Our Sabbath Scripture Stories – 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

  • Ezekiel 18:25-28
  • Philippians 2:1-11
  • Matthew 21:28-32

Already this morning, Mom had costumes and a couple props scattered around the living room floor.  It looked like there would be another staging of the Pauline Gospel Action Theater!  Every one of the Pauline kids looked forward to these!  Mom and Dad really made the Gospel come alive for them.  Although this morning, there was something a little bit odd …

“Mom!” Lucy cried out.  “Are the costumes for our Gospel reading this morning?”

“They sure are!” Mom answered her.

“But what’s THAT for?” Lucy asked.  On the coffee table was a rectangular-shaped cake.  It was frosted green with red stripes and had a goal post on one end.  The cake looked like a football field!

Mom laughed.  “You’ll just have to wait and see,” she teased.

Soon everyone was gathered in the living room.  Dad stood in front of them.  “Today, My Dear Children, I am going to need the assistance of Vincent and little Ben.”

Both Ben and Vincent jumped up, and Mom quickly got them dressed in robes with ropes around their waists.  They stood in front of the rest of the family looking like boys right out of the Bible!

Dad went on.  “Now I will read our Gospel reading for this morning, and Vincent and Ben will act it out … “

“What?” Vincent asked in his theatrical way.  “Where are my lines, what’s my motivation?”

Dad laughed.  “Don’t worry, Vincent!  You’ll catch on and know what to do!  Ben will help you!”

Little Ben beamed at his much older brother!

“Okay, here we go!” Dad began.  “Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘ “What is your opinion?  A man had two sons.” ‘ ”  (Matthew 21:28a)  

Dad swept his eyes over Vincent and Ben and continued.  “ ‘He came to the firstand said, “Son,go out and work in the vineyard today.” He said in reply, “I will not,” but afterwards he changed his mind and went.’ ”  (Matthew 21:28b-29)

Ben stepped up on cue and looked at his dad.  He pretended to stomp the ground and have a tantrum.  (Ben was a really good actor, even at his age!)  But then he stuck out his bottom lip, put a ear-to-ear smile on his face, and skipped merrily off towards the vineyard.

Dad went on.  “‘The man came to the other son and gave the same order.  He said in reply, “Yes, sir,” but did not go.’ ”  (Matthew 21:30)

With that motivation, Vincent stepped up and pretended to agree with his dad, but then very cunningly sneaked away.

“Bravo!” Mom cheered.  “Now who can tell me which son did what the father wanted?”

“I think that Ben was the better son,” Mary Clare said, tossing her head teasingly at Vincent.  “Even though he said ‘no’ at first, he still repented and went on to do the work.”

“Yeah, Ben!” Lucy agreed.  “Vincent … I mean the other son, said he would work, but then snuck off!  He lied to his dad!”

“Good job, Kids!” Dad said.  “Even if we come to the truth late, or even after saying ‘no’ at first, it is better than living a lie.  Jesus says that even people who lead bad lives, but then change and believe, enter the kingdom of God before hypocrites and deceivers.”

“And that’s why we have this football cake today!”  Mom said, as she got out some little people to act as players.  “Think of it this way … someone is standing on the 30-yard line getting ready to cross the goal.  But they lie, say one thing and do another, and cheat.”  Mom put the figure in the frosting. 

“Now this is where he’s always going to be,” Mom said, “or even tackled and sent flying back!”  With a dramatic whisk the figure fell backwards and was flat on his back in the cake.  “This is where this person will stay and never cross the goal line.”

“Now we have someone who starts out slow, say in the ‘opponents end,’ ” Mom went on, really caught up in her football analogy.

“But then things happen, and he hears the Good News.  He breaks free of all the tackles.  He’s running for the goal line!  The final victory is in sight!  He’s in!  He wins!  Eternal touchdown!”

Whoa!  Mom really had everyone’s attention.  Swiping back the hair that flew into her face, she caught her breath and said, “You see, Kids, even if you have been living apart from God for a long time, or in this case, way out of sight of the goal line, through penance and conversion, you can get on the path of holiness.”

“What a great morning this has been!” Dad said.  “A great play, and a great demonstration, and a great cake to eat later on!”

“Yeah,” Vincent cheered.  “That cake was perfect for Mom’s talk and will be even better to eat when we celebrate the VIKINGS WIN!”

Then giving everyone a high-five, Vincent led the family off to Mass!

Dad read, “Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘ “There was a rich man who dressed in purple garments and fine linen and dined sumptuously each day.  And lying at his door was a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores.” ’ “ (Luke 16:19-20)  Vincent sprawled himself out on the floor.  “Lazarus ‘ “would gladly have eaten his fill of the scraps that fell from the rich man’s table.  Dogs even used to come and lick his sores.” ’ “  (Luke 16:21)

With this, Ben came bounding up to Vincent and put his wet tongue all over Vincent’s arms.  “Hey, that’s enough already,” Vincent giggled as his arm grew wetter and wetter.

Dad went on, “ ‘ “When the poor man died, he was carried away by angels to the bosom of Abraham.” ’ ”  (Luke 17:22a)  Hillary and Mom stepped in and dragged Vincent over to where Lucy stood wearing her long white beard on the other side of the long, blue river.

Dad continued, ” ‘ “The rich man also died and was buried, and from the netherworld, where he was in torment, he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side.” ’ ” (Luke 16:22b-23)  The fuzz of the beard made Vincent twitch as he cuddled up with Lucy.

Dad handed the Bible to Mary Clare to read her “rich man” lines.  “ ‘ “Father Abraham, have pity on me.  Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering torment in these flames!” ’ ” (Luke 16:24)

In a low Father Abraham voice, Lucy replied, “ ‘ “My child, remember that you received what was good during your lifetime while Lazarus likewise received what was bad; but now he is comforted here, whereas you are tormented.  Moreover,” ’ “ she read, pointing to the river, “ ‘ “between us and you a great chasm is established to prevent anyone from crossing who might wish to go from our side to yours or from your side to ours.“ ‘ “  (Luke 16:25-26)

Mary Clare said again as the rich man, “ ‘ “Then I beg you, father, send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.” ‘ “  (Luke 16:27:28)

Father Abraham answered, “ ‘ “They have Moses and the prophets.  Let them listen to them … If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead!” ‘ “  (Luke 16:29, 31)

Ta-da!  The end.

Everyone stood around and applauded.  This was fun! 

“I really liked doing this, Dad, except for one small thing,” Vincent said, as he mopped down his arm.

“What was that, Vincent?”  Dad chuckled.

“Well, maybe if Ben is going to be the dog again, we could make sure he doesn’t have pancake syrup all over his tongue before we start!”

Act out this Scripture reading with your family. 

Make the Gospel come to life in your own family “Gospel Action Theater”!

Would you prefer a print a copy of this story?

Cycle A, 26 OT, SSSDownload

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