- Samuel Thambusamy
This skit was specifically written for my sermon titled: Jesus Against Corruption in Indian
Anna Hazare keeps waving the Indian flag as four people walk around the stage.The first one is blindfolded. The second one is gagged. The third one is deaf. The fourth one’s hands are tied.
Narrator: During the time of Jesus, corruption was rampant. Very few spoke against it Even fewer did something about it. John wore freaky clothes, funny food and spoke fiery words. But…he got the crowd to listen.
John the Baptist: You brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?
Narrator: Some corrupt Tax collectors came to listen to his fiery sermons.
John the Baptist: Don’t collect any more than you are required to…
Narrator: Some soldiers who were posted there asked him,” And what should we do?”
John the Baptist: Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely – be content with your pay.
Narrator: John the Baptist also had strong words for the government of the day.
John the Baptist: What Herod the tetrarch is doing is wrong. He is morally corrupt and we condemn all other evil things he has done. This is why we need a strong Lokpal and he must come under the ambit of the Lokpal.
Narrator: Not surprisingly, John the Baptist was arrested and put behind bars. No television channel covered the story. NDTV, Times Now and CNN IBN were all surprisingly silent. The local HerodiasTV blacked out this news.
Jesus lived at a time when people were corrupt. Most soldiers, tax collectors, religious leaders were corrupt.
He preached against corruption. He was against corruption in any form. Sometimes, he got REALLY angry.
Once Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves and others sitting at the tables exchanging money. He made a whip out of cords
People: Oh! No!
Jesus drove the money changers from the Temple area. He scattered the coins and over turned their tables.
Jesus: Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market?
Narrator: Jesus fought corruption through personal example.
People: Is it right to pay taxes?
Jesus: Get me a coin. Whose portrait is this?
People: Caesar’s!
Jesus: Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.
Narrator: Sometimes he initiated a silent revolution.
The collective angst against corruption was directed against Tax collectors. Zacchaeus was notorious. The word in the street was that he was a cheat. Nothing more! Nothing less! The JBI was even pressing for corruption charges against Zacchaeus. But, Jesus was willing to go his house for tea. Zacchaeus welcomed him.
People: He has gone to be a guest of a sinner
People: I paid him extra.
People: He made me buy a TV as a gift!
People: Swindler!
People: Cheat!
Zacchaeus: Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.
People: You must be joking!
People: Oh! No!
People: Corruption cannot be wiped out.
Zacchaeus: But, Jesus! This is for real!
Jesus: Today Salvation has come to this house. The Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.
Narrator: He called Matthew who was sitting at the Tax collector’s booth
Jesus: Follow me
Narrator: He became their friend and influenced them.
People: Oh! No! Jesus must have nothing to do with him.
Narrator: Jesus fought against corruption – and brought about social transformation.
Jesus stood at the Ram Lila grounds and continued his fight against corruption. He understands what it is and what it does to people.
There are voices:
Anna is India and India is Anna!
Anna Hazare is not India
Anna Hazare is a gandhian but his method is definitely not Gandhian
We’ve become Anna’s PR Agency!
I do not support Anna! What will happen if people start similar agitations?
This movement is running on Media Power
Television cannot make you bigger than you are!
Television can bring people; it cannot force them to sit there for hours!
Narrator: The battle against corruption was fought in the Ram Lila grounds.
Some saw Jesus. Some didn’t and probably won’t.
Did you see Jesus? Were you alongside him?
The fight against corruption is on…
Lord, let your will be done in India as it is in heaven.
(This skit was specifically written for and performed at morning chapel service in SIBS, Bangarapet)
