feel better already!
Peter and Albert: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven!
Peter: While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. Then I acknowledged my sin and you forgave the guilt of my sin!
Albert: God is the one who blots out our transgressions, for his own sake (Turns and speaks to Irving, Ralph, and Victor) ... and he will not remember our sins!
Peter: (Picks up blanket and lifts his hands to God) Lord, you are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance!
All: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Several years ago, I quit a high-pressure/high-power job, and with no visible means of support I decided to become "a Christian writer" (a.k.a. unemployed bum). My next step was to spend a week in the words of north central Vermont, ostensibly fasting and praying about what God would have me do with the rest of my life. I listened to a lot of Christian tapes that week -- a new experience for someone more accustomed to Credence Clearwater Revival and the Guess Who. I learned and grew a lot that weekend. One thing that has really stayed with me was a song based on Psalm 32: "You are my hiding place / You always fill my heart / With songs of deliverance / Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in you."
This is a profound truth. Believe it!
Cast
Narrator
Peter Paralytic
Albert Absolution
Irving Indignation
Ralph Revenge
Victor Violence
Props/Costumes
Narrator -- blanket
Irving -- t-shirt: "Irving Indignation"
Ralph -- t-shirt: "Ralph Revenge"
Victor -- t-shirt: "Victor Violence"
(Narrator is at podium, stage left. Peter Paralytic enters stage right, looking behind himself, scared. Peter finally sees Narrator and runs to him)
Peter: Hey, man! I need a hiding place. Can you help me?
Narrator: A hiding place? Why do you need a hiding place, brother?
Peter: I just need a hiding place, okay? If I don't find a place to hide out, I'm gonna be in deep doo-doo!
Narrator: Hey, wait a minute. I know you!
Peter: (Frightened) Huh? Who, me?
Narrator: You're Peter Paralytic, the man who was healed by Jesus of Nazareth, aren't you?
Peter: So what if I am?
Narrator: Well, what's the matter with you, Peter? You look awful!
Peter: Man, I feel awful! My whole body aches; I have no appetite; I'm losing weight; I've got no energy at all. I thought when Jesus healed me I was gonna be okay! What's up with this?
Narrator: Why do you need a hiding place, Peter?
Peter: Well, ya see, it's like this: Coupla nights ago, I was hangin' out in the bar over at Capernaum Cafe, and I met this girl. We had a coupla pops, and I suggested we go over to my place and slip into somethin' a little more comfortable, if ya know what I mean. Well, turns out this babe is the wife of my buddy Albert.
Narrator: You picked up your buddy's wife?
Peter: Hey, man, I didn't even know the guy was married, fer-Pete's-sake! And the worst part of this mess is that ol' Albert was one of the guys who took the roof off that house and got me in to see Jesus! I feel awful about that, man!
Narrator: Well, I imagine you do, Peter.
Peter: (Looks around apprehensively) But I gotta hide out. Albert's gonna kill me if he finds me! Can't you help me, man?
Narrator: (Pulls out a blanket) Well, here's a blanket; it's the best I can do. Maybe you can hide under it.
Peter: Thanks, man! (Covers himself with blanket)
(Irving Indignation, Ralph Revenge, and Victor Violence enter together, stage right; they are obviously upset)
Narrator: Whoa! What have we here? Looks like a passionate posse!
Irving: Darn right we're passionate. I'm so mad at that scum-bag Peter Paralytic, I could spit nails! Anybody who'd fool around with his friend's wife is on my fecal register, lemme tell ya!
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes, and softly moans "Oh, Lord!")
Ralph: Just wait 'til I get my hands on that no-good cheat. I'll teach him to mess around with my buddy's wife!
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes, and moans a little louder)
Victor: You just leave that scum-bag to me, Ralphie. I'll clean his clock! Peter'll wish he never met Victor Violence.
(Under the blanket, Peter shakes violently and screams)
Irving: (Looks at shaking blanket) What's up with this?
Ralph: (Pulls blanket off Peter) Well, look what we have here!
Victor: Let me at him!
(Irving, Ralph, and Victor grab Peter and start manhandling him. Albert enters stage left)
Albert: Hey, what're you guys doing?
Ralph: We're giving this dirt-ball what he deserves for messin' with your lady, Al!
Albert: Don't do that, guys! Let him go.
(Irving, Ralph, and Victor let go of Peter; Peter crawls to Albert and throws his arms around Albert's legs)
Peter: Oh, Albert, I'm so sorry, man! Can you ever forgive me? Pl-e-e-e-e-a-s-e forgive me, Albert!
Albert: Of course I can, Peter.
(Peter hugs Albert's legs more tightly)
Irving/Ralph/Victor: Say what?
Albert: (Kneels down and embraces Peter) He asked for my forgiveness, so I have to forgive him ... or God won't forgive me.
Irving: But, Al, man, you 'n Ralphie 'n Vic and I carried this good-for-nothin' bum all the way to that house, and we tore the roof off, and we let him down so's he could meet Jesus and be healed. And now this scum-bucket goes and commits adultery with your wife! How can you just forgive him?
Albert: I can just forgive him because Jesus just forgave me, Irving, remember? (Points to Peter) Look at this brother, Irv. His body is wasting away in groaning; his strength is dried up. And it's all because of his sins.
Ralph: That's right. Pete is a no-good sinner, and he deserves to suffer!
Albert: But Peter acknowledged his sin, Ralph, and he didn't hide it. So when he asked for forgiveness, I had to say, "Yes."
Victor: Why, for God's sake? Why not just smack him upside the gourd (Makes a move to smack Peter), like he deserves?
Albert: I had to say, "Yes," because I am trying to follow Jesus. The one in whom every single one of God's promises is yes! Jesus expects me to do this, and I don't want to disappoint him. (To Peter) I say again, my brother, "I forgive you." (They hug)
Peter: (Stands up) I feel better already!
Peter and Albert: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven!
Peter: While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. Then I acknowledged my sin and you forgave the guilt of my sin!
Albert: God is the one who blots out our transgressions, for his own sake (Turns and speaks to Irving, Ralph, and Victor) ... and he will not remember our sins!
Peter: (Picks up blanket and lifts his hands to God) Lord, you are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with glad cries of deliverance!
All: Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
