Waiting in Faith

March 13, 2005
Fifth Sunday of Lent

Meet today's cast...
Fr. Charlie: Quite a wit, pastor of our flock	Jesus: Jesus is really Mr. Jiels. He is in a lot of Puppet Plays in Puppetville because he looks like Jesus. He loves the stories in the Bible and loves to share the many things that the Bible has to teach us.	Kateri Tekakwitha: Native American Puppet. Kateri is a gentle, patient girl who teaches us about Jesus through the "wonders and lessons of nature."
Charleeeene: Bubba's sister, a fast talking, Country girl, who also just loves life and absolutely loves the letter "P"	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

FR. CHARLIE: Good Morning boys and girls. Today is the 5th Sunday of Lent and one of the things the Gospel reading talks about is something we ALL have a hard time doing sometimes. It’s called…..WAITING!

(Voices are heard in the background—they are from Jesus and Kateri)

FR. CHARLIE: What’s that noise? I know there’s a rehearsal going on for an Easter play. Let’s see who’s there. HELLO! Can you come out and meet the boys and girls?

(Out comes Jesus and Kateri)

JESUS: Hi Fr. Charlie. It’s me, Mr. Jiels. I’m taking a break from play practice because my friend, Kateri Tekakwitha, has come to visit me. Kateri, this is Fr. Charlie.

KATERI: I’m very pleased to meet you, Fr. Charlie. I hope that you…………………

Rhyme Dog comes out barking and chasing after Scooter. Charlene is coming out behind them telling them to stop and all of a sudden the 3 of them spot Jesus and FREEZE!

CHARLENE: Oh, no! Scooter and Rhyme Dog….you’ve really done it this time! You’ve got my head spinnin’ around so much I think I’m seeing Jesus!

SCOOTER: Charlene, (Scooter touches him)…that is Jesus…JESUS IS IN THE CHURCH!

FR. CHARLIE: Charlene and Scooter….it looks like Jesus but it’s really Mr. Jiels. He’s in a costume because he’s going to be in the Easter play…and this is his friend….

CHARLENE: Pocahontas!………now I’m seeing Indians!

RHYME DOG: Please tell us, m’am, who are you?
                    Are you really in a costume, too?

KATERI: No, Rhyme Dog and Charlene. I’m a Native American and I’ve come to see my friend in the play.

FR. CHARLIE: Now, Scooter…I know you like running around, but you seem to have too much energy today! What’s going on?

SCOOTER: You sound like my Mom, Fr. Charlie! She said I’ve been in the house too long! She’s tired of all the SNOW and she can’t WAIT for it to go away!

RHYME DOG: The sun does not shine, so cold to go out and play.
                    Too many hours in the house, too many snowy days.

CHARLENE: You can say that again, Rhyme Dog! I can’t WAIT for Spring to see pretty flowers like pansies and petunias and play outside at the playground, right Scooter?

SCOOTER: Right! I hope God doesn’t forget to bring us Spring. I HATE TO WAIT!

JESUS: Scooter, waiting is hard to do….for everyone! In the Gospel, Fr. Charlie read that Lazarus was sick. Mary and Martha wanted Jesus to come right away to heal their brother. They didn’t want to wait.

RHYME DOG: Lazarus was a man who was very sick.
                    So Mary and Martha said Jesus, “Come quick!”

FR. CHARLIE: That’s right Rhyme Dog…but Jesus did not hurry there. In fact, he waited for 2 days.

CHARLENE: 2 days! Once I asked God for a brother or sister for TWO YEARS! I didn’t get a quick answer either. I guess God had to think about it first.

FR. CHARLIE: Scooter, can you think of some of the words people say when they don’t want to wait?

SCOOTER: Hmmm, let’s see. I know….HURRY UP! RIGHT THIS MINUTE! QUICK! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS! Oh, this is the best one…..ARE WE THERE YET?

RHYME DOG: I need your help God, so I think I’ll pray.
                    But can you hurry up……I need it today.
                    Why do we talk to God that way?

JESUS: Good question, Rhyme Dog! Sometimes we’re in a hurry and God is not. If God doesn’t make something happen right way, do you get upset? Kateri, isn’t that what happened with Mary and Martha?

KATERI: Yes it did! Jesus was their friend. They knew He could heal people and do wonderful things. When He finally went to help Lazarus, they thought it was too late. They didn’t understand.

RHYME DOG: Jesus did not come when Martha and Mary asked Him to.
                    He had a BETTER plan—He knew what He would do.
                    They were all disappointed and maybe even a little mad,
     But they believed Jesus loved them and HIS plan would make them glad.

JESUS: Yes, Rhyme Dog. Martha and Mary were upset but they still believed in Jesus. He wanted them to be patient and trust Him. Kateri, you always seem so patient.

KATERI: Well, I know that getting upset isn’t going to make things happen!
We can’t rush God’s plan. I look at all the BEAUTIFUL things in nature that God has created. Many of those things take time to happen.

FR. CHARLIE: That’s true, Kateri! Scooter, can you think of something in nature that takes time to happen?

SCOOTER: Well, what about pollywogs? They are funny looking little things but after awhile they turn into frogs!

CHARLENE: Yuck, Scooter—the problem is they are positively slimy…but it is kinda cool that when God’s time is right, they turn into frogs! What else, Kateri?

KATERI: What about the caterpillar? It’s not very pretty looking, it spends a lot of time eating, and goes through many changes. Then it stops and waits in a cocoon it has created. Nothing seems to be happening on the outside, but a lot is happening on the inside. Then, in God’s time, out comes a beautiful BUTTERFLY!

RHYME DOG: Things may seem strange, no sense do they make.
But remember, God’s timing is never a mistake.

JESUS: That’s right, Rhyme Dog. Even when you wait a long time, good things can finally happen.

SCOOTER: YEH! Just like the Red Sox finally winning the WORLD SERIES! Boy, did that take a long time, but it turned out better than anyone thought it would!

CHARLENE: Positively! Fr. Charlie, I remember when Scooter and I tried out for the basketball team. Scooter and I prayed to God to make it happen, but you know what? We didn’t make it. Boy, were we mad and disappointed at God.

FR. CHARLIE: So, what happened?

SCOOTER: Our parents told us that sometimes God doesn’t answer our prayers as fast as the way we want him to! But, we need to trust Him, right Charlene?

CHARLENE: Right! So, Scooter and I worked real hard being patient, practicing, and preparing to get in shape! And…guess what? The next year we passed the try-outs and
performed perfectly. We made the team!

JESUS: Charlene and Scooter, God was taking care of you all the time. He knew you weren’t ready for the team the first time and maybe you would have been hurt!

KATERI: Yes, Scooter. Learning to be patient and trusting God’s timing while you are waiting also takes practice….but it can be fun and wonderful things can happen.

RHYME DOG: While waiting, don’t whine………
                    Give God some time………
                    His light will shine….
                    And you‘ll be fine!

CHARLENE: Yeh, we’ll be fine. Fr. Charlie, I was just thinkin’… Do you think it’s possible that God ever gets tired of waiting…like waiting for us to learn to be patient with Him?

FR. CHARLIE: No Charlene, that’s why God is so special. He NEVER gets tired of waiting. He’s ALWAYS patient because he loves us and he knows what’s best for us!

Puppet Pulpit Password is: PATIENCE

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