TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS: Matthew 22:34-40

“LOVE IS A VERB”
October 23, 2005

Meet today's cast...
Fr. Charlie: Quite a wit, pastor of our flock	Sheriff Chunkey Monkey: A real cool lawman	Stevie: Stevie is BLIND but he loves to teach everyone how he is able to "SEE" Jesus.
Charleeeene: Charlene loves the letter "P" so you hear her using a lot of words beginning with that letter. She says very funny things but she doesn't know she's doing it sometimes!	Wendy is a worrier. She is always finding something to worry about and her friends try to encourage her to take her worries to Jesus.

FR. CHARLIE: Good Morning! Well, Fall is here. I just LOVE the beautiful colors of the leaves. Today, 2 of my friends have come to see me. Do you remember their names? Well, it’s Stevie and the Sheriff of Puppetville, Sheriff Chunky Monkey!

SHERIFF: Howdy little partners, how y’all doin’? Stevie, say hi to the kids!

STEVIE: Hi! Hey, Fr. Charlie, it sounds like a lot of kids are here. Can I wave to them?

FR. CHARLIE: Sure Stevie, go ahead! Hey, they’re waving back at you!

SHERIFF: Say, Fr. Charlie, maybe you’d better tell everyone why you’re explainin’ everything to Stevie.

STEVIE: That’s ok, Sheriff. I’ll tell them. I wear these glasses cuz I’m blind. Hey, Fr. Charlie. I LOVE Fall, too. I LOVE to go apple picking and I LOVE the smell of mom’s apple pie!

FR. CHARLIE: You know Stevie, the word LOVE is used a lot today in the Gospel, isn’t it Sheriff?

SHERIFF: Yep, it talks about lovin’ God and lovin’ your neighbor. I try to give an example of that in October when we plan the Puppetville Halloween Party for our kids who have special needs.

FR. CHARLIE: It’s a great example, Sheriff.

STEVIE: Fr. Charlie, is the Sheriff what you call a Chre…Chris…CHRISTIAN! He’s always telling us how much he LOVES Jesus and then it’s like he’s acting like Jesus because he’s showing me and my friends how much he cares and LOVES us!

FR. CHARLIE: Yes, Stevie, he is a wonderful Christian. By the way, Sheriff, how are your plans going? Do you have all your helpers?

SHERIFF: Well, I almost do…I’m just waitin’ to hear from two girls who……

(Out comes Charlene and Wendy)

CHARLENE & WENDY: “Trick or treat, trick or treat….gimme me somethin’ good to eat!” (repeat)

FR. CHARLIE: Hi there, Charlene and Wendy. Are you getting ready for Halloween?

CHARLENE: Positively, Pastor Charlie. I LOVE Halloween, I LOVE my costume and I LOVE all the people passing out candy! Oh, hi Stevie and Sheriff Chunky Monkey.

SHERIFF: Well, well, look ‘a here! I’ve been tryin’ to call you girls to get an answer about helpin’ me plan the Halloween party. Are you gonna help?

(The girls look at each other and whisper something)

CHARLENE: Party? I LOVE parties.

WENDY: Yep, I LOVE parties, too.

STEVIE: Charlene and Wendy, aren’t you going to answer the Sheriff’s question?

(The girls huddle again)

CHARLENE: Ummmm…we’ll do it soon, real soon.

WENDY: Yep, soon, real soon.

SHERIFF: Well, when is soon?

CHARLENE: Ummmm….TOMORROW, I promise.

WENDY: Yep, TOMORROW, I promise.

SHERIFF: Charlene and Wendy, tomorrow will be too late. I need your help TODAY! Y’all bout to drive this monkey crazy!

FR. CHARLIE: Charlene and Wendy, I think I need to remind you about the Gospel today. It talks about LOVING God and LOVING your neighbor.

CHARLENE: Oh, Fr. Charlie, you know I LOVE God! But, LOVE my neighbor? Which one? Priscilla, Penny, or Paul? WOAH! I really don’t FEEL like lovin’ Paul.

WENDY: WOAH, I don’t FEEL like lovin’ Paul either.

FR. CHARLIE: Girls, a neighbor can be ANY puppet like yourself. And loving isn’t a feeling like loving colored leaves or the smell of apple pie. In this case, love is a VERB.

CHARLENE: A VERB..but that’s an action word, like to DO something.

WENDY: Yep, an action word to do something.

STEVIE: Exactly, Charlene & Wendy! And the Sheriff is planning the Halloween Party for me and my friends! We’re his neighbors. We’re even gonna get candy!

CHARLENE: Hmmm….love is a VERB…to do something. I got it! I LOVE candy so I’ll go to the party and EAT the candy. EAT is an action word.

SHERIFF: CHARLENE!

FR. CHARLIE: Girls, don’t you think helping the Sheriff is a good way to show God that you LOVE HIM and your neighbors?

CHARLENE: But…but…Stevie and ALL those kids….that’s a lot of neighbors!

WENDY: Yep…a lot of neighbors!

STEVIE: But Charlene and Wendy, my friends and I need you, Sheriff Chunky Monkey needs you, and God needs you!

SHERIFF: Now girls, I’m getting’ ready to go meet the others to plan the party. I need your decision NOW…it can’t be later, it can’t be tomorrow, it needs to be…

WENDY: TODAY! YEP, Charlene and I will do it TODAY, Sheriff Chunky Monkey!

(All puppets react and look in amazement at Wendy!)

CHARLENE: But…but…...

WENDY: Charlene! Fr. Charlie told us LOVE is a verb so we need to get busy doing something TODAY to make this party great for Stevie and his special friends! They need us, Sheriff Chunky Monkey needs us, and God needs us. Come on, we have work to do!

SHERIFF: Yee Haw, little cowgirl! We’re proud of ya!

FR. CHARLIE: We sure are Wendy and….

STEVIE: Hey, Fr. Charlie…she’s being a good Christian, isn’t she?
What do you think of this idea? (whispers to Fr. Charlie)

FR. CHARLIE: Good idea, Stevie! Boys and girls, Stevie has been learning a song with the kids at Faith Formation. Would you like to hear it? It can be our PUPPET PULPIT PLEDGE: “Y NOT TODAY”!

“Y NOT TODAY” It is to the tune of the song ,”YMCA”

CHRISTIAN, there’s no need to feel down
I said, CHRISTIAN, pick yourself off the ground
I said, CHRISTIAN, don’t be wearing a frown
There’s no need to be unhappy

CHRISTIAN, don’t forget this one thing
I said, CHRISTIAN, you’re a child of the King.
I said, CHRISTIAN, has HE been talking to you
Bout something HE wants you to do?

Chorus
Don’t wanna put it off
Y not TODAY?
You gotta do it now
Y not TODAY?
So much work to be done
To reach everyone
And tomorrow may never come.
Don’t wanna put it off
Y not TODAY?
You gotta do it now
Y not TODAY?
GOD will give you the strength
HE will be there for you
Gotta do what HE tells you to.

Maybe there’s somebody you know
Who needs comfort cause they’re feeling real low
You should love them – show them you are their friend
Help them back on their feet again.
Don’t wait, show somebody you care.
There are hurting people everywhere
Who need JESUS– there’s no time to delay.
We must show GOD’S mercy today.

Chorus 2 times

We gotta share HIS love
Y not TODAY?

To listen and perhaps buy this wonderful song, please visit the One Way Street web site. http://www2.mailordercentral.com/oneway/

It is listed as Puppet Music under Music and Videos.

To listen to the introduction to the song, click this link:
http://www2.mailordercentral.com/oneway/prodinfo.asp?number=DRP-01&variation=&aitem=32&mitem=52
Then click "Y Not 2 Day?"

"Y Not 2 Day?" is on the CD "RPM-Righteous Pop Music, Vol 1" produced by One Way Street, Inc. PO Box 5077, Englewood, CO 80155 and words by Mark Bradford, music by Jacques Morali, Henry Belolo, and Victor Willis.

FR. CHARLIE: WOW! What a great Puppet Puppet Pledge!
Remember boys & girls, “We gotta share God’s love & why not today?”

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