Suffering
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
58 Vignettes For Cycle B
Theme
Why do believers suffer?
Summary
Reggie has just received the news that he is dying and he and his wife, Sylvia, struggle with why this should happen to them and where God's comfort is.
Playing Time
5 minutes
Setting
The home of Reggie and Sylvia
Props
Phone
Costumes
Contemporary, casual
Time
The present
Cast
REGGIE
SYLVIA
REGGIE: (ENTERS ALONG WITH SYLVIA. REGGIE ON THE PHONE) Well, that does it, I guess.
SYLVIA: The doctor?
REGGIE: Yeah.
SYLVIA: Does he want more tests?
REGGIE: No more tests.
SYLVIA: What then?
REGGIE: He says more tests won't help.
SYLVIA: Oh, no. (SHE RUNS TO HIM AND THEY EMBRACE)
REGGIE: It's what I expected.
SYLVIA: But not what we hoped for.
REGGIE: No, not what we hoped for.
SYLVIA: Where's God when you really need Him?
REGGIE: I don't know.
SYLVIA: We're His children. Why won't He help us?
REGGIE: I don't really know.
SYLVIA: We're not immature Christians. We've known the Lord now for 27 years. We've volunteered in the church for most of those years.
REGGIE: Yes, we have.
SYLVIA: Then why won't God heal you?
REGGIE: Maybe we shouldn't ask.
SYLVIA: What do you mean?
REGGIE: I mean, maybe we should leave that in His hands.
SYLVIA: You're just depressed.
REGGIE: No, no, I don't think so.
SYLVIA: Then how can you say we should just leave it in God's hands?
REGGIE: Well, we have to, don't we? I mean, what can we do?
SYLVIA: Do? I guess we've done all we can do.
REGGIE: Well, then?
SYLVIA: I'm not just letting you die. I'm not.
REGGIE: What choice do we have?
SYLVIA: We can try new treatments.
REGGIE: You know we can't do that. There's no more money. There's no more time.
SYLVIA: (CRYING) Why? Oh, why?
REGGIE: I don't know.
SYLVIA: Why won't God take care of us?
REGGIE: Do you know what I was thinking the other day?
SYLVIA: What?
REGGIE: I was thinking that this was good.
SYLVIA: This is good? What are you saying?
REGGIE: I'm saying that maybe God allows this sort of thing so we can be more like Christ -- suffering, you know.
SYLVIA: Oh, that's hogwash and you know it.
REGGIE: No, I don't. Think about it. Job suffered, didn't he?
SYLVIA: Sure, he did.
REGGIE: And the disciples suffered. And Jesus suffered.
SYLVIA: Oh, I don't want to talk about it.
REGGIE: I think we have to think about it. I'm dying.
SYLVIA: Please, don't.
REGGIE: We have to talk about it.
SYLVIA: Why? Why do we have to talk about it?
REGGIE: Because it's something we have to go through together. What else have we been through that we didn't talk about?
SYLVIA: Nothing. We always have talked about everything.
REGGIE: Right. No matter how tough it was. So, this is something we can talk through.
SYLVIA: But I don't want to.
REGGIE: To tell you the truth, I don't want to either.
SYLVIA: Must we?
REGGIE: I think we must.
SYLVIA: All right then.
REGGIE: Everyone dies, sooner or later.
SYLVIA: I know.
REGGIE: So, we just know my death is coming soon, that's all. The doctor said he can ensure that the pain will be minimal.
SYLVIA: What about my pain?
REGGIE: I guess Jesus will have to be your doctor.
SYLVIA: I know he will. I know that. I just don't want to lose you.
REGGIE: This is just another time you'll have to depend on Jesus instead of me.
SYLVIA: I know. You've always been there for me.
REGGIE: No. I let you down plenty of times.
SYLVIA: I can't seem to remember any of those times now.
REGGIE: Well, I remember. Plenty of times.
SYLVIA: I know. But you're forgiven.
REGGIE: I know I am. I can face this with you ... and Jesus.
SYLVIA: Do you think that's why we suffer -- to be an example to others?
REGGIE: I don't know. I guess so. Maybe. I know I want to end well. As an example to others. It's important, isn't it -- to end well?
SYLVIA: Yes, it's important.
REGGIE: I want to. You can help me. You can help me end well.
SYLVIA: I'll help. I'll be right here beside you.
REGGIE: I know you will. You'll be just like Jesus. Right here beside me.
SYLVIA: Yes, just like Jesus.
REGGIE: And we can offer our suffering to him and ask him to teach us through it.
SYLVIA: Yes, I guess so.
REGGIE: We could.
SYLVIA: Yes, it's important.
REGGIE: Yes. We will. I love you. (THEY EXIT)
Why do believers suffer?
Summary
Reggie has just received the news that he is dying and he and his wife, Sylvia, struggle with why this should happen to them and where God's comfort is.
Playing Time
5 minutes
Setting
The home of Reggie and Sylvia
Props
Phone
Costumes
Contemporary, casual
Time
The present
Cast
REGGIE
SYLVIA
REGGIE: (ENTERS ALONG WITH SYLVIA. REGGIE ON THE PHONE) Well, that does it, I guess.
SYLVIA: The doctor?
REGGIE: Yeah.
SYLVIA: Does he want more tests?
REGGIE: No more tests.
SYLVIA: What then?
REGGIE: He says more tests won't help.
SYLVIA: Oh, no. (SHE RUNS TO HIM AND THEY EMBRACE)
REGGIE: It's what I expected.
SYLVIA: But not what we hoped for.
REGGIE: No, not what we hoped for.
SYLVIA: Where's God when you really need Him?
REGGIE: I don't know.
SYLVIA: We're His children. Why won't He help us?
REGGIE: I don't really know.
SYLVIA: We're not immature Christians. We've known the Lord now for 27 years. We've volunteered in the church for most of those years.
REGGIE: Yes, we have.
SYLVIA: Then why won't God heal you?
REGGIE: Maybe we shouldn't ask.
SYLVIA: What do you mean?
REGGIE: I mean, maybe we should leave that in His hands.
SYLVIA: You're just depressed.
REGGIE: No, no, I don't think so.
SYLVIA: Then how can you say we should just leave it in God's hands?
REGGIE: Well, we have to, don't we? I mean, what can we do?
SYLVIA: Do? I guess we've done all we can do.
REGGIE: Well, then?
SYLVIA: I'm not just letting you die. I'm not.
REGGIE: What choice do we have?
SYLVIA: We can try new treatments.
REGGIE: You know we can't do that. There's no more money. There's no more time.
SYLVIA: (CRYING) Why? Oh, why?
REGGIE: I don't know.
SYLVIA: Why won't God take care of us?
REGGIE: Do you know what I was thinking the other day?
SYLVIA: What?
REGGIE: I was thinking that this was good.
SYLVIA: This is good? What are you saying?
REGGIE: I'm saying that maybe God allows this sort of thing so we can be more like Christ -- suffering, you know.
SYLVIA: Oh, that's hogwash and you know it.
REGGIE: No, I don't. Think about it. Job suffered, didn't he?
SYLVIA: Sure, he did.
REGGIE: And the disciples suffered. And Jesus suffered.
SYLVIA: Oh, I don't want to talk about it.
REGGIE: I think we have to think about it. I'm dying.
SYLVIA: Please, don't.
REGGIE: We have to talk about it.
SYLVIA: Why? Why do we have to talk about it?
REGGIE: Because it's something we have to go through together. What else have we been through that we didn't talk about?
SYLVIA: Nothing. We always have talked about everything.
REGGIE: Right. No matter how tough it was. So, this is something we can talk through.
SYLVIA: But I don't want to.
REGGIE: To tell you the truth, I don't want to either.
SYLVIA: Must we?
REGGIE: I think we must.
SYLVIA: All right then.
REGGIE: Everyone dies, sooner or later.
SYLVIA: I know.
REGGIE: So, we just know my death is coming soon, that's all. The doctor said he can ensure that the pain will be minimal.
SYLVIA: What about my pain?
REGGIE: I guess Jesus will have to be your doctor.
SYLVIA: I know he will. I know that. I just don't want to lose you.
REGGIE: This is just another time you'll have to depend on Jesus instead of me.
SYLVIA: I know. You've always been there for me.
REGGIE: No. I let you down plenty of times.
SYLVIA: I can't seem to remember any of those times now.
REGGIE: Well, I remember. Plenty of times.
SYLVIA: I know. But you're forgiven.
REGGIE: I know I am. I can face this with you ... and Jesus.
SYLVIA: Do you think that's why we suffer -- to be an example to others?
REGGIE: I don't know. I guess so. Maybe. I know I want to end well. As an example to others. It's important, isn't it -- to end well?
SYLVIA: Yes, it's important.
REGGIE: I want to. You can help me. You can help me end well.
SYLVIA: I'll help. I'll be right here beside you.
REGGIE: I know you will. You'll be just like Jesus. Right here beside me.
SYLVIA: Yes, just like Jesus.
REGGIE: And we can offer our suffering to him and ask him to teach us through it.
SYLVIA: Yes, I guess so.
REGGIE: We could.
SYLVIA: Yes, it's important.
REGGIE: Yes. We will. I love you. (THEY EXIT)
