Characters:
Rebecca (an old woman with a limp)
Simon (her son)
Neighbors (Marta, Naomi, Joanna, Salome, and others)
The voice of a man
This drama is set at the time of Jesus. The story unfolds in a room at the home of Rebecca. There is a window and a chair next to the window. Scene I
(Rebecca is sitting next to the window. Simon is standing in front of her.)
Simon: (very angry) Dont speak to me about that mother. I am tired of hearing the name of Jesus.
Rebecca: But my son
Simon: (interrupting) But nothing
Mother. You know I love you and I dont want to offend you by speaking to you this way.
Rebecca: One thing you cannot deny Simon that I was blind and now I can see.
Simon: I wont even try to explain that. I doubt that He had anything to do with it. You probably would have been able to see in that moment even without having ever heard of that man. If it was He who restored your sight, then why did He not heal your limp as well? If He is the Son of God and God forgive me for even thinking that He could be then wouldn't have been just as easy for Him to heal two illnesses as He did one? Well, I have to go to work.
Rebecca: Oh son, that is another matter
Simon: (interrupting) Dont even say it. I know it by heart. If I dont build crosses, how will we live? You know who the orders come from! Who am I to refuse Caesars orders?
Rebecca: It is a pity that your hands, which once made cradles for babies, tables and chairs to furnish happy homes now manufacture instruments of death. Oh my God! Forgive him! Forgive him! (Simon exits while she is speaking. Rebecca remains at the window with her head inclined, until a neighbor approaches her.)
Martha: Rebecca! Have you not heard the news? Oh Rebecca, I wish that you had been there!
Rebecca: Where Martha? What do you mean? What happened?
Martha: Jesus entered triumphantly into Jerusalem! Certainly He is the Son of God, Rebecca, and He has come to sit on the throne of David!
Rebecca: Is it true? Tell me more.
Martha: Well, He entered the city riding on a donkey, and all the people sang hosannas, and the children worshipped Him with songs and flowers. Oh, never will I be able to describe the greatness and beauty of that moment. And Jesus oh, Rebecca, I felt in my heart that He did not like all the noise; but in spite of that, He had a smile for all. AND, He really looked like the King of Kings. (She goes after putting her had lovingly upon Rebeccas hand.)
Rebecca: Thank God! Surely Simon will recognize Him as King when He sits upon the throne of David. (Pause) but I do not understand Jesus said: My kingdom is not of this world There are many
things that I do not understand. But I do know that I was blind and now I see; I was sad and now I am happy; and that I had no hope and now my heart sings.
(Curtain)
Scene II
(Rebecca is sitting next to the window; a neighbor arrives)
Rebecca: You look troubled, Naomi. What is wrong?
Naomi: Yes Rebecca, all of us, the friends of Jesus, we are very concerned. If Jesus is not more careful, something terrible will happen.
Rebecca: What do you mean by that? What is Jesus doing?
Naomi: Of course you do not know anything about the danger, Rebecca. Poor thing. I do not understand why Jesus gave you sight, but left you lame.
Rebecca: We should not doubt the wisdom of God. I dont know much about the things that are happening out there. I only know about what I can see and hear from my window. Simon doesnt tell me much; as you well know, he doesnt believe in Jesus and he gets upset every time he hears the name of Jesus. Anyway Naomi, go on, tell me the news.
Naomi: Well, Jesus has not yet occupied the throne of David. I dont know what He is waiting for. He is at the temple almost every day perturbing the priests and the elders. On Monday, He cast the moneychangers out of the Temple. He kicked out the dove merchants too. The only thing that saved Him was that He was surrounded by a multitude of people who believe in Him. Listen Rebecca, every day the Pharisees go to Jesus and tempt Him by asking some very controversial questions. It looks like He doesnt even want to defend himself. Instead of being quiet, Jesus answers them with words that just fill them with rage.
Rebecca: How sad. But you know Naomi, just at the sight of Him; He doesnt look like he needs protection at all. And what were the disciples doing?
Naomi: Nothing much. They are afraid. (Another neighbor arrives.)
Joanna: Naomi Are you here? I was looking for you. Jesus is speaking on the hillside. I was there for a while, but I came to look for you. He has never spoken like this before (Two voices are heard coming into the house, Simon and another voice.)
The Voice: We will need this for sure by Friday. You must start on it immediately.
Simon: Dont worry about a thing. I work very quickly.
The Voice: You can make a fortune with this type of work, Simon. And hey, man, make it really strong. We don't want it to break under the power of this prophet. (Laughs in a sinister manner)
Simon: (Also laughing) My crosses are very well made. There is no danger that it will break for any reason.
The Voice: (Still laughing) Well friend, good-bye for now. (The sound of a hammer is heard over the voices.
Rebecca covers her face with her hands. Naomi and Joanna exit quickly. After a few moments the hammering ceases and Simon enters the house.)
Simon: Mother, I dont like living here in Jerusalem. What about you? Shall we move back to our little hometown again? I dont like being at odds with you. If you like, I will leave my work here.
Rebecca: (Very happy) Oh, Simon, really? Do you want to return? Lets go right now!
Simon: (Pause) Well, within a few days or so. I still have one last job to finish up.
Rebecca: (Almost screaming) Son! My son! Dont do it! Dont do it! You dont know what you are doing!
Simon: Please Mother, quiet down. Don't speak to me about that any more. I cannot please you, no matter what I do. I've already told you we are moving back to our hometown, and that I will even
quit my job. What else do you want from me?
Rebecca: (With a desperate voice) It won't matter if we live in Jerusalem or in Bethany. It will be the same. (Simon looks at her and leaves in a rage.)
Rebecca: (Tries to get up and falls to the floor, crying.) Oh my God! (Sobbing, she hears the hammering sound once again.)
(Curtain)
Scene III
(Rebecca is seated next to the window, crying in silence. The choir, off stage, sings one verse of a funeral hymn La Tumba Le Encerro. Simon enters very slowly with his head looking downward. He pays no attention to his mother, and she is not aware of his presence until he speaks.)
Simon: I did it. (He looks at his stretched out hands.) These hands made that cross, Oh my God! What have I done? I will never be able to forget that terrible moment and He was looking at me. I think he knew that it was my cross. His hands were nailed, His feet were nailed. His face like an angel. No!! Like a King! A King nailed to a cross that I made with these very hands. (Suddenly Simon notices
his mother. He kneels before her).
Rebecca: My son, my son
Simon: (Looking attentively into her eyes.) I understand it now. Indeed, He had the power to give you sight, Mother I saw Him die and I knew deep inside me that He could have come down off that
cross, but He did not want to Jesus chose to die!
Rebecca: And to think that He had to die, so that you might believe. (Rebecca quietly looks at her son attentively. Simon, still kneeling in front of her, puts his gaze once again on her face.)
Simon: (Slowly, with much expression.) And it was the strangest thingHe looked at me as though He was forgiving me!
(Curtain)
Scene IV (Rebecca is seated next to the window as usual. Simon enters the house running to his mothers side, and three or four neighbors come to the window. Everyone is talking at the same time.
Neighbors: Hosanna! Glory to God! He lives! He lives! God is Almighty! Hosanna in the highest!
Naomi: Have you heard, Rebecca?
Simon: Yes, Mother, it is true!
Martha: Yes! There is no doubt! It is true!
Everyone: Yes! Yes!
Rebecca: What is true? What are you saying?
Joanna: Oh, here comes Salome. She will tell you, Rebecca.
Salome: Oh Rebecca, Rebecca! Our King lives. I have seen Him myself!
Rebecca: But how Salome? How can that be? (She looks to her son Simon.) Didnt you tell me that you saw Him die?
Salome: Yes RebeccaJesus died but He arose from the grave!
Rebecca: But how? I dont understand. How?
Simon: That is what I have come here to tell you, Mother. (The neighbors leave quietly.) Do you remember that I was telling you that it looked like Jesus was choosing to die? that He didnt fear
death? and that He could have gotten down off the cross? That is why He did not look afraid. His power is so great that He did not have to come off the cross to be victorious. He diedwas buriedstayed in the grave for three days and then He broke the chains of death and He rose again. It is very strange but true. Mother, since the moment that He looked over at me from the cross, with suchsadness, love and forgiveness, I knew He was alive, and is alive now, and lives within my heart.
(When Simon says this, Rebecca gets up very slowly and takes a step toward her son, without thinking about what she is doing. Both suddenly look down at Rebeccas feet, and then look at each other. Simon hugs her in silence and both kneel down together, while hearing the choir, off stage. I Serve the Risen Savior.)
The End. (Curtain closes while a worship song is sang)
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