Forgotten Ground Regained

Fifty Days Further

A morality play for Shavuot and Pentecost based on Acts 2:1-41
Note: This play was originally written as a drama for performance by the children of the congregation that I attended in California between 1997 and 2001, during the week that encompasses the Jewish feast of Shavuot, celebrated by the Christian church as the occasion of Pentecost. It dramatizes the events of the first chapter of the Biblical book of Acts. It illustrates rather nicely the effectiveness of alliterative verse as a vehicle for verse drama. By way of comparison, check out the York Mystery Plays.
(In the distance voices are chanting … )
Pilgrims
Rise up! Rise up! The road goes before us –The pilgrim’s path to the place of joy!These heights are near heaven – how we rejoiceAt the glitter of gold from its glowing walls!May my soul be swifter than a swallow’s wingsand rise to its resting place, Jerusalem, my goal!
(enter pilgrims, carrying first fruits, sacks of grain, etc.)(enter priest. Priest blows a shofar.)
Priest
When Passover has passed, the chief priest shall countFifty days further. Then from far and nearGod’s people shall gather gladly to praise him.So bring in the fruits of your fields and pastures,Heap up the harvest till hearts overflow,show it to God, then share with the poor.
Pilgrims
Such a mass of men from so many nations!From Egypt, from Italy, and from Asia Minor,from Phrygia, Pamphylia, and far-off Persia,from Libya, Galilee, and this land of Judahwe have come to proclaim that our King is God,and give him due glory for all his great wonders!
(This has by now become a crowd scene. Enter two Pharisees,one of them named Saul, though he may not be the Saul of the NewTestament. It is a common name.)
First Pharisee
Saul, are you certain?
Saul
This deception is over!We’ll have no tall tales of tombs standing open,No prophets on donkeys, no palm branches waving!This fantasy is finished!
First Pharisee
I fear that our people still hunger for marvels.
Saul
Ha! That they may!But the Law is the lesson they must learn to respect!They seek false Messiahs with sin in their hearts. Just give a good show, and that’s good enoughto make happy morons! But more is required.To be obedient is better by far,And the proper approach to pleasing our God.Our life is the letter of the law. Yeshua –that man was a maniac or maybe possessedwith parables for prostitutes, preaching that lovemade law-breaking legal! I’d like to believewe’ve heard nonsense enough. Never mind him –
What’s this?
(a crowd of the disciples suddenly spill out onto the street.They are praising God in many different languages.)
(simultaneously)
First Disciple
Gloria in excelsis Deo.Et in terra pax hominibusBonae voluntatis.
Laudamus te. Benedicimus te.Adoramus te. Glorifcamus te.
Gratias agimus tibipropter magnam gloriam tuam. Domine Deus, Rex caelestis,Deus Pater omipotense.Domine Fili unigenite Iesu Christe.Domine Deus, Agnus Dei,Filius Patris. Qui tollis peccata mundi,Miserere nobis.
Second Disciple
Khosh be hale un kasan keFaghre roohe khod be danandKhosh be hale mardomi keMalekane un jahanand. Khosh be hale frutananKhosh be hale rahimanKhosh be hale meskimanKhosh be hale shoma. Khosh be hale pakdelan keKhosh be hale salehan keU ra binand chonkeAanan farzandane khoda hastand. Khosh be hale gham-gosaranKhosh be hale maatam-daranKhosh be hale ma ke dadimGhalbe khod ra be massiha.
Third Disciple
Alleluia: fai pe pi eho-oo etaep Chois thamiof: maren thelilen ten oonof emmon enkhitf:O Ep Chois ek-e nahmen:O Ep Chois ek-e sooten nen moit:Ef-esmaro-oot enje fi ethniookhen ef raan em ep Chois:Alleluia.
Fourth Disciple
Axios ei labein to biblion,Kai anoixai tas sphragidas autou,Hoti esphages kai egorasas toi theoi en toi haimati souEk pases phulys kai glosses kai laou kai ethnousKai epoiesas autous toi theoi hemon basileian kai hiereis,Kai basileusousin epi tes ges. Axios estin to arnion to esphagmenon labeinTen dunamin kai plouton kai sophian kai iskhunKai timen kai doxan kai eulogian.
Saul
How dare they! They’re drunk! Dowsed to the gills,filled with the fruit of some fervent vine!They are stewed! They are stoned! Stripped of all sense,like mumbling madmen or muttering fools!
Peter
Sir, we are sober! Be certain of that. It’s the middle morning, and when men get drunkpartying past midnight they pass out coldby the middle morning, or maybe they stirwith hammering head, or with heaving guts.But look! They’re alert and alive with joyFilled with the fruit of a fervent heart!Their speech is inspired, for the spirit moves themAs was plainly prophesied by the prophet Joel. In the last days – lo – as the Lord proclaimsall flesh shall overflow, filled by my SpiritFor a sign shall be seen in your sons and daughters –Visions revealed to the very youngest, a deluge of dreams dealt to their elders.Man and maid servant will be moved in spiritwith a prophet’s power –
Saul (aside)
(How perfectly mad.)
Pilgrims (together)
Glory to God! Is this gift upon us?
Peter
Consider the man whom miracles attested,Yeshua of Nazareth. You know what wondersGod sent, what signs you saw him achieve.Yes, his life was taken by lawless men,But who handed him over, helped or stood by?Yet all this was planned in the presence of God,by whose power he passed the perils of Hell.As its says in the Psalms, Messiah's too holyfor the Lord to allow Him to lie in the Pit.He lives now as Lord whom the Lord has raisedAnd we on whom this wonder fell witnessed His glory.
Saul stands in utter astonishment as thepilgrims crowd around Peter and the disciples.
First Pilgrim (tearing his garments)
We are blind! We are blind, and bound up in darkness!
Second Pilgrim (sinking to his knees)
Sodom and Gomorrah are safer from judgement!
Third Pilgrim (looking at his tzitzit, and speaking quietly)
The law is no comfort – I am lost indeed.
The Pilgrims together
Men and brothers – what should we do?!
Peter
Repent and confess in the presence of God. Accept the Messiah’s sacrificed bloodas the water that washes you whiter than snow.Then you too will be filled with fire from heaven,Till the Spirit of God spills from your hearts.
The pilgrims crowd forward in a kind of babble, speaking variously) :
Pilgrims
Save me! I’m sorry! My sin is so great!Forgive me! Be gracious! O God, I am yours!
(Saul then turns away in disgust, saying):
Saul
Let’s report to the priest. He’ll put down this folly.
2nd Pharisee
I fear Saul you may find yourself fighting God.
(Peter, the disciples, and the piligrims now join together and march joyfully along.)
Peter
We have gathered together that God may be praised!The fields are full, but few come to work them,So haul in the harvest, and heap it up high!
Pilgrims and disciples together
Rise up! Rise up! The road goes before us –The pilgrim’s path to the place of joy!These heights are near heaven – how we rejoiceAt the glitter of gold from its glowing walls!May my soul be swifter than a swallow’s wingsand rise to its resting place, reach heaven my goal!
Copyright © Paul D Deane, 2001
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