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

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

  • Amos 6:1a, 4-7
  • 1 Timothy 6:11-16
  • Luke 16:19-31

The Pauline children came into the living room where Mom had laid out a long blue piece of material across the floor.  It looked like a river flowing through the center of the living room. 

Dad called everyone together.  “Come on, Gang!  It’s time for another one of our famous Gospel Action Theaters!”

The kids came in smiling.  They knew what the Gospel Action Theater meant.  It meant that they were going to act out this week’s Gospel, and Dad would be assigning parts.

“Okay, Mary Clare, you can be the rich person,” Dad said as he handed her a purple shawl to throw over her shoulder.  “Vincent will be Lazarus.  Lucy will be Father Abraham; Hillary and Mom, the angels; and Ben, the dog.  I’ll be the narrator.  Everyone ready?”  And amidst a flurry of white beards, halos, tails, and robes, the reading began.

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?

26th Sunday in Ordinary Time – CDownload

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