Radically Happy

Interlude from Sex 411

Lecher and Scribe approach the judge from opposite sides:

Lecher: Your honor, my client is innocent. He is just a naive part doing his best to unfold. Sexuality is an intrinsic aspect of maturity: it is literally the definition, in biological terms. He should be celebrated for his sexual explorations, not condemned. Especially since he is using it wisely as a testing ground and springboard for relational and spiritual growth. What more can you ask for?

Scribe: Poppycock. Anyway, I have no desire to condemn your client — just his actions. Look at all the negative consequences. Lost sleep. Escapist tendencies. Erotic distraction. Shame. Guilt.

L. Objection! Those last two are you!

Judge: Sustained

S. What?

The judge sighs.

J. I hate to break it to you, Scribe, but you are merely an officer of the court. You do not speak for me, or this bench.

S. [spluttering] But isn’t the whole point of the court to uphold the Law?

Judge shakes his head sadly.

J. No, it is to uphold justice.

S. I don’t see the difference.

L. [springing up] Your honor, may I approach? [he whispers something. Judge nods and smiles]. I call Zealot to the stand.

S. Hey, wait a minute! He isn’t a fair witness. He condemns everything I stand for as a matter of principle, regardless of the facts or circumstances.

Lecher and the Judge turn to look at Scribe.

Scribe looks back and forth between them, a stricken look on his face.

Yeshua enters the courtroom.

Yeshua: Hey Dad, mind if I take this?

J. [smiling] Go for it.

Scribe trembles and falls to his knees. Jesus bends down, meets Scribe where he is, and lifts him up.

Jesus bends down, meets Scribe where he is, and lifts him up.

Scribe, still trembling, looks at Jesus with a mixture of hope and fear.

S. Lord… forgive me. I didn’t know what I was doing.

Yeshua looks at him somberly. He glances at His Father, who nods gravely. Yeshua pulls out a knife.

Scribe flinches away in terror. Lecher gasps.

Yeshua slices a hole in His own side, and pulls out a bloody piece of flesh.

Scribe stares at it with awe and horror.

Y. [sternly] If you would be forgiven, you must eat my flesh and drink my blood.

Scribe falls to his knees.

S. Lord, please don’t make me do this. All my life I have never eaten anything unclean, or with the blood still in it.

Y. [severely, in a quiet whisper] Do you dare to call unclean what I have made clean by an act of supreme sacrifice? Is not claiming to know good and evil better than God the greatest rebellion of all?

Is not claiming to know good and evil better than God the greatest rebellion of all?

Yeshua

Scribe looks stricken, and seems about to lash out or bolt away. But instead, he falls back down to his knees.

S. I am my Lord’s handmaiden. Do to me as you will. lifts his cupped hands

Y. This is my body, broken for you [places it in his hands]. Take and eat, and enter into the new covenant of forgiveness for you and all people, purchased by My Blood.

With shaky fingers, Scribe chokes down the morsel. Then cries out as if it were poison, and collapses to the ground as one dead.

Lecher: [stunned, but still cheeky] Well, that’s one way to win a case…

But the next moment, Scribe opens his eyes. He stands wordlessly, and stares at Yeshua. Then opens his arms for a hug.

Yeshua embraces him, and Scribe cries like a baby. Or perhaps a man who has finally come home.

When he cries himself out, he turns to Judge.

S. Your honor, the state would like to formally drop all charges against the defendant. However, I respectfully request the right to meet with him, so I can share my concerns, understand his side of the story, and share what Yeshua has done for me.

L. Not without me present!

Scribe bristles, then looks at Yeshua and flinches. Amazingly, he turns and bows to Lecher.

S. I would be honored. It seems I have much to learn from you.

Lecher is shocked. He glances at Yeshua, and sees something indecipherable. But he turns, and bows back to Scribe.

L. Perhaps I have just as much I need to learn from you.

He walks over and hold out his hand. Scribe stares at it a long time. Then grabs it, and pulls Lecher into a fierce embrace. When they break, both men have tears in their eyes.

They turn to Judge.

J. Call me Father. This courtroom is dissolved.

He stands up, and everything but the personas evaporate into gossamer sparkles.

Father grins.

Father: If you need anything else, take it up with my Son. I am going to rest.

He stands up. They all rise.

Lecher and Scribe bow to Yeshua, who inclines his head in acknowledgment. Then they walk off together, talking animatedly.

Yeshua turns to His Father and winks.

Father smiles and claps His hands.

The lights go out.
The curtain falls.
[applause]

End Interlude

To be resumed