The End
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
The end times -- will we recognize them?
Summary
The King of a Mideastern country hears from his advisors that there is turmoil in his country, that his assets are liquidated and that his subjects are rioting. There is no course of action, so he is advised to pray, which he decides to do.
Playing Time 3 1/2 minutes
Setting
A conference room in the palace
Props
Weather maps
Costumes
Military uniform, business suit
Time
The end times
Cast
THE KING -- a ruler of Mideastern Nation
THE PRIME MINISTER -- his advisor
HASSAN -- a friend, advisor
THE PRIME MINISTER: (THE PRIME MINISTER AND HASSAN ARE STANDING CENTER STAGE) What about the report?
HASSAN: I have it right here. (UNROLLING MAPS) Here it is. (POINTING TO MAP) Look at this, an earthquake in the Eastern province. Our nation has never experienced earthquakes before. This one killed an estimated 300,000 and leveled two cities. The few people that made it out of the region said that there were not only earthquakes but there was a strange blue fire that came out of the sky.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Blue fire. Could it be missiles?
HASSAN: I thought missiles were a possibility but there were some eyewitnesses who escaped, and one old man who had been in the army said it wasn't a missile or bomb -- just blue fire.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Blue fire.
HASSAN: From the sky. He said it poured down like melting blue ice, but when it touched the earth, it burst into flame.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Very strange. A new type of weapon?
HASSAN: Possibly. But from whom? Which nation would dare attack us? And who could coordinate the attack with the earthquake? What about the rest of the nation?
THE PRIME MINISTER: We have had no communication from the five Northern provinces. (THE KING ENTERS) The King.
THE KING: Hassan, I'm glad to see you are here. Now, Prime Minister, why have you called this meeting?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Your Majesty, there are some disturbing reports.
THE KING: What sort of reports?
HASSAN: Your Majesty, we didn't want to alarm you but things have grown to such proportions ...
THE KING: What is it?
THE PRIME MINISTER: There have been strikes in many of our munitions factories.
THE KING: Strikes! It's against the law to strike. No one strikes!
HASSAN: Nevertheless, many of our plants have been shut down and there has been sabotage.
THE KING: Sabotage! Outrageous!
THE PRIME MINISTER: Sire, there have been mobs in the streets of our major cities.
THE KING: Mobs? What is happening?
HASSAN: We're not sure, Sire. I've never seen the people so restless.
THE KING: We've provided everything for the people. That has been my purpose as king. The people have the finest hospitals and there is no unemployment. We are the richest nation in the world, and the people have benefited. Why would there be unrest? Why?
THE PRIME MINISTER: I can only guess, Sire.
THE KING: Guess, then.
THE PRIME MINISTER: It must be the general uneasiness that has all of us in its grasp.
HASSAN: It's true, Sire. I felt it too.
THE KING: There has been no "uneasiness" since I assumed the throne. Why is there "uneasiness" now?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Well, Sire, ships cannot take on any of our oil. The seas have been too rough.
THE KING: That's happened before. The seas will calm.
THE PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know, Sire. Thirty-foot waves have been reported -- and that on the calmest of days. It is all very perplexing.
HASSAN: Without our exports of oil our nation is in financial difficulty.
THE KING: How long has it been since we've exported oil?
THE PRIME MINISTER: It has been a month, Sire.
THE KING: A month, that's nothing. We have enough assets to last for three years.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Like you, Sire, we thought the situation would stabilize as it has done in the past.
HASSAN: At this point, our lack of oil exports is of little consequence.
THE KING: What else haven't you told me?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Every nation of the world has nationalized all the investments of other nations. Our holdings in other lands are nonexistent.
THE KING: Our bank accounts?
HASSAN: Also nonexistent.
THE KING: What can we do?
HASSAN: The only thing we can do now is try to protect ourselves.
THE KING: What I want to do is help our people.
THE PRIME MINISTER: There is a difficulty.
THE KING: What's that?
THE PRIME MINISTER: The people are not asking for help. They are rioting.
HASSAN: You cannot stop a riot.
THE KING: They will listen to me. I am their king.
THE PRIME MINISTER: I think it would be wise to protect yourself from the people.
HASSAN: And how can we protect ourselves from the mob?
THE PRIME MINISTER: We have the elite guard. We have weapons.
HASSAN: The people have weapons and outnumber us twenty to one.
THE KING: What am I to do?
HASSAN: Pray.
THE KING: Prayer! What good has that ever done?
THE PRIME MINISTER: It's true; it has done no good.
HASSAN: I agree. But now we will be intense in our praying.
THE KING: I'll give it a try. But who do we pray to?
THE PRIME MINISTER: An important question.
HASSAN: I suggest we make the acquaintance of the Creator of the Universe.
THE KING: Wise advice. We shall do that immediately. (THEY ALL EXIT)
The end times -- will we recognize them?
Summary
The King of a Mideastern country hears from his advisors that there is turmoil in his country, that his assets are liquidated and that his subjects are rioting. There is no course of action, so he is advised to pray, which he decides to do.
Playing Time 3 1/2 minutes
Setting
A conference room in the palace
Props
Weather maps
Costumes
Military uniform, business suit
Time
The end times
Cast
THE KING -- a ruler of Mideastern Nation
THE PRIME MINISTER -- his advisor
HASSAN -- a friend, advisor
THE PRIME MINISTER: (THE PRIME MINISTER AND HASSAN ARE STANDING CENTER STAGE) What about the report?
HASSAN: I have it right here. (UNROLLING MAPS) Here it is. (POINTING TO MAP) Look at this, an earthquake in the Eastern province. Our nation has never experienced earthquakes before. This one killed an estimated 300,000 and leveled two cities. The few people that made it out of the region said that there were not only earthquakes but there was a strange blue fire that came out of the sky.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Blue fire. Could it be missiles?
HASSAN: I thought missiles were a possibility but there were some eyewitnesses who escaped, and one old man who had been in the army said it wasn't a missile or bomb -- just blue fire.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Blue fire.
HASSAN: From the sky. He said it poured down like melting blue ice, but when it touched the earth, it burst into flame.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Very strange. A new type of weapon?
HASSAN: Possibly. But from whom? Which nation would dare attack us? And who could coordinate the attack with the earthquake? What about the rest of the nation?
THE PRIME MINISTER: We have had no communication from the five Northern provinces. (THE KING ENTERS) The King.
THE KING: Hassan, I'm glad to see you are here. Now, Prime Minister, why have you called this meeting?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Your Majesty, there are some disturbing reports.
THE KING: What sort of reports?
HASSAN: Your Majesty, we didn't want to alarm you but things have grown to such proportions ...
THE KING: What is it?
THE PRIME MINISTER: There have been strikes in many of our munitions factories.
THE KING: Strikes! It's against the law to strike. No one strikes!
HASSAN: Nevertheless, many of our plants have been shut down and there has been sabotage.
THE KING: Sabotage! Outrageous!
THE PRIME MINISTER: Sire, there have been mobs in the streets of our major cities.
THE KING: Mobs? What is happening?
HASSAN: We're not sure, Sire. I've never seen the people so restless.
THE KING: We've provided everything for the people. That has been my purpose as king. The people have the finest hospitals and there is no unemployment. We are the richest nation in the world, and the people have benefited. Why would there be unrest? Why?
THE PRIME MINISTER: I can only guess, Sire.
THE KING: Guess, then.
THE PRIME MINISTER: It must be the general uneasiness that has all of us in its grasp.
HASSAN: It's true, Sire. I felt it too.
THE KING: There has been no "uneasiness" since I assumed the throne. Why is there "uneasiness" now?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Well, Sire, ships cannot take on any of our oil. The seas have been too rough.
THE KING: That's happened before. The seas will calm.
THE PRIME MINISTER:
I don't know, Sire. Thirty-foot waves have been reported -- and that on the calmest of days. It is all very perplexing.
HASSAN: Without our exports of oil our nation is in financial difficulty.
THE KING: How long has it been since we've exported oil?
THE PRIME MINISTER: It has been a month, Sire.
THE KING: A month, that's nothing. We have enough assets to last for three years.
THE PRIME MINISTER: Like you, Sire, we thought the situation would stabilize as it has done in the past.
HASSAN: At this point, our lack of oil exports is of little consequence.
THE KING: What else haven't you told me?
THE PRIME MINISTER: Every nation of the world has nationalized all the investments of other nations. Our holdings in other lands are nonexistent.
THE KING: Our bank accounts?
HASSAN: Also nonexistent.
THE KING: What can we do?
HASSAN: The only thing we can do now is try to protect ourselves.
THE KING: What I want to do is help our people.
THE PRIME MINISTER: There is a difficulty.
THE KING: What's that?
THE PRIME MINISTER: The people are not asking for help. They are rioting.
HASSAN: You cannot stop a riot.
THE KING: They will listen to me. I am their king.
THE PRIME MINISTER: I think it would be wise to protect yourself from the people.
HASSAN: And how can we protect ourselves from the mob?
THE PRIME MINISTER: We have the elite guard. We have weapons.
HASSAN: The people have weapons and outnumber us twenty to one.
THE KING: What am I to do?
HASSAN: Pray.
THE KING: Prayer! What good has that ever done?
THE PRIME MINISTER: It's true; it has done no good.
HASSAN: I agree. But now we will be intense in our praying.
THE KING: I'll give it a try. But who do we pray to?
THE PRIME MINISTER: An important question.
HASSAN: I suggest we make the acquaintance of the Creator of the Universe.
THE KING: Wise advice. We shall do that immediately. (THEY ALL EXIT)
