By A. D. Mariano
Jo explains to Matt the meaning of the Lord's Prayer.
Jo, Matt, Audience
(Setting: The Puppets' Bedroom.)
Jo: Hi Matt. You really missed something neat in Sunday School today!
Matt: Really, Jo? What did they talk about?
Jo: They taught us a cool prayer. It's one that Jesus taught his disciples and followers.
Matt: Really Jo? Will you teach it to me?
Jo: Sure, Matt, but it's kind of confusing, so if you have any questions, be sure to ask.
Matt: Ok, Jo. Teach me the prayer that Jesus taught.
Jo: Ok first you bow your head and close your eyes like this: (Jo bows head) Sometimes you put your hands together with the palms facing in, but some people don't do that. Other times, you can hold hands with others and pray together.
Matt: I like that.
Jo: You ready?
Matt: Ready
Jo: Ok. Our father. . .
Matt: You mean 'Daddy?'
Jo: No, Our father . . . God. He's our heavenly father. Everyone's. . . God made us all, so we're praying to him.
Matt: Ok. Our father. . .
Jo: Who art in Heaven. . .
Matt: Art? You mean like a painting?
Jo: No, Matt. Art is a fancy old English term for is. Our Father, who is in heaven.
Matt: Neat. Who art in Heaven. . .
Jo: Hallowed be thy name. . .
Matt: Hello?
Jo: Hallowed. . .
Matt: Hollywood?
Jo: No, Hallowed. It means 'Holy'.
Matt: Hallowed be thy name. His name is 'Holy.' Cool.
Jo: Thy Kingdom Come . . .
Matt: Like Disneyland? Where is it going?
Jo: Not like that, Matt. That phrase means "Man's path with God is the Kingdom of Heaven, which is the future for us all."
Matt: Thy Kingdom Come. . .
Jo: Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Matt: A will? Like grandma?
Jo: Not exactly, Matt. God does promise us many things as our inheritance from him, but our God is a living God. That's not what this part means. When it says "Thy Will be Done," it means What God wants to happen must happen. God knows what needs to take place to keep our souls healthy.
Matt: Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Jo: Give us this day our daily bread. . .
Matt: Oh, I know what that means. God wants us to have food.
Matt: Give us this day our daily bread. . .
Jo: And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Matt: I heard about debt on TV. There's a lawyer who can eliminate debts and there was this lady on that commercial who was so sad because someone kept calling her . . .
Jo: Not exactly what Jesus had in mind, Matt. Debts here are when you sin against someone. We are asking for forgiveness of our sins, and saying that we forgive those who sin against us.
Matt: The sins we learned about. . . Ten commandments?
Jo: Those and more. Anything that is wrong and hurts people or ourselves is probably a sin too.
Matt: Oh. That's a good phrase to put in a prayer then. We need to always ask forgiveness every day. I know I mess up a lot, and it's important to be sorry for that.
Jo: Everybody messes up once in a while, Matt. That's why God is so beautiful. He forgives when we mess up.
Matt: Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
Jo: And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Matt: Temptation? Like one time when Mom said I couldn't have a cookie before supper, and I went in there and thought to myself, 'you really want that cookie'. Then, I stole it and ate it and it made me feel so bad.
Jo: Exactly. Help us not want to sin. Keep evil away from our hearts and minds.
Matt: Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
Jo: For thine is the Kingdom.
Matt: God is King of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jo: And the Power:
Matt: God is the most powerful and the strongest and the greatest.
Jo: And the Glory Forever! Amen.
Matt: Neat prayer. Hey, I need to practice it one more time. Do you think the boys and girls out there want to help me? Everybody, repeat with me after Jo.
Jo: Our Father
Matt: Our Father
Jo: Who art in Heaven
Matt: Who art in Heaven
Jo: Hallowed be thy name
Matt: Hallowed be thy name
Jo: Thy Kingdom Come
Matt: Thy Kingdom Come
Jo: Thy Will be Done
Matt: Thy Will Be Done
Jo: On Earth as it is in Heaven
Matt: On Earth as it is in Heaven
Jo: Give Us this Day our Daily Bread
Matt: Give us this day our daily Bread
Jo: And Forgive us our Debts
Matt: And forgive us our debts
Jo: As we forgive our debtors
Matt: As we forgive our debtors
Jo: And lead us not into temptation
Matt: And lead us not into temptation
Jo: But deliver us from evil
Matt: But deliver us from evil
Jo: For thine is the Kingdom
Matt: for thine is the Kingdom
Jo: And the power
Matt: And the power
Jo: And the glory forever
Matt: And the glory forever
BOTH: Amen.
Matt: Thank you children for helping me. You all deserve a round of applause. I'm sure God liked that too.
ALL: (should be habit after every play. . . You can design your own puppet play ministry prayer, but it is recommended to give kids a sense that the activity is special.)
Dear Lord, Thank you for this day,
And thank you for our puppet play.
Help us all to be really good
And do things like we should.
Let us remember the things you taught
And that you love us all a lot. AMEN!
....................................
© Copyright A.D. Mariano, all rights reserved. The script may not be reproduced,
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without written permission of the author.
This play may be performed free of charge, on the condition that copies are
not sold for profit in any medium, nor any entrance fee charged. In exchange
for free performance, the author would appreciate being notified of when and
for what purpose the play is performed. He may be contacted at: krmadm@comcast.net