Luke 10:25-37 (8th Sunday of Pentecost, Year C)
The story of the Good Samaritan adapted for Sea Sunday (usually held in July)
For 3 Actors/Readers: Narrator, Lawyer and Jesus
The lawyer, the beaten person, the Samaritan Seafarer and the passers-by might be any gender and may be referred to as ‘he’ ‘she’ or ‘they’.
The action surrounding the story could be acted out as Jesus narrates the story, and the helpful Samaritan Seafarer could say their own line. Readers may hold scripts throughout.
Complete ready-to-print script:
Luke 10, 25-37 – Sea Sunday Good Samaritan – Drama PDF
Luke 10, 25-37 – Sea Sunday Good Samaritan – Drama WORD
Narrator:
In today’s Gospel reading, Luke presents one of the instances someone examines Jesus with the intent to trick him, at least with words. In this case, it is a lawyer questioning Jesus. The lawyer stands up to test Jesus, then, wanting to be justified, the lawyer asks Jesus the famous question, “And who is my neighbour?” Let us listen to the conversation recorded by Luke, between the lawyer and the teacher, Jesus, thinking of it especially in light of today being Sea Sunday.
Lawyer: Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?
Jesus: What is written in the law? What do you read there?
Lawyer: ‘You shall love the Eternal One your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’
Jesus: You have given the right answer. Do this, and you will live.
Lawyer: And who is my neighbour?
Jesus: A person, an off-duty seafarer perhaps, was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, was stripped and beaten, and then the robbers went away, leaving him/her/them half dead.
Now by chance a priest, perhaps a Navy Chaplain, was going down that road. And when the priest, the chaplain, saw the hurt seafarer, he/she/they passed by on the other side.
So likewise, a Levite, perhaps an Admiral, when he/she/they came to the place and saw the seafarer hurt on the road, passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan, who might that person be – a citizen of another country against which a war was once waged at sea? This Spaniard or Viking, while travelling came near. And when he/she/they saw the hurt seafarer, they were moved with pity.
He/she/they went to the seafarer and bandaged the wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he/she/they put the seafarer on their own animal, brought him/her/them to an inn, and took care of him/her/them.
The next day the Samaritan, the foreigner, the outsider, took out two denarii coins, two gold coins perhaps, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of this seafarer. And when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ [pause: look at lawyer]
Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the person, the seafarer, who fell into the hands of the robbers?’
Lawyer: The one who showed mercy.
Jesus: Go and do likewise.
Narrator: Here ends the reading. May this parable remind us of those who go unnoticed or uncared for, and nudge us to use our time and resources to help those in need.
