Prayer Power
Drama
Lectionary Scenes
56 Vignettes For Cycle C
Theme
Prayers have more power than we realize.
Summary
Two senior angels are discussing a third angel who is a real fighter, but doesn't seem to fit too well in the prayer answering division. He wants to fight evil in the world but is limited by what the believers are praying.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
The heavenlies
Props
Sword, scroll
Costumes
White, casual clothes
Time
The present
Cast
LOQUE -- the captain of the angels
HOM -- a friend
RINNAHEL -- a warrior angel
(A COUPLE OF ANGELS ENTER)
LOQUE: I don't know what I'm going to do with him.
HOM: You specifically requested he be transferred into this division.
LOQUE: But, I didn't count on him being so ... so ...
HOM: Aggressive?
LOQUE: I know. Don't remind me. I got what I wanted. I just didn't know he'd be so aggressive.
HOM: He has been good for this outfit. We needed some spark.
LOQUE: Rinnahel is not a spark; he is a forest fire!
HOM: You must remember the good he has done. He completes his assignments quickly.
LOQUE: He is an asset, surely. It is good we have a brave warrior like Rinnahel. But he is one who questions what God does.
HOM: I don't think so. He doesn't question God. He questions his transfer to this division. He thinks his talents are being wasted. He has distinguished himself in several major battles. Did you hear that it was he that requested he be sent to rescue Jesus in the Garden when the soldiers came to capture our Lord?
LOQUE: I remember Jesus said to Peter that twelve legions of angels were ready to defend Him.
HOM: There were many more that wanted to go, but Rinnahel requested that he go alone disguised as a human so he could rescue Jesus.
LOQUE: No, I hadn't heard that story. It is just like him, though. But we haven't had any big battles for quite a while.
HOM: This division is here to answer prayers. We will have battles sooner or later. We fight for God and for the believers.
LOQUE: Yes. Sooner or later. And then we will need Rinnahel's strength and expertise.
HOM: Well, here comes your warrior now.
RINNAHEL: (ENTERS) My captain.
LOQUE: I have a new assignment for you.
RINNAHEL: Yes, my captain. (LOOKING AT ASSIGNMENT) But, captain, why can't I fight? I mean a real fight.
LOQUE: You are in the prayer answering division now, Rinnahel. You must follow orders. We are here solely to answer the prayers of the saints.
RINNAHEL: I don't understand.
HOM: None of us understands entirely what God is doing all the time, but I certainly have seen wondrous things accomplished by God, and He allows us to be part of those miracles.
RINNAHEL: But would you just look at this, for instance. (PICKING UP A NEWSPAPER -- WHEN RINNAHEL READS FROM THE NEWSPAPER IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SEVERAL ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST CAN BE CHOSEN AND SUBSTITUTED FOR THE CRIMES PRESENTED IN THE SCRIPT) Another rape, and they think it is the same person who raped several others ... a serial rapist. That makes me so angry. I want to fight and just look at me -- I'm a fighter and I'm sent to this outfit. I don't fit in here. I want to fight evil like this. (INDICATING PAPER) I'm strong. I want to be on the front lines. I could do something about this.
LOQUE: We can do nothing at this time.
RINNAHEL: Don't I know it! We have weapons, mighty weapons, and we cannot use them.
LOQUE: We have accomplished a great deal of good in the past and we will again. We can only do what the saints pray and what the Lord wills. The time is not right yet.
RINNAHEL: The time is right. Look at this. A man and wife were killed during the robbery of a convenience store. Boy, there ought to be a law.
HOM: There is a law. There are many laws that humans have made.
RINNAHEL: And what about God's law? They are really breaking two sets of laws when they break the just laws of humans, aren't they?
HOM: Of course they are.
RINNAHEL: Then why can't we get rid of the evil in the world? The Lord has the power to do that.
HOM: You bet He does. He does have the power. But He has decided to allow humans to be a part of the battle against evil.
RINNAHEL: Then why don't they get on with it?
HOM: I'm sure they will learn to pray without ceasing as they have been told to do. They will learn to pray for other things rather than their own requests. They will learn.
RINNAHEL: They must learn fast. Evil is winning in so many areas. Look at the evil. A little girl, only five years old, raped. Now, come on. We have got to stop that. We can stop that. Why doesn't God ...
LOQUE: That's enough of that now. Carry out your orders. We can talk about this later.
RINNAHEL: My orders. I will fulfill them. But, captain, you must know that I am being wasted on orders like this.
LOQUE: Fulfill your orders. Trust God and do what you are told.
RINNAHEL: But, the evil ...
LOQUE: Go.
RINNAHEL: All right. I'm going. (RINNAHEL EXITS)
HOM: He's a good angel. He will do as he is commanded. As we learned to do.
LOQUE: Yes. In a way I can't blame him.
HOM: What was the assignment?
LOQUE: The usual that we get. We are in the prayer answering division after all, you know.
HOM: Well, it is easy to see why he is so upset. I get a little irritated myself at the limited scope of the believers' prayers. What was it?
LOQUE: He has to secure a parking place downtown for a believer.
HOM: I don't know. I just don't know. When will the believers learn how much more they can do with their prayers?
Prayers have more power than we realize.
Summary
Two senior angels are discussing a third angel who is a real fighter, but doesn't seem to fit too well in the prayer answering division. He wants to fight evil in the world but is limited by what the believers are praying.
Playing Time
3 minutes
Setting
The heavenlies
Props
Sword, scroll
Costumes
White, casual clothes
Time
The present
Cast
LOQUE -- the captain of the angels
HOM -- a friend
RINNAHEL -- a warrior angel
(A COUPLE OF ANGELS ENTER)
LOQUE: I don't know what I'm going to do with him.
HOM: You specifically requested he be transferred into this division.
LOQUE: But, I didn't count on him being so ... so ...
HOM: Aggressive?
LOQUE: I know. Don't remind me. I got what I wanted. I just didn't know he'd be so aggressive.
HOM: He has been good for this outfit. We needed some spark.
LOQUE: Rinnahel is not a spark; he is a forest fire!
HOM: You must remember the good he has done. He completes his assignments quickly.
LOQUE: He is an asset, surely. It is good we have a brave warrior like Rinnahel. But he is one who questions what God does.
HOM: I don't think so. He doesn't question God. He questions his transfer to this division. He thinks his talents are being wasted. He has distinguished himself in several major battles. Did you hear that it was he that requested he be sent to rescue Jesus in the Garden when the soldiers came to capture our Lord?
LOQUE: I remember Jesus said to Peter that twelve legions of angels were ready to defend Him.
HOM: There were many more that wanted to go, but Rinnahel requested that he go alone disguised as a human so he could rescue Jesus.
LOQUE: No, I hadn't heard that story. It is just like him, though. But we haven't had any big battles for quite a while.
HOM: This division is here to answer prayers. We will have battles sooner or later. We fight for God and for the believers.
LOQUE: Yes. Sooner or later. And then we will need Rinnahel's strength and expertise.
HOM: Well, here comes your warrior now.
RINNAHEL: (ENTERS) My captain.
LOQUE: I have a new assignment for you.
RINNAHEL: Yes, my captain. (LOOKING AT ASSIGNMENT) But, captain, why can't I fight? I mean a real fight.
LOQUE: You are in the prayer answering division now, Rinnahel. You must follow orders. We are here solely to answer the prayers of the saints.
RINNAHEL: I don't understand.
HOM: None of us understands entirely what God is doing all the time, but I certainly have seen wondrous things accomplished by God, and He allows us to be part of those miracles.
RINNAHEL: But would you just look at this, for instance. (PICKING UP A NEWSPAPER -- WHEN RINNAHEL READS FROM THE NEWSPAPER IT WOULD BE BETTER IF SEVERAL ITEMS OF LOCAL INTEREST CAN BE CHOSEN AND SUBSTITUTED FOR THE CRIMES PRESENTED IN THE SCRIPT) Another rape, and they think it is the same person who raped several others ... a serial rapist. That makes me so angry. I want to fight and just look at me -- I'm a fighter and I'm sent to this outfit. I don't fit in here. I want to fight evil like this. (INDICATING PAPER) I'm strong. I want to be on the front lines. I could do something about this.
LOQUE: We can do nothing at this time.
RINNAHEL: Don't I know it! We have weapons, mighty weapons, and we cannot use them.
LOQUE: We have accomplished a great deal of good in the past and we will again. We can only do what the saints pray and what the Lord wills. The time is not right yet.
RINNAHEL: The time is right. Look at this. A man and wife were killed during the robbery of a convenience store. Boy, there ought to be a law.
HOM: There is a law. There are many laws that humans have made.
RINNAHEL: And what about God's law? They are really breaking two sets of laws when they break the just laws of humans, aren't they?
HOM: Of course they are.
RINNAHEL: Then why can't we get rid of the evil in the world? The Lord has the power to do that.
HOM: You bet He does. He does have the power. But He has decided to allow humans to be a part of the battle against evil.
RINNAHEL: Then why don't they get on with it?
HOM: I'm sure they will learn to pray without ceasing as they have been told to do. They will learn to pray for other things rather than their own requests. They will learn.
RINNAHEL: They must learn fast. Evil is winning in so many areas. Look at the evil. A little girl, only five years old, raped. Now, come on. We have got to stop that. We can stop that. Why doesn't God ...
LOQUE: That's enough of that now. Carry out your orders. We can talk about this later.
RINNAHEL: My orders. I will fulfill them. But, captain, you must know that I am being wasted on orders like this.
LOQUE: Fulfill your orders. Trust God and do what you are told.
RINNAHEL: But, the evil ...
LOQUE: Go.
RINNAHEL: All right. I'm going. (RINNAHEL EXITS)
HOM: He's a good angel. He will do as he is commanded. As we learned to do.
LOQUE: Yes. In a way I can't blame him.
HOM: What was the assignment?
LOQUE: The usual that we get. We are in the prayer answering division after all, you know.
HOM: Well, it is easy to see why he is so upset. I get a little irritated myself at the limited scope of the believers' prayers. What was it?
LOQUE: He has to secure a parking place downtown for a believer.
HOM: I don't know. I just don't know. When will the believers learn how much more they can do with their prayers?
