Christmas Eve: Drama of the Light (for 4 Voices)
Below is a dramatic reading for 4 voices that was written for Christmas Eve, 2014. We used it as a call to worship but you could use it anywhere in the service.
If your setting allows it, you may consider scattering the four readers around the sanctuary. You can also have them grouped, perhaps in the back of the sanctuary. Whatever you decide, make sure the readers speak loudly or have microphones so that all can hear!
Narrator: In Bethlehem that night there were many lights. The moon was out. The stars were twinkling. And candles shined through the windows of many houses. But these were not the only lights shining that night. There was another light too…a faint light coming from a stable behind an inn. In the thick darkness that covered the earth, this faint light was hardly worth mentioning. Because it was unusual though, because it was a light that had never shined before, it WAS mentioned. Mentioned, and even discussed.
Moon: “I am Moon,” said Moon. “I have shined in the sky since time began and I have never seen THAT light before.”
A Star: “I am Star,” said Star. “I have shined in the sky since time began and I have never seen THAT light before either.
Dark: “I am Dark,” said Dark, “and I just don’t understand THAT light.”
Moon: “Maybe we should beam on over there…”
A Star: “Maybe we should twinkle on down and see…”
Dark: “Why bother…I still won’t understand…”
Narrator: But Dark followed anyway…as Moon beamed and Star twinkled toward THAT faint light which none of them had seen before.
Moon: “Now that we’re close…I can see now that Dark was right.”
A Star: “Even the candles are brighter than what’s glimmering from that manger.”
Dark: “It’s a baby wiggling and jiggling in that manger. I never did understand babies.”
Moon: “A no one from nowhere.”
A Star: “A no one born to nobody parents.”
Dark: “A no one…born nowhere…going nowhere.”
Moon: “Still though…he IS shining.”
A Star: “Dimly…faintly…but still..shining.”
Dark: “I can’t explain that.”
Narrator: Just then a light flashed across town.
Moon: “Did you see that?”
A Star: “Did you see that?”
Dark: “Did you see that?”
Narrator: All three had seen the light flash across town of course…and curious…Moon beamed…Star twinkled…and Dark…doubtful and sure she wouldn’t understand…followed along.”
Moon: “It’s some shepherds in a field.”
A Star: “It’s some shining angels.”
Dark: “It’s confusing…”
Moon: “Shhhh…Dark…listen…what are they saying?”
A Star: “Something about good news”
Dark: “Something about great joy.”
Moon: “Something about a savior being born.”
A Star: “Something about a baby in a manger.”
Dark: “Something that’s ridiculous.”
Moon: “Maybe.”
A Star: “Maybe not.”
Dark: “Definitely.”
Moon: “But what about the baby we just saw shining across town.”
A Star: “He must be connected to this, right?”
Dark: “Does it matter?”
Moon: “Maybe.”
A Star: “Maybe not.”
Dark: “Definitely not.”
Narrator: Just then, the shepherds hurried off to Bethlehem. It was there that they found:
Moon: “A no one from nowhere.”
A Star: “A no one born to nobody parents.”
Dark: “A no one…born nowhere…going nowhere.”
Narrator: A no one from nowhere perhaps…but still a no one from nowhere that was shining…dimly…faintly…in the darkness.
Moon: “I am Moon,” said Moon. “I have shined in the sky since time began and I have never seen THESE lights before. The events of this night make me wonder…”
A Star: “I am Star,” said Star. “I have shined in the sky since time began and I have never seen THESE lights before either. The manger…the shepherds…the shining baby…they all make me wonder…”
Dark: “I am Dark,” said the Dark, “and I don’t wonder anything.”
Narrator: As the years went on…Dark forgot about that faint light in Bethlehem. But Moon didn’t and Star didn’t. In fact they became more and more aware of it all of the time. Until one morning…many years later…when that faint light became a blinding light.
Moon: “Is that an empty tomb?
A Star: “Is that a stone that’s been rolled away?”
Dark: “I’ve never seen something in my whole life make less sense than this!”
Moon: “Remember Bethlehem all those years ago?”
A Star: “Remember that faint light in the manger?”
Dark: “Of course I remember…I just don’t care.”
Moon: “I had never seen THAT light before”
A Star: “I’ve definitely never seen THIS light before”
Dark: “I’ve definitely never been more confused.”
Narrator: It was on that first Easter…in the blinding light of resurrection that it all made sense to Moon and Star. It took a while…BUT SOONER OR LATER LIGHT UNDERSTANDS LIGHT. And light recognizes light. And light knows when a new light…a special light…a SAVING light comes into the world. AND LIGHT IS NEVER AFRAID TO LET THE LIGHT SHINE.
Moon: “I’m gonna shine for the Christ-light tonight!”
A Star: “I’m gonna shine for the Christ-light every night!”
Narrator: Now…as the no one from nowhere…who had begun as a faint light in the darkness…was shining so brightly…and with Moon and Star and all the other lights shining so brightly in his honor…Dark had nothing to say. For Dark had failed to understand…and now Dark was gone…becoming nothing…in the blinding light of a no one…from nowhere. AMEN.
© Rev. Kevin Goldenbogen, 2016
