Fasting
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
57 Vignettes For Cycle A
Theme
Is it possible for the average Christian to fast or is it just for the super spiritual saint? And why do we fast?
Summary
Two people talk about their struggle to fast as a preparation for Easter. They learn that they can be strengthened in the process.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Place: Anywhere
Props: None
Costumes: Contemporary, casual
Time: The present
Cast: RON -- a struggler
JAN -- another one
RON: Hey, are you still hungry? I am.
JAN: It was a good dinner. But, please, don't talk about dessert.
RON: I can't help it. That's all I think about.
JAN: Me too. That's why I told you not to talk about it.
RON: C'mon, wouldn't a great piece of cheesecake with blueberry topping taste really good right about now?
JAN: Well, of course it would. Dinner was great and it would be nice to top it off with a nice dessert.
RON: There, you see. Let's forget the fast and go get some dessert -- fast!
JAN: "Get thee behind me, Satan."
RON: Okay. I can prove that I have a strong will. I'll just talk about something else. Let's see. Oh, did you know that that new building downtown is renting space now?
JAN: It's not finished.
RON: Of course, but the building is really nice and we need to move the office. The lease rates are really low right now.
JAN: Well, let's go look at it sometime.
RON: Great, how about this afternoon? We could stop at that yogurt place and get a cone.
JAN: Ron!
RON: I'm sorry. I did it again, didn't I?
JAN: Don't worry about it. If you hadn't mentioned dessert I probably would have.
RON: This fasting is really getting to me. Of all the things we decided to do, fasting is the worst. I just can't do it. Let's forget the whole thing and go eat dessert.
JAN: No, no. We both thought the Lord was telling us to fast for Lent.
RON: But, I can't do it. All day yesterday I thought about dessert. And the day before that was worse.
JAN: I know. I know. Isn't it strange, I mean, who would think that the Lord God, Creator of the universe, would care if we ate a little itty bitty piece of cherry pie or not?
RON: Do you think He cares? How can whether we eat a dessert after dinner matter to someone who is negotiating the umpteen zillionth turn of this earth around the sun?
JAN: What's fasting all about then?
RON: Why are we hurting ourselves, denying ourselves?
JAN: I really don't know. Everyone else is doing it. The pastor asked us to fast. He asked the entire church.
RON: I know, but why are we doing it? No one is going to know whether we do or not, right?
JAN: Right. Of course no one will know if we fast or not. Probably no one would care, but wouldn't God know?
RON: Of course God knows. Of course He does. But what would it matter to Him? That's the point, isn't it? What does it matter to God?
JAN: I've got this Bible study on fasting that the pastor gave us. Let's look at it.
RON: Let's don't. Let's give it up.
JAN: Ron.
RON: Let's take a look. It can't hurt ... any more than it does.
JAN: C'mon. Look up these references in your Bible.
RON: All right.
JAN: We need some answers.
RON: Look at this. It says here that Jesus fasted forty days.
JAN: Yes, I know. That's why we have forty days of Lent.
RON: And forty nights. But, look, it also says He was hungry. That's an understatement.
JAN: We're in good company, fasting with Jesus.
RON: Oh, look at this. This is the time He was tempted by the devil.
JAN: Sure, in the wilderness.
RON: Jan, I've got it! It's to be strengthened.
JAN: Do you mean we fast and that strengthens us?
RON: It doesn't seem to be true, does it? I feel pretty weak, right now. But, look, if we can be the masters of our own will ...
JAN: You mean with God's help.
RON: Oh, of course, yes. If we are masters of our own will and body, with God's help, then we can be faithful disciples in God's kingdom.
JAN: Of course. That must be it. If we can master our own desires then we can stand against the devil, like Jesus did.
RON: You know what? I still want the dessert.
JAN: So do I, but I think we can make it. I want to.
RON: So do I.
Is it possible for the average Christian to fast or is it just for the super spiritual saint? And why do we fast?
Summary
Two people talk about their struggle to fast as a preparation for Easter. They learn that they can be strengthened in the process.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Place: Anywhere
Props: None
Costumes: Contemporary, casual
Time: The present
Cast: RON -- a struggler
JAN -- another one
RON: Hey, are you still hungry? I am.
JAN: It was a good dinner. But, please, don't talk about dessert.
RON: I can't help it. That's all I think about.
JAN: Me too. That's why I told you not to talk about it.
RON: C'mon, wouldn't a great piece of cheesecake with blueberry topping taste really good right about now?
JAN: Well, of course it would. Dinner was great and it would be nice to top it off with a nice dessert.
RON: There, you see. Let's forget the fast and go get some dessert -- fast!
JAN: "Get thee behind me, Satan."
RON: Okay. I can prove that I have a strong will. I'll just talk about something else. Let's see. Oh, did you know that that new building downtown is renting space now?
JAN: It's not finished.
RON: Of course, but the building is really nice and we need to move the office. The lease rates are really low right now.
JAN: Well, let's go look at it sometime.
RON: Great, how about this afternoon? We could stop at that yogurt place and get a cone.
JAN: Ron!
RON: I'm sorry. I did it again, didn't I?
JAN: Don't worry about it. If you hadn't mentioned dessert I probably would have.
RON: This fasting is really getting to me. Of all the things we decided to do, fasting is the worst. I just can't do it. Let's forget the whole thing and go eat dessert.
JAN: No, no. We both thought the Lord was telling us to fast for Lent.
RON: But, I can't do it. All day yesterday I thought about dessert. And the day before that was worse.
JAN: I know. I know. Isn't it strange, I mean, who would think that the Lord God, Creator of the universe, would care if we ate a little itty bitty piece of cherry pie or not?
RON: Do you think He cares? How can whether we eat a dessert after dinner matter to someone who is negotiating the umpteen zillionth turn of this earth around the sun?
JAN: What's fasting all about then?
RON: Why are we hurting ourselves, denying ourselves?
JAN: I really don't know. Everyone else is doing it. The pastor asked us to fast. He asked the entire church.
RON: I know, but why are we doing it? No one is going to know whether we do or not, right?
JAN: Right. Of course no one will know if we fast or not. Probably no one would care, but wouldn't God know?
RON: Of course God knows. Of course He does. But what would it matter to Him? That's the point, isn't it? What does it matter to God?
JAN: I've got this Bible study on fasting that the pastor gave us. Let's look at it.
RON: Let's don't. Let's give it up.
JAN: Ron.
RON: Let's take a look. It can't hurt ... any more than it does.
JAN: C'mon. Look up these references in your Bible.
RON: All right.
JAN: We need some answers.
RON: Look at this. It says here that Jesus fasted forty days.
JAN: Yes, I know. That's why we have forty days of Lent.
RON: And forty nights. But, look, it also says He was hungry. That's an understatement.
JAN: We're in good company, fasting with Jesus.
RON: Oh, look at this. This is the time He was tempted by the devil.
JAN: Sure, in the wilderness.
RON: Jan, I've got it! It's to be strengthened.
JAN: Do you mean we fast and that strengthens us?
RON: It doesn't seem to be true, does it? I feel pretty weak, right now. But, look, if we can be the masters of our own will ...
JAN: You mean with God's help.
RON: Oh, of course, yes. If we are masters of our own will and body, with God's help, then we can be faithful disciples in God's kingdom.
JAN: Of course. That must be it. If we can master our own desires then we can stand against the devil, like Jesus did.
RON: You know what? I still want the dessert.
JAN: So do I, but I think we can make it. I want to.
RON: So do I.
