I have to go bury my father...

I have to go bury my father…

Cast:  2 men of any age.

Set:  Any stage.  The script advances through quick-moving conversation only.  No props are required.

That was some ballgame last night.  What a finish.

Cool.  You really are into the season this year.

Oh yeah.  This could be the year.

Hey!  Prayer group tonight.  Want me to pick you up?

Not tonight.  Maybe next time.

OK.  Call me if you change your mind.

Sure.  I really want to go, you know.

OK.  How about you come with me tomorrow to work in the food kitchen downtown?

Sounds like something that I should be doing.

I’ll pick you up at 7 sharp.

Oops.  Forgot.  I have to rearrange my sock drawer.

OK.  I guess that’s important.

I have a lot of unmatched socks.

I can only imagine.

Really, you don’t want me wearing mismatched socks, do you?

At least you will come to the midweek Bible study with me, right?

Sure.  I’d love to…oh, oh, sorry, I just remembered that…

You have to go bury your father.

What?  No.  My dad is still alive.  Why would you say such a thing?

Just saving you the trouble.

You are so not making any sense.

Think about this from Matthews’s gospel.  Jesus had been out and about doing all manner of things that amazed people and many were saying that they were ready to follow him.

That should have pleased him.

Jesus wanted people to follow him with their eyes wide open.  He told one teacher of the law that said he would follow that even the wild animals and birds have some idea where they are going to sleep tonight, but I am on a mission from my Father and don’t make hotel reservations.

I remember that one.  Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Then when it appeared someone else was ready to commit to following Jesus, he remembered that he needed to go bury his father.

That does seem like a reasonable request, doesn’t it?

Follow the man who holds life and life eternal in his hands or go plan a funeral for someone who is already dead?

But…

Life or death?

But…

Do we follow the one who is life or do we work out the details of this dead world?  Life or death?

In that context…

That is the real context.

OK, I get it.  My sock drawer can wait.

The most important things as the world ranks them don’t hold a candle to connecting with the source of real, abundant, and eternal life.

OK.  Pick me up for prayer group tonight.  I am ready to connect with what’s really important.

Make sure that you wear matching socks.

What???

The end.