The Praise Pause

October 24, 2004

Meet today's cast...
Fr. Charlie: Quite a wit, pastor of our flock	Mimi: Mimi is a perfect name for this puppet as she is ALWAYS thinking about herself--ME-ME and she thinks she knows about everything!	Scooter: Always "scooting" around, going in all directions, busy, busy, busy, trying to learn to take time to slow down.

Rhyme Dog: No, not REM DAWG (Red Sox) but he loves baseball and he is special because he talks---but he only talks in Rhymes	MARIA: Maria is from another country and she speaks Spanish so she will be introducing some Spanish words. She is Scooter's friend and she loves too ask Fr. Charlie questions about God.

FR. CHARLIE: Hello boys and girls—how is everyone? Today in the Gospel, Jesus is doing something He loves to do—He’s telling a story which is called a parable. The story is about 2 people praying….but they pray very differently.

SCOOTER: (comes running in from the side door with Maria) I won…I won, Fr. Charlie!! I picked a blue ticket at the Church raffle and won 2 tickets to the baseball game and Maria and I are going!

FR. CHARLIE: That’s wonderful Scooter and Maria! Where are you going to..….. (Barking and dog comes out from the other side door) WOAH! Whose dog is this?

MARIA: That’s “mi perro”-which is “my dog” in Spanish. He is very special because he can talk! But he only speaks in rhymes, sooooo his name is RHYME DOG. Go ahead, mi perro, say something!

RHYME DOG: Rhyme Dog, Rhyme Dog is my name
Baseball, baseball is my game!

FR. CHARLIE: Why Maria, that’s amazing! So, Scooter, where are your seats?

SCOOTER: Well, (seems disappointed) they’re out in the bleachers, but……(From the back, out comes Mimi)

MIMI: I won! I won! I won the GOLDEN TICKET!

FR. CHARLIE: Mimi, Mimi, calm down—What did you say?

MIMI: I won! I won the GOLDEN TICKET—I’m going to the baseball game and I’m sitting behind the dugout!

RHYME DOG: Oh, me, oh my…..oh me, oh my,
Her favorite words are ME and I!

SCOOTER: SOOO, so what!….I got 2 tickets and WE are going to the game!

FR. CHARLIE: Hmmm……let me ask you all something. How many of you have watched baseball on TV? How many of you have been to a baseball game? Maria how many times have you and Scooter been to a game?
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MARIA: Dos-----that means two—two times!

MIMI: Well, I’ve been 3 times!

FR. CHARLIE: OK, then let’s talk baseball.

SCOOTER: Baseball in Church! I know a baseball hymn.. It’s called
“ Take Me Out To The Ballgame”!

MIMI: That’s not a hymn and it’s a dumb song…and anyway…..why does everybody stand up and sing, “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” (pause) when they’re already there?

RHYME DOG: There goes Mimi standing tall,
Talking like she knows it all!

MARIA: Scooter, you’re so funny! Fr. Charlie did you know that there are players from many different countries that play baseball, some even speak Espanol—that’s Spanish!

FR. CHARLIE: Yes, I did, Maria…and all the players and coaches are a TEAM.
Now, all the players are important but I’m thinking of one who is very, very important. Who do you think that is, Scooter?

SCOOTER: The Pitcher????

FR. CHARLIE: He certainly is important but I’m thinking of the Catcher. Do you know why?

MIMI: I know…because he can tell the Umpire to change his call if he doesn’t like what he said!

RHYME DOG: What did she say? What a disgrace!
Her baseball knowledge is way off base!

FR. CHARLIE: No, Mimi. He gives the pitcher a special signal for the pitch he thinks the batter might miss. What are some of the pitches that can be thrown?

MIMI: Well, I know that one! There’s a fastball, a curve,………and a knucklehead!

FR. CHARLIE: I think you mean knuckleball? Anyway, the Catcher gives the Pitcher a sign of what ball to pitch. Then, the Pitcher gives him a sign by nodding yes or no.

SCOOTER: Yeah, the two of them are a team, they really have to work together.

MARIA: Padre Charlie…..praying is kind of like baseball! I’m like the Pitcher and God is like the Catcher. When I pray to God, I pitch my prayers to Him and then He catches them.

FR. CHARLIE: Good thinking, Maria. Now Mimi—if you were a Pitcher and pitching a prayer to God, what would you say?

MIMI: I would say, “Lord, you know me. You and I are friends. I listen to the Coach all the time. I’m always early for practice. I’ve been on the team the longest, and I thank you that I don’t make as many mistakes as some of the people on the team. Amen”

RHYME DOG: Now that’s a prayer that’s poorly pitched,
It’s full of I’s and Me’s,
She needs relief, get someone else,
To help her if you please!

SCOOTER: Fr. Charlie, when I was a Pitcher my prayer was, “Hi, Jesus. Sometimes I think I know more than the Catcher does, I say “no” too fast, and then find out he was right. I don’t like it when I make a mistake. Can you help me? I hope I get a hit but if I don’t, thank you for today, and thank you for helping me be on the team. Amen”

FR. CHARLIE: Scooter, that’s a wonderful prayer. Maria, now that you heard both of these prayers what do you think?

MARIA: Well,…Mimi & Scooter both say thank you to God but…it sounds different.

RHYME DOG: Both pitch thanks and both pitch praise,
One thinks of herself…..the other in a special way.
But God catches both…..loves each the same.
It’s the team of you and God—that’s His game!

FR. CHARLIE: You have a very smart dog, Maria. God listens and loves everyone. God’s Team is not about ME…..it’s about WE.

MARIA: Hmmm, I have a question…..if the batter is ready to swing, and then he pauses—you know, STOPS—holds up his hand and turns to the Umpire…what is he doing?

MIMI: He’s hungry so he wants to STOP playing and have someone selling food come down and bring him some peanuts!

SCOOTER: Oh, my goodness!....Maria, when the batter pauses…..or STOPS..and holds up his hand, he’s TELLING the Umpire to stop the game for a few seconds.

MARIA: Well, then…what’s that thing the people do at a game when they take turns jumping up, raising their hands, and then sitting down?

(They all look at MiMi and say together, “Mimi, don’t answer that question!”)

SCOOTER: It’s called THE WAVE. Say, Fr. Charlie…can we do that here in Church? Can we STOP, raise our hands, and pitch thanks and praise to GOD….we can call it a…………PRAISE WAVE!!!!!!!!

FR. CHARLIE: That’s a good idea but let’s try something else. Rhyme Dog, do you have an idea?

RHYME DOG: Let me think….it’s time for praise,
Just follow me and the roof we’ll raise!
Sit, then stop, hands up when I lift my paw,
Then together yell, “THANK YOU, GOD” with a great big giant roar!

Are you ready ……….ALL TOGETHER!

FR. CHARLIE: WOW! Do you think God heard us? Well, you heard 2 prayers today but they were different. One was more about ME, the other about WE. But, God loves both of them. It is so important to thank God every day…don’t you like it when people thank you for something. It feels good! Well, God is the same way! He loves to be a part of YOUR team so, remember--Pause—or stop what we’re doing at different times during the day--and say, “Thank you, God!”

So, I think our PUPPET PULPIT PASSWORD today will be PRAISE PAUSE!

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