Easter Play – An Easter Carol
An Easter Carol
A play to be performed on the Second Sunday of Easter,
after the Gospel has been read
By Michael Kurtz
For the Sunday School Children and Confirmation Class
of First Lutheran Church, Winnipeg, 2009-10
Cast:
Jesus
Thomas Scrooge
Tiny Tim (walks with a crutch)
Ghost of Easter Past
Ghost of Easter Present
Ghost of Easter Future
Three Disciples
(After the Gospel reading and before the play begins, a song may be sung by the children’s choir.)
(As the play begins, Thomas Scrooge is out on an errand. He’s in a bad, grumpy mood, and stomps around to make sure everyone knows it.)
TS (addresses congregation): Thomas Scrooge is the name. It’s been over a week since Jesus died. And what do we have to show for it? Nothing! Nothing’s changed! Same old misery everywhere. Same old health problems, kid problems, parent problems, money problems. Bah, humbug! We had so many hopes for Jesus. We thought he was the one! We gave ourselves to him body and soul! And what did he go and do? Went off and died! Humbug! He should have given us weapons and sent us to war against those darned Romans. Well, I’m never giving to look up to anyone ever again. Just going live for myself, that’s what I’m going to do. Look out for number one. HUMBUG!
(A small child enters walking with a crutch)
TS: You there! Kid! Yeah, I’m talking to you.
Tiny Tim: (A little apprehensively) Yes, Mr. Scrooge?
TS: Yeah. You know how I said I was going to take you in and train in you in my business? And give your dad a big fat raise? And volunteer down at the mission every week making meals for the poor and hungry? And get you to an orthopaedic surgeon and pay all the bills myself?
Tiny Tim: Yes, Mr. Scrooge.
TS: WELL FORGET IT! I’m not sticking my neck out for anyone. Now scram!
Tiny Tim: (beginning to cry): Yes, Mr. Scrooge.
TS: I’m tired. Sick and tired of everything. I just wanna go to bed. It’s Sunday tomorrow: I’m gonna sleep in. Forget going to church. Bunch of stupid false hopes anyway. Good night!
(Thomas Scrooge lays down and goes to sleep. After a moment, we hear some “dreamy” music on the piano, suggesting he’s having a dream)
(The Ghost of Easter Past enters)
G Past: Thomas Scrooge! Thomas Scrooge! Hear what I have to tell you!
TS: (groggily waking up, then suddenly terrified) What? Ah! Oh, my goodness! Who are you! How did you get in here!
G Past: Thomas Scrooge, I am the Ghost of Easter Past. I am here to show you your past.
(TS gets up)
TS: A Ghost! But wait a minute: you don’t look like a ghost!
G Past: Thank you: I’ll take that as a compliment.
TS: Why are you here?
G Past: I’m here to show you events of the recent past.
TS: So show me already!
G Past: Very well. Here’s something you may not be proud of, Thomas Scrooge. Look into this crystal ball and I will show you your past behaviour.
(G Past holds out what looks like a crystal ball for them to look into together)
G Past: Tell me what you see!
TS: (frightened) Oh no! Oh no! No, not that day again! No, Spirit! Don’t show me that! Oh, it was terrible!
G Past: Tell me what you see.
TS: (Trembling) It was a terrible day. The soldiers came to arrest him. I thought we were done for. We all did. Peter denied him three times, which was bad. But we all ran away. Ran away from him. Ran away from his work of healing and blessing and feeding. Ran away from everything. And then, and then, they crucified him. Oh, it was awful. Don’t show me any more. Take it away! Take it away, I tell you!
(G Past leaves with the crystal ball as G Present enters)
TS: Oh! Not another one! Who are you? What do you want?
G Present: I am the ghost of Easter Present. I’m here to show you what is going on this very night.
TS: What do you mean?
G Present: Look! (Points to where the following scene will be enacted) I will show you.
(The scene shows a group of disciples huddling, afraid, behind “locked” doors)
Disciple One: It’s been over a week since Jesus was crucified. Do you suppose the police are still looking for us?
Disciple Two: I wouldn’t be surprised! Anyway, I’m not going out there.
Disciple Three: Yeah: I’m not risking it, either. Let’s just stay here and keep the doors locked. Forget about Jesus’s mission to heal and bless all people and save the world. He’s dead and gone, anyway. We gotta look out for number one.
Disciples One and Two: (look at congregation as they point their thumbs at Disciple Three) Yeah: what he said.
(Suddenly Jesus appears among them, with blood on the side of his clothes and marks on his hands)
Disciples One, Two, and Three: (All together, very afraid, say) Holy Moley!
Jesus: You got the holy part right.
Disciple One: Jesus, are you a ghost?
Jesus: No, surprisingly. But there are other ghosts around tonight you might want to watch out for.
Disciple Two: Jesus, are you going to punish us for abandoning you?
Disciple Three: Are you really angry at us for abandoning your mission?
Jesus: I have one thing to say to you: Peace be with you!
Disciples One, Two, and Three: (All together, surprised, say) And also with you!
Jesus: You guys must be good Lutherans!
Disciple One: You’re alive?
Jesus: I am. God raised me from death with a power stronger than death: the power of love. God raised me because his work in this world in not done yet. And death cannot stop it.
Disciple Two: (Amazed) You must be kidding, Jesus! You’re alive? And you’ve come to find us behind these locked doors? And . . . you’re not going to punish us? But give us your peace instead?
Jesus: I love you three. I have always loved you and I will always love you. (With emphasis): I forgive you. I don’t want you to fear me. I want you to love me. And I want you to love my mission to bless, heal, and bring peace to a world that really, really needs it. I want you to step outside your comfort zone and serve everyone in need. I want you to meet me every week in my story and in bread and wine. So that you will know that I will never abandon you.
Disciple Three: Whoa, Jesus, that is amazing!
Jesus: I am pretty amazing. And here’s something even more amazing: receive the gift of my Spirit: when I breathe on you, you will receive the Spirit of God that was and is at work in me, empowering me to do all the things I did, so that you can do them too.
Disciple One: That is pretty weird, Jesus.
Jesus: Well, I am not just amazing. I am also pretty weird.
(Jesus breathes on them)
Disciple Two: Wow. I feel amazing. Like I never have to be afraid again. Too bad Thomas Scrooge isn’t here.
Disciple Three: I wonder where he is?
(The three disciples leave; Jesus stays, watching TS and G Present)
G Present: Well, what do you make of that?
TS: Humbug! I don’t believe any of that! What kind of tricks are you playing on me, anyway? Must have been something disgusting I ate tonight, giving me bad dreams. What a bunch of malarkey.
G Present: Farewell, Thomas Scrooge.
TS: Where are you going?
G Present: There is yet one more Spirit that must visit you this night.
TS: Oh, not another one!
G Present: Farewell, farewell.
(G Present exits as G Future enters. Jesus stays.)
TS: Now who are you? And what do you want? Can’t a person get some sleep around here?
G Future: I am the Ghost of Easter Future.
TS: I suppose you’re going to show me something, too?
G Future: I will show you what your future without the love of Christ will be like.
TS: How are you going to show me?
G Future: With this crystal ball.
TS: Hey! We already used one of those!
G Future: I know: Pastor Michael ran out ideas for clever theatrical devices.
TS: Well just show me already.
G Future: Very well.
(G Future holds the crystal ball which they both look into)
G Future: Tell me what you see.
TS: Oh no, Spirit. I see loneliness for myself. I’m afraid of everything. I can hardly get out of bed to face another day. And I see poverty all around me. And hunger. And so much sickness. And nobody’s doing anything about it! I’m not doing anything about it: I’m afraid to. And, well, just apathetic. And what’s that? It looks like Tiny Tim’s tombstone! He’s dead? Poor, sweet Tiny Tim! All because I didn’t give his daddy a big fat raise and pay for all his orthopaedic surgery! This is terrible! I can’t look anymore. Please take it away! Don’t make me look at a future without Christ any more!
(G Future puts the crystal ball away)
TS: Tell me, Spirit: is what I saw the way things must be? Does the future have to look like that? Or is change possible?
G Future: Things do not have to be any particular way, Thomas Scrooge. The future always belongs to God. Change is possible. But fear will always block God’s plans for change.
TS: Tell me, Spirit, what to do! I don’t want Tiny Tim to die! I don’t want to live in fear! I don’t want the world to live in hunger and poverty! I want to live! I want to love!
(As he is speaking, G Future leaves, and Jesus comes to him, as the “dreamy” piano music signals that the “dream” is over)
(As Jesus addresses TS, TS is startled. He hasn’t noticed that Jesus has been there the whole time)
Jesus: Thomas, my brother, wake up. It’s morning. Sunday morning.
TS: What? Jesus! It’s you! Don’t hurt me! Don’t punish me! I’m sorry I abandoned you! I’m sorry I ran away! I was scared!
Jesus: Thomas, my brother, wake up!
TS: What do you mean?
Jesus: Wake up to me. Wake up to my love. Open your eyes. I’m here with you now. And I love you.
TS: You love me?
Jesus: Put your hand here, on my side. (Thomas puts his hand on Jesus’s bloody side). Here: touch my hands and feel my wounds. (Thomas takes Jesus’s hands and examines them, touching the place where the “wounds” are. With Thomas’s hands still in his, Jesus says): This is how much I love you, Thomas. Peace be with you, my dear friend. (With emphasis): I forgive you. Receive my Spirit. (Jesus breathes on TS, then lets his hands go) Do not be afraid anymore. Be free to love your neighbour. I will be with you always. Meet me every week in my story and in bread and wine. So that you will know that I will never abandon you.
TS: Thank you, Jesus. Thank you! How can I ever thank you for what you’ve done for me?
Jesus: Just serve your neighbours in need, Thomas. That will be thanks enough.
TS: Which neighbours, Jesus?
Jesus: Here comes one right now.
(Tiny Tim enters, startled to see TS)
Tiny Tim: Oh, Mr. Scrooge! Don’t yell at me anymore! Don’t be mean to me anymore!
TS: Tiny Tim! What luck! (To congregation): What a delightful child! What a lovely child! (To Tim) Don’t be afraid of me, anymore, Tim. But please: go get your father. I have some good news for him!
Tiny Tim: Yes, Mr. Scrooge!
TS: I’m going to give him a big fat raise!
Tiny Tim: Yes, Mr. Scrooge!
TS: And Tim, I’m going to take you to the orthopaedic surgeon straight away, this very morning! And no matter what it costs, we’re going to get you fixed up!
Tiny Tim: Yes, Mr. Scrooge!
TS: And Tim?
Tiny Tim: Yes, Mr. Scrooge?
TS: Peace be with you.
Tiny Tim (beaming): And also with you, Mr. Scrooge! Christ is risen!
TS: Christ is risen, indeed, Tiny Tim.
Tiny Tim: One thing, Mr. Scrooge.
TS: What is it, my delightful, smart, wonderful, fabulous, charming little child?
Tiny Tim: May I have the last word?
TS: Of course you may, Tim. (To the congregation): Such a smart child! Such a delightful child! (To Tim): Go ahead.
Tiny Tim: God bless us, everyone!
(The cast all go and join the Sunday School children for the last song)
END
