Wednesday, December 13, 2006
This is the night that everything changed for the world
This is a line from the Guide's monologue after the stable scene in the "Road to Bethlehem" play that I am in.
The audience moves from scene to scene, witnessing a busy Nazareth marketplace, watch as Gabriel brings Mary the surprising news and as they see Joseph and his sister interact, the audience is given a glimpse of what this meant to his reputation, and see his resolve and Gabriel's visit to him in a dream. Then the audience watches as Mary visits with Elizabeth and Zachariah---who pantomimes his temple experience. Next they see the difficulty of the journey ahead as Mary and Joseph leave for Bethlehem. "Every angel in heaven was watching as they went down that road" the Guide says as they leave.
Next, it's off to Herod's palace, where he and his compatriots come to a solution to the problem the wise men have told them about. The innkeeper is next, turning the audience away since the inn is full, only to have a very pregnant Mary and edgy Joseph come for lodging. Eventually, they go off to the stable.
The shepherds meet the audience near their small fire, exclaiming about the things they had just seen until the Guide quiets them down and tell them to give the story from the beginning. They describe how they were out, "keeping and eye on their sheep, when suddenly there was a man! But he wasn't really a man! He was an angel!" And he gave them good news! The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, tonight! "Then the sky was full of angels! Singing! Singing like you've never heard!" "It was beautiful!" Then they are ready to rush off to Bethlehem, and the Guide asks them how they plan to find the right baby, and they say that Bethlehem is pretty small. But one shepherd remembers something the angel said: "He said we'd find the baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "A manger?! Who would put a baby in a manger? I mean, what would the cows eat out of?" "I think he said manger.." "You heard wrong..." So they head off among the darkened buildings that are Bethlehem, with the audience in tow. It turns out the search is harder than they thought, there are no parties going on, or big houses with lots of people... "This is dumb! you would have thought the angel would have told us what house." "Here are some people, maybe they can..." Joseph hits a switch, but continues to sleep as the stable lights up. "Guys, there's a baby, lying in a manger!"
As people approach the now open doors of the stable, Mary startles. "Joseph! Wake up! Who are these people?" she asks as she scoops the baby from the manger. Joseph puts a protective arm around Mary, and keeps the shepherds at arm's length as he wakes up. "I don't know. Who are you? What are you doing breaking in on people in the middle of the night?" The shepherds are apologetic. "We don't mean to bother you, we've just come to see the baby." "What are you talking about, he's just been born! How could you kno---" "SSShhhh! Don't wake him," Mary interrupts, "but how did you know?" "Angel told us!" "Angels!" Mary and Joseph say together, as Joseph relaxes. "We're shepherds, we were in our fields..." the shepherds tell about the angel. "And this child is, this child is..." "The Messiah!" "But, how do you know this is the one?" Joseph asks. "The angel told us this would be the sign, we would find him wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "Then the sky was full of angels, praising God and saying "Glory to God, peace on earth, and good will toward men!" "So we came as quickly as we could, and here you are, and here's..the baby!" "Jesus! The angel said to name Him Jesus" Mary glances to Joseph for confirmation. "Jesus!" the shepherds repeat. Joseph speaks up, "So it's all true! Your vision...my dream..." Mary cradles the baby in her arms, "Look at how He's sleeping...does He know, do you think? Does He know who He is? Does He know what will become of Him?" One of the shepherds has been strumming an instrument and now the shepherds pick up the song: "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe the son of Mary!" Joseph looks at the Child, "And what will become of Him? The Messiah, a baby!" He puts an arm around Mary, "We need to protect Him now. That's our part." "And I know you will" says the Guide. "Now, we'd better let these good people get some rest. Goodbye!
"The Bible says that Mary treasured all these things in her heart, but she didn't know what it all meant, not yet. It's wasn't until Jesus grew up, performed miracles, taught on these streets, was betrayed, crucified and rose again. Only then did Mary, and the rest of His followers understand that this was the night that everything changed for the world.
"I hope you've gotten one thing from this tonight. We really believe this. To us, it's more than a children's story, it's the beginning of the Gospel. We've had quite an experience, there is a lot to think about and remember. Now let's go back to the Sanctuary..." the Guide leads the audience away through the quiet town of Bethlehem, away from the living Nativity scene, the shepherd softly playing.
The audience moves from scene to scene, witnessing a busy Nazareth marketplace, watch as Gabriel brings Mary the surprising news and as they see Joseph and his sister interact, the audience is given a glimpse of what this meant to his reputation, and see his resolve and Gabriel's visit to him in a dream. Then the audience watches as Mary visits with Elizabeth and Zachariah---who pantomimes his temple experience. Next they see the difficulty of the journey ahead as Mary and Joseph leave for Bethlehem. "Every angel in heaven was watching as they went down that road" the Guide says as they leave.
Next, it's off to Herod's palace, where he and his compatriots come to a solution to the problem the wise men have told them about. The innkeeper is next, turning the audience away since the inn is full, only to have a very pregnant Mary and edgy Joseph come for lodging. Eventually, they go off to the stable.
The shepherds meet the audience near their small fire, exclaiming about the things they had just seen until the Guide quiets them down and tell them to give the story from the beginning. They describe how they were out, "keeping and eye on their sheep, when suddenly there was a man! But he wasn't really a man! He was an angel!" And he gave them good news! The Messiah has been born in Bethlehem, tonight! "Then the sky was full of angels! Singing! Singing like you've never heard!" "It was beautiful!" Then they are ready to rush off to Bethlehem, and the Guide asks them how they plan to find the right baby, and they say that Bethlehem is pretty small. But one shepherd remembers something the angel said: "He said we'd find the baby, wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "A manger?! Who would put a baby in a manger? I mean, what would the cows eat out of?" "I think he said manger.." "You heard wrong..." So they head off among the darkened buildings that are Bethlehem, with the audience in tow. It turns out the search is harder than they thought, there are no parties going on, or big houses with lots of people... "This is dumb! you would have thought the angel would have told us what house." "Here are some people, maybe they can..." Joseph hits a switch, but continues to sleep as the stable lights up. "Guys, there's a baby, lying in a manger!"
As people approach the now open doors of the stable, Mary startles. "Joseph! Wake up! Who are these people?" she asks as she scoops the baby from the manger. Joseph puts a protective arm around Mary, and keeps the shepherds at arm's length as he wakes up. "I don't know. Who are you? What are you doing breaking in on people in the middle of the night?" The shepherds are apologetic. "We don't mean to bother you, we've just come to see the baby." "What are you talking about, he's just been born! How could you kno---" "SSShhhh! Don't wake him," Mary interrupts, "but how did you know?" "Angel told us!" "Angels!" Mary and Joseph say together, as Joseph relaxes. "We're shepherds, we were in our fields..." the shepherds tell about the angel. "And this child is, this child is..." "The Messiah!" "But, how do you know this is the one?" Joseph asks. "The angel told us this would be the sign, we would find him wrapped in cloths, and lying in a manger." "Then the sky was full of angels, praising God and saying "Glory to God, peace on earth, and good will toward men!" "So we came as quickly as we could, and here you are, and here's..the baby!" "Jesus! The angel said to name Him Jesus" Mary glances to Joseph for confirmation. "Jesus!" the shepherds repeat. Joseph speaks up, "So it's all true! Your vision...my dream..." Mary cradles the baby in her arms, "Look at how He's sleeping...does He know, do you think? Does He know who He is? Does He know what will become of Him?" One of the shepherds has been strumming an instrument and now the shepherds pick up the song: "This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste to bring Him laud, the babe the son of Mary!" Joseph looks at the Child, "And what will become of Him? The Messiah, a baby!" He puts an arm around Mary, "We need to protect Him now. That's our part." "And I know you will" says the Guide. "Now, we'd better let these good people get some rest. Goodbye!
"The Bible says that Mary treasured all these things in her heart, but she didn't know what it all meant, not yet. It's wasn't until Jesus grew up, performed miracles, taught on these streets, was betrayed, crucified and rose again. Only then did Mary, and the rest of His followers understand that this was the night that everything changed for the world.
"I hope you've gotten one thing from this tonight. We really believe this. To us, it's more than a children's story, it's the beginning of the Gospel. We've had quite an experience, there is a lot to think about and remember. Now let's go back to the Sanctuary..." the Guide leads the audience away through the quiet town of Bethlehem, away from the living Nativity scene, the shepherd softly playing.
