A Play: Brother Francis
Cast: Storyteller • Brother Juniper • Brother Bernard • Brother Francis • Brother Leo • Birds (any number)
| Storyteller: | Here is a story about Saint Francis of Assisi. One day long ago, Francis and some of his friends were walking along a road. |
| Brother Bernard: | Brother Francis, look at the field over there! It is filled with all kinds of birds. |
| Storyteller: | Storyteller: Francis walked to the field. The birds did not fly away. Instead, they gathered around him. Francis knelt down and began to preach to them. |
| Brother Francis: | My little ones, God made you and cares for you. You need not plant because he feeds you. God lets you build your nests in his trees. He gave you wings so that you can fly high in his sky. Your feathers keep you warm in winter. With your beautiful voices, you can praise God for his goodness! |
| Storyteller: | Francis stood up and blessed the birds with the Sign of the Cross. All the birds flew away, praising God with their songs. |
| Brother Juniper: | Brother Francis, the birds seem to understand what you tell them. |
| Brother Francis: | Yes, and they praise God for his goodness. God is good to us too. He loves and cares for us even more than for the birds. God has called us to be holy. He sent his Son, Jesus, to show us how to know, love, and serve him. We can be happy forever with God in heaven. |
| Brother Leo: | Let’s praise God now for his goodness to us. |
| All the Brothers: | Be praised, O God, for all your goodness! |
| Brother Juniper: | Bless us too, Brother Francis. |
| Storyteller: | Francis made the Sign of the Cross over his brothers. They walked on with joyful hearts. |
Excerpted from Christ Our Life, by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio