By Andy Lund
A comparison of the eclipse of the sun with the advent of Jesus.
Two Narrators
Part One
Narrator 1: On 11th August
Narrator 2: At 11
Narrator 1: 11
Narrator 2: Precisely
Narrator 1: It happened.
Narrator 2: It happened.
Narrator 1: Work stopped and
Narrator 2: People went out on to the rooftops
Narrator 1: Into the fields
Narrator 2: Out into the open
Narrator 1: To see
Narrator 2: Not a lot
Narrator 1: Not a great deal.
Narrator 2: But nevertheless it happened. A total
Narrator 1: Eclipse
Narrator 2: Of the sun.
(Pause)
Narrator 1: Why do you think it caused so much fuss?
Narrator 2: Well…it depends on how old you are.
Narrator 1: How do you mean? I wasn’t here in the 1920’s if that’s what you mean, to see the last total eclipse in this country.
Narrator 2: No, but were you here in the 1970’s?
Narrator 1: Might have been. I can’t remember. It’s all a blur.
Narrator 2: Yes, well...do you remember Big Yellow Taxi?
Narrator 1: No, I’ve never been to New York.
Narrator 2: No, not those, I mean the song by Joni Mitchell.
Narrator 1: Oh yes (Starts to sing it, if known)
Narrator 2: Spare us that. Well anyway there’s a line in the song that says "Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone."
Narrator 1: Yes but what’s that got to do with the eclipse?
Narrator 2: Well let’s see. What disappeared albeit for a short period of time?
Narrator 1: Now let’s see. Total eclipse of the sun. So the sun disappeared.
Narrator 2: Well done. Roll on Mastermind.
Narrator 1: Yeah, but what’s your point? Oh wait a minute…I get you. We take things for granted.
Narrator 2: Even the sun
Narrator 1: And when it goes it causes quite a stir. It’s awesome. It makes you feel kind of small.
(Pause)
Narrator 2: When I consider your heavens
Narrator 1: And the work
Narrator 2: Of your fingers
Narrator 1: The moon and the stars
Narrator 2: Including the sun
Narrator 1: Which you have set in place
Narrator 2: What is man that you are mindful of him
Narrator 1: The son of man
Narrator 2: That you care for him?
Narrator 1: O Lord
Narrator 2: Our Lord,
Narrator 1: How majestic is your name
Narrator 2: In all the earth
Part Two
Narrator 1: On an unknown date
Narrator 2: 2000 years ago
Narrator 1: Or so
Narrator 2: More or less
Narrator 1: It happened.
Narrator 2: It happened.
Narrator 1: Work didn’t stop and
Narrator 2: People didn’t go out on to the rooftops.
Narrator 1: Some were in the fields
Narrator 2: Out in the open
Narrator 1: And saw and heard
Narrator 2: Quite a lot
Narrator 1: Quite a great deal.
Narrator 2: Others were totally oblivious of the earth- shattering nature of it all
Narrator 1: But nevertheless it happened. A total
Narrator 2: Visitation
Narrator 1: Of the Son.
(Pause)
Narrator 2: Why do you make such a fuss about it?
Narrator 1: About Him.
Narrator 2: All right about Him
Narrator 1: Well…well for the same reason we value the sun
Narrator 2: What, with a ‘u’.
Narrator 1: Yes. What happened for a brief time on the 11th August 1999 when the sun with a ‘u’ disappeared.
Narrator 2: It disappeared. It didn’t shine.
Narrator 1: What did people notice?
Narrator 2: Birds stopped singing and animals went to sleep for one thing.
Narrator 1: Right. They couldn’t cope without the sun. It’s just so necessary to life.. Without the sun there’s no growth, no seedtime, no harvest. In fact it’s essential.
Narrator 2: So you’re saying…
Narrator 1: I’m saying the sun is essential.
Narrator 2: I’m beginning to get your drift, but when it comes to Son with an ‘o’ it’s not the same, is it? I mean, plenty of people ignore the Son of God and they keep on going after all.
Narrator 1: You could in theory get some really strong dark glasses like people did in August and ignore the strength of the sun but it doesn’t stop it being there. It still was … behind the moon.
Narrator 2: And…..
Narrator 1: The theory is still the same. You can ignore the Son of God and His life, death and resurrection, but it doesn’t stop it being true. Being real. It doesn’t stop him being as essential to your spiritual life as the sun is to your physical.
Narrator 2: I get you.
Narrator 1: It’d be a shame if the first time you get to admit it is when it’s too late.
(Pause)
Narrator 1: He was God
Narrator 2: But he made himself nothing
Narrator 1: He humbled himself
Narrator 2: And became obedient to death
Narrator 1: Death on a cross
Narrator 2: God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name
Narrator 1: Above all names
Narrator 2: That at the name of
Narrator 1: Jesus
Narrator 2: Jesus
Narrator 1: Every knee should bow
Narrator 2: That at the name of
Narrator 1: Jesus
Narrator 1: Jesus
Narrator 2: Every tongue should confess that Jesus
Narrator 1: Christ
Narrators together: Is Lord
Narrator 1: O Lord
Narrator 2: Our Lord,
Narrator 1: How majestic is your name
Narrator 2: In all the earth.
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© Andy Lund
All rights reserved
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:andrew.lund@ntlworld.com