The Advent Angel and the Animals

 

The Advent Angel and the Animals

 

A Puppet Play for the Third Advent Sunday

 

 

Table is set with a scene conveying a garden. Small plants around. Some greens and mosses. On a table close by is the crèche, in a setting still rather bare with more green boughs, the rocks, crystals and shells from last week and a few green plants. Red apples (real and artificial may decorate as well as some red ribbon. The Advent Wreath may be present on/ in the Garden or on a separate table.

 

Narrator

 

Dear children and families, friends and relations, welcome to the third Advent Sunday Garden. Here is a little play about a time long, long ago, about two thousand years ago. Our beautiful earth was suffering from the cruelty of Mankind. And Humankind was suffering because we had forgotten our Heavenly birthright and who we really are in God. So the Son of God was sent down to the Earth to remind human beings of who we really are and to help us turn away from ways that bring us pain and make us forget how to love each other. He came to bring Love back to human hearts, the Divine Love of God that heals us, makes us happy and teaches us how to love each other as the Angels and Archangels love us, no matter what we do.

 

This beautiful Child, the Christ Child, who was born so long ago in a humble stable in Bethlehem came to teach us how to love the Divine Father and the Heavenly world again and how to love each other as we love ourselves. For if we love God and each other, we could never want to do or say anything that would be hurtful to anyone else or to ourselves.

 

Each year, the time of the Christ Child’s birth comes again. And in truth, He is born again every year in our hearts. Every year we must make ourselves ready to receive Him again and to prepare our homes and our souls to house and nurture Him. As we love our families and friends and prepare gifts, good food and fun things to do to make each other happy, we can feel that we are doing these things for the Divine Child who lives among us. So let us begin together to prepare for His coming, for the Advent of His Birth into our lives once again.

 

It is said that before the time of the Christ Child’s birth, the Animal Kingdom was the third to wake up, to be aware of His imminent approach. Today it is two weeks before Christmas and the Earth, her crystals and stone, her plants and fairies already feel the approach of the Divine Child. Now the animal kingdom begins to wake up. Our dear friends and companions, wild and tame, once suffered with Mankind as we lost our power to love each other. Perhaps this is how they learned that Love was coming back to the Earth, to bring gratitude and healing back to our relationship with them and to each other.

 

Four animals appear from the right – a donkey, a cow, a sheep and a dove.

 

The Donkey Says –

I can go no farther, my strength is dwindling. I can no longer hold the weight of heavy things nor help the farmer with his work.

 

The Cow Says -

Alas, I too cannot give what once I gave. I have no more milk for butter and cheese. I cannot feel the great warmth of the Earth as I lie and chew my cud. There are fewer and fewer calves being born to us.

 

The Sheep Says -

I still have wool for the farmer to shear but it is not as long, as strong or as silky as it once was. My milk has also dried and there is little left of me to give.

 

The Dove Says -  

Only one egg left in our nest this year. And I hear from the chickens, the ducks and the geese that their eggs are fewer all of the time. Chicks, ducklings and goslings have not the strength to hatch and grow. The world of the birds grows ever more silent and strange.

 

The Third Advent Angel appears (from viewing left) – 

red robe with angel tunic and wings

 

Sings -

 

Jesus our brother, kind and good

Was humbly born in a stable rude

The Friendly Beasts around Him stood

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

 

She stops and comes slowly closer to the Animals who pause a bit.

 

Advent Angel

 

Greetings dear Animals, from Heaven on High

I heard you lamenting as I was passing by

Whatever is the matter, what grieves our dear beasts so?

If there is a way to help you, please just let me know.

 

The Donkey Says –

Greetings dear Angel from Heaven on High

We heard your sweet singing as you were passing by

I would with great joy bear you along

But sadly I tell you, I am no longer strong

 

The Cow Says -

Heavenly angel how great are our woes

What causes our troubles nobody knows

Our milk has dried up and our babies are few

We find no sweet grass in the fresh morning dew

 

The Sheep Says -

Dear Angel there is truly something amiss

There must be a dark secret buried in this

That people no longer tend us with love

And give no more thanks for the gifts from above

 

The Dove Says - 

For certainly all that we give to Mankind

Is but the provision of Father Divine

The sustenance sweet that we freely donate

To mankind has dwindled, sad to relate.

 

Advent Angel

 

I hear you dear Animals so kind and so good

I have news to tell you to brighten your mood

The darkness descended all over the Earth

When Mankind abandoned his full right of birth

 

A long time ago in the Garden of Eden

All people were brothers with every beast

No one needed substance from each to the other

To sustain their life there in the kingdom of Peace

 

But a Serpent invaded that sweet loving Garden

And woke Man too early from his happy bed

Away to the cold world he had to be banished

To toil and to labor for his daily bread

 

All loving beasts decided to join Man

And help him in unnumbered ways in his life

You gave them your milk and your skins for their clothing

And worked for and with them along in their strife

 

For many long eons your labor enabled

The human companions to people the Earth

But humans grew selfish and unkind, uncaring

And forgot to acknowledge your infinite worth

 

 

 

But take heart, dear Animals, help is forthcoming

A Child will be born soon to gladden your hearts

He’ll waken the love and the will to be grateful

For all that Mankind owes to each of your parts.

 

This baby, the Christ Child has chosen to come

To birth in a stable where you also can see

The beauty and wonder of the Love that he’s bringing

To all of us waiting, to you and to me.

 

The Donkey Says –

Will a new strength be given to my weakened back

And a will to move forward that lately I’ve lacked?

 

The Cow Says -

Will the milk then flow freely and calves come again

And the Earth warm with Sunlight for beasts and for men?

 

The Sheep Says -

Will our fleece grow curly and silky and strong

And warm them in winter when night is so long?

 

The Dove Says - 

Will eggs be abundant and hatchlings abound

And the skies fill with bird song that most joyful sound?

 

Advent Angel

 

Yes, dearest Animals of Earth and of Air,

New life is upon us, so do not despair

As well as the creatures of water and sea

The time is at hand for a new world to be.

Yes, you are right, the Earth has been dying

Since humankind first turned to evil and crime

But no matter how far they turn from the Heavens

All will be rescued by love and in time.

 

There soon will be born for the world a good Savior

The Christ Child is coming, so come and take heart

His time soon approaches, so come and make ready

To welcome Him, come let us make a new start.

  

The Donkey Says –

I feel like a fire now flows through my veins

I’m ready to carry all burdens again.

 

The Cow Says -

My udders are filling with milk pure and sweet

This wondrous child I hasten to greet

 

The Sheep Says -

Where is the farmer to shear off my wool

And weave a soft blanket to ward off the chill?

 

The Dove Says - 

I lift my voice gently in sweet lullaby

To calm Him and soothe Him where soon He will lie.

 

Advent Angel

 

Come gentle beasts with your hearts overflowing

Come to the stable in old Bethlehem

A place is prepared where you may abide there

And be all at hand to welcome Him in

 

Shepherds will come to greet and adore Him

The flock will bow down then to welcome the Lamb

The true Lamb of God who has come to redeem us

The Bringer of Joy and of Peace to the Land.

 

Come to the stable and wait near the manger

Dear Cow, bring your hay to cradle Him there

Dear Sheep your soft blanket, Dear Dove softly cooing

And Donkey your mission will soon be made clear.

 

You only, dear Donkey will carry upon you

The Mother and Baby through desert and plain

And bring them both safely to home and to shelter

And stay with them always to serve them again.

 

Away now let’s go to be ready and waiting

To see how the wonder of God shall unfold

Give gifts to the Christ Child and give them all freely

For humble they are and more precious than gold.

 

Narrator

 

And so with the Advent Angel to lead them, the Animals came to the humble stable in Bethlehem. They settled into their places, the donkey and cow in the corner, peacefully munching on oats that the innkeeper provided. The sheep dozing peacefully, dreaming of the fresh grass of spring. The dove and his mate softly billing and cooing in the rafters. Each waiting quietly and patiently for the time soon at hand when he or she can give a gift to the new born Christ Child.

 

So, let us make ready our gifts, no matter how simple or humble they may be. We bring what is good, true and beautiful within us and wait, like the donkey to serve Him when He needs us. Come, help the beasts return to the stable again to wait with us, their brothers and sisters, for that very happy day!

 

Copyright 2013

Christine Natale

 

Candlelighting

 

In the third candle of Advent shine
The wondrous beasts of every kind,
Beasts who tread upon the earth
And give their stable for the birth.
Now the beasts are on the earth,
Waiting for the Christ Child’s birth.

Advent Angel

 

 (speaking to the Advent Garden and animals placed there)

 

“I am the Third Advent Angel! From the Four Corners of the World, from the smallest to the largest, all who swim or fly, crawl or gallop, I call upon you Animals to Wake Up! The Turning Point of time is upon us. Hear the call of the Beloved Shepherd. Wake Up and Rejoice, O Animals!”

The Friendly Beasts

 

1. Jesus our brother, kind and good

Was humbly born in a stable rude

And the friendly beasts around Him stood,

Jesus our brother, kind and good.

 

2. "I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown,

"I carried His mother up hill and down;

I carried her safely to Bethlehem town."

"I," said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

 

3. "I," said the cow all white and red

"I gave Him my manger for His bed;

I gave him my hay to pillow his head."

"I," said the cow all white and red.

 

4. "I," said the sheep with curly horn,

"I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;

He wore my coat on Christmas morn."

"I," said the sheep with curly horn.

 

5. "I," said the dove from the rafters high,

"I cooed Him to sleep so He would not cry;

We cooed him to sleep, my mate and I."

"I," said the dove from the rafters high.

 

6. Thus every beast by some good spell,

In the stable dark was glad to tell

Of the gift he gave Immanuel,

The gift he gave Immanuel.

 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

 

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Said the night wind to the little lamb,

do you see what I see

Way up in the sky, little lamb,

do you see what I see

A star, a star, dancing in the night

With a tail as big as a kite

With a tail as big as a kite

 

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy,

do you hear what I hear

Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy,

do you hear what I hear

A song, a song, high above the trees

With a voice as big as the sea

With a voice as big as the sea

 

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king,

do you know what I know

In your palace warm, mighty king,

do you know what I know

A Child, a Child shivers in the cold

Let us bring Him silver and gold

Let us bring Him silver and gold

 

Said the king to the people everywhere,

listen to what I say

Pray for peace, people everywhere!

listen to what I say

The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night

He will bring us goodness and light

He will bring us goodness and light