POY!
jit 3h 21
Communion’s Mystery Gives Joy to Little Tino
This drama is based on an excerpt from the teaching novel, Come Quickly Dawn by George
Patterson, William Carey Library, www.wclbooks.com.
POY! skit guidelines:
 Participants may simply read their lines, or glance at their lines to get the idea and speak in their own words.
 Most POY! skits require no practice in advance, and need no costumes or props.
 Let tots play a brief part. Most scripts have children do the “Echoes” part, under PARTICIPANTS.
 Most skits have someone serve as Narrator, who should read a skit beforehand to see how to keep it
moving along.
 There is no need to have an audience watch the skit. All present may participate, as “Echoes”.
 Scripture and paraphrases, if any, usually appear in bold.
 In large groups, ask folks, especially children, to talk loudly and slowly, and add actions if they want.
PARTICIPANTS
Lucy, who also serves as Narrator
Tiger
Tino
Prompter (Optional). Prompter shouts a brief line and Echoes repeat it.
Echoes (Optional): children and all adults who want to take part. Make sure Echoes know who
the Prompter is, and that they are to repeat Prompter’s words.
SCRIPT
Lucy
My name is Lucy. Let me tell you how my how my six-year-old son, Tino, came to
experience the thrill of Communion. Oh! Here comes my husband, Tiger. He looks
tired. He’s been guarding the home of a mine owner all night, a dangerous job, because
thieves roam through these Central American mountains.
Tiger
(Yawn) Forget breakfast, Lucy. Just let me hit that bed! (Start to walk off.)
Lucy
(Jerk Tiger back by the arm.) Wait, Tiger! Tino has a question.
Tiger
Later. I’m bushed after circling that big house all night, looking every way.
Tino
Please, papa. It is just a tiny question.
Lucy
Oh, Tiger! Let him. He’s been dying to ask you. He’s been waiting, all antsy.
Tino
Papa, why do you and mama drink blood in our meetings?
Lucy
He means when we take Communion.
Tiger
Son, it’s a mystery; no one understands a mystery. Besides, you’re too young.
Tino
No, I’m not, papa! I’m not too small. I can run faster than Cousin Andy.
Tiger
Okay. I’ll try. I’ve been reading about these things. Spirit-filled worship leaders
make it easy for believers to experience the divine mystery of the Communion
bread and cup. Some theologians think they can explain it in rational terms, but
it’s only because they don’t accept the invisible, inscrutable work of God.
Lucy
Tiger! (Throw up hands.) You left us both behind! Come down from the moon!
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Communion’s Mystery Gives Joy to Little Tino
Tiger
Sorry! I’ve been reading too much! Tino, let’s take a quick trip way back in
time. Before Jesus’ birth, faithful Jews led a lamb to the temple, tied it on the
altar, laid their hands on its head and confessed their sins. A priest cut the
victim’s throat and blood spurted all over the altar, like in a slaughterhouse.
Imagine the smell and…
Tino
That’s awful! Awful!
Awful! Awful!
Prompter &
Echoes
Lucy
Tiger García! (Shake Tiger’s arm.) Now you are being too tangible!
Well, at least you’ve gotten Tino’s wide-eyed attention.
Tino
The poor lamb! That’s cruel, papa!
Tiger
It was ugly: the stench of blood, manure and smoke. Next, they burned the lamb.
Lucy
Disgusting! That was worship? It was shocking!
Tiger
Yes, because our sins are disgusting and shocking to God and must be covered
by an innocent victim’s blood so God can forgive us. The victim was a lamb,
and this hasn’t changed. Our sins still require an innocent victim’s blood, or else
we’re doomed to face God’s judgment and end up in hell.
Tino
Really? Oooo! (Pull on Tiger’s sleeve.) I sinned yesterday, Papa. Real bad! I
give Andy a nosebleed. So I need a lamb to kill, so I won’t be in hell when I die.
Hilda’s mom raises goats and sheep. Can I go get a lamb from her?
Tiger
Jesus is God’s lamb now, Tino. Jesus bled on the cross to take away our sins.
We relive His death when we take Communion. When He broke bread and told
His disciples to eat it, He said. “This is My body.”
Tino
My schoolteacher said cannonballs eat up human people.
Tiger
Cannonballs? What…?
Lucy
Let me translate. Tino means cannibals.
Tino
They wear bones in their noses, papa. They poison their spear points to kill
gringo missionaries and eat them up.
Tiger
I guess they prefer white meat.
Lucy
Tiger! (Slap Tiger’s arm.) Explain why we’re not cannibals.
Tiger
It’s because the Communion bread is Jesus’ body in a mystical way, son.
Tino
What does that mean?
Lucy
Isn’t the bread just a symbol, Tiger?
Tiger
It is a symbol but don’t say “just” a symbol, Lucy. It’s much more. Eating it is
communion or ‘participation,’ in Jesus’ body, as 1 Corinthians 10 says. The
symbol points to the real thing that we experience, Jesus being present with us.
Tino
Why do you call it “simple,” papa? For me it’s complexicated.
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Communion’s Mystery Gives Joy to Little Tino
Tiger
“Symbol” ─ not “simple”. Like a road sign, it points to something important.
When we use a symbol with true faith, trusting God to do what the symbol
points to, it takes on the authority and value of the real thing that it symbolizes.
Tino
I still don’t understand it, Papa.
Tiger
Okay, son, here’s an example. If I sign a serious agreement and later break my
word, can I excuse myself by saying “My signature was only a symbol”?
Tino
No, papa! You’d spank me if I did that! It’s dishonest.
Tiger
That’s why a symbol used with sincere faith takes on the power of what it
symbolizes. The symbol affirms its reality. The Communion bread and wine
make Jesus’ sacrifice real to us, not only by focusing our attention on Jesus’
crucifixion but also by enabling us to experience His Presence. Do you
understand this, Tino?
Tino
I’m not supposed to. You said nobody understands a mystery, papa.
Lucy
Touché!
Touché! Touché!
Prompter &
Echoes
Tiger
Son, you’ve more sense than some learned theologians who write as though they
fully comprehend every detail about the Lord’s Supper and everything else.
Lucy
I know one thing for sure about Communion; it makes me aware of Jesus’
Presence, provided the pastor doesn’t turn the ceremony into just another
teaching session.
Tiger
I feel His Presence, too, Lucy. The original Passover was a moving event, as was
Jesus’ talk about eating His flesh and the Last Supper. Let us share that ardor in
Communion, and not just analyze Latin terms about it. Imagine! Jesus is present.
Jesus is present! Jesus is present!
Prompter &
Echoes
Tino
Papa, I like you to tell me these things. I won’t be bored no more during
Communion. I know it’s important. I won’t squirm, like last time when you took
me out and paddled me.
Tiger
It wasn’t for squirming. You sneered at your mom when she corrected you.
Lucy
Oh, Tiger! Spend more time with Tino!
Tiger
I promise not to go anywhere today, Lucy. Now, let me get some sleep. I…
Tino
Wait, papa. Wait until I finish drawing the Communion pitcher. It’s important.
Tiger
“Communion pitcher?” What does he mean, Lucy?
Lucy
We’ll soon find out. Oh, Tiger, God used your talk with Tino. Now I have a
question. You stressed Communion’s mystery. Why is that so important?
Tiger
Those who reject the mystery deny any real work of God, which helps no one.
Lucy
My Catholic catechist taught that the bread becomes Jesus’ actual body.
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Communion’s Mystery Gives Joy to Little Tino
Tiger
To transform lifeless bread doesn’t help anyone, either Lucy. It’s we, sinful
people, who need transforming. God uses Communion to strengthen our spirits.
Lucy
Ananias and Saphira died when they didn’t respect the body, just as it says in
1 Corinthians. But which body? The one on the cross? The bread? The
congregation?
Tiger
Scripture gives several meanings to key words. When Paul called the sacred
bread Christ’s ‘body’, he meant both Jesus’ flesh and the church, as we see by
comparing 1 Corinthians chapters ten and eleven.
Lucy
Didn’t the first believers eat dinner together when they had Communion?
Tiger
At first, but the Corinthians paid more attention to the roasted chicken and gravy
than to the sacramental aspect, so Paul told them to eat at home.
Tino
Look, papa! I drawed my pitcher! It’s our pastor handing people Communion. I
wanted light to shine down from heaven, so I rubbed the white crayon real hard,
but the light didn’t come.
Tiger
Yes it did, son. Light from Jesus’ face is shining on your heart. Eyes of flesh
can’t see it. It’s a mystery, like Communion, but in heaven we will see not only
that light but also its source: we’ll see Jesus face to face.
Face to face! Face to face!
Prompter &
Echoes
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