In My Father's House
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
57 Vignettes For Cycle A
Theme
The vain philosophies of this world don't prepare us to handle the really difficult problems of life.
Summary
Jeremy visits his dying mother. She knows she is dying and she asks her son for some help in understanding a Bible passage that could help her die peacefully. Jeremy cannot help.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Place: A nursing home
Props: Wheelchair, balloons, card, note pad
Costumes: Jeremy -- Contemporary
Mom -- Robe, gown, slippers
Time: The present
Cast: JEREMY
MOM
MOM: (ENTERS IN WHEELCHAIR) Jeremy, you came.
JEREMY: (ENTERS WITH BALLOONS AND A CARD) I wanted to. (AN AWKWARD SILENCE) How do you feel?
MOM: Tired. I'm so tired. (SHE CRIES) I have no strength. I'm just so tired.
JEREMY: Uh, Mom. You'll get better soon. I know you will.
MOM: No, Jeremy. Not this time. Not this time.
JEREMY: Uh, Mom, you and Dad always take that vacation to Florida. Don't you want to go to Florida?
MOM: No, I don't. I don't want to go to Florida. I'm too tired.
JEREMY: Mom, you'll be all right.
MOM: No, Jeremy, I won't.
JEREMY: But Mom, there's lots to live for. You've got to be positive. Have hope. Think positive thoughts.
MOM: About what?
JEREMY: About getting well. You're the one who always told me to be positive about everything.
MOM: And were you?
JEREMY: Usually. It's a good way to live. It worked for me. It worked for you.
MOM: It used to work for me.
JEREMY: What happened?
MOM: Being positive is great when things are going well. And even sometimes when things don't go well. Now I've come up against something too big to be positive about.
JEREMY: Then I'll help. I can think positive thoughts along with you.
MOM: Jeremy, you're not facing death right now. I am -- alone.
JEREMY: It doesn't seem fair.
MOM: No, son, it isn't fair. I've had a lot of time to think since I've been sick and I listen to the radio a lot. Some preacher was on the other day and he read from the Bible. Here, I wrote it down. (SEARCHING FOR A NOTE PAD) Here it is.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
JEREMY: That's very comforting.
MOM: No, it's not. What's it mean?
JEREMY: I don't know. How should I know?
MOM: It's not comforting. Not a bit. I don't know what it means. I'm dying and I'm tired and I don't know what it means. (SHE CRIES)
JEREMY: Hey, Mom, don't worry your pretty little head about it. Think positive. Don't concern yourself with something no one can understand. Look, I brought you a card and look at these balloons. That should cheer you up. (MOM LEAVES CRYING. JEREMY FOLLOWS)
The vain philosophies of this world don't prepare us to handle the really difficult problems of life.
Summary
Jeremy visits his dying mother. She knows she is dying and she asks her son for some help in understanding a Bible passage that could help her die peacefully. Jeremy cannot help.
Playing Time: 3 minutes
Place: A nursing home
Props: Wheelchair, balloons, card, note pad
Costumes: Jeremy -- Contemporary
Mom -- Robe, gown, slippers
Time: The present
Cast: JEREMY
MOM
MOM: (ENTERS IN WHEELCHAIR) Jeremy, you came.
JEREMY: (ENTERS WITH BALLOONS AND A CARD) I wanted to. (AN AWKWARD SILENCE) How do you feel?
MOM: Tired. I'm so tired. (SHE CRIES) I have no strength. I'm just so tired.
JEREMY: Uh, Mom. You'll get better soon. I know you will.
MOM: No, Jeremy. Not this time. Not this time.
JEREMY: Uh, Mom, you and Dad always take that vacation to Florida. Don't you want to go to Florida?
MOM: No, I don't. I don't want to go to Florida. I'm too tired.
JEREMY: Mom, you'll be all right.
MOM: No, Jeremy, I won't.
JEREMY: But Mom, there's lots to live for. You've got to be positive. Have hope. Think positive thoughts.
MOM: About what?
JEREMY: About getting well. You're the one who always told me to be positive about everything.
MOM: And were you?
JEREMY: Usually. It's a good way to live. It worked for me. It worked for you.
MOM: It used to work for me.
JEREMY: What happened?
MOM: Being positive is great when things are going well. And even sometimes when things don't go well. Now I've come up against something too big to be positive about.
JEREMY: Then I'll help. I can think positive thoughts along with you.
MOM: Jeremy, you're not facing death right now. I am -- alone.
JEREMY: It doesn't seem fair.
MOM: No, son, it isn't fair. I've had a lot of time to think since I've been sick and I listen to the radio a lot. Some preacher was on the other day and he read from the Bible. Here, I wrote it down. (SEARCHING FOR A NOTE PAD) Here it is.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."
JEREMY: That's very comforting.
MOM: No, it's not. What's it mean?
JEREMY: I don't know. How should I know?
MOM: It's not comforting. Not a bit. I don't know what it means. I'm dying and I'm tired and I don't know what it means. (SHE CRIES)
JEREMY: Hey, Mom, don't worry your pretty little head about it. Think positive. Don't concern yourself with something no one can understand. Look, I brought you a card and look at these balloons. That should cheer you up. (MOM LEAVES CRYING. JEREMY FOLLOWS)
