Act III scene 3

ACT III

 Scene 3 “Pray or Preach?”

                                                                        Setting: the forest

                                   

                        CURTAIN OPENS               

(WOLF & FRANCIS standing together at one side of the stage)

WOLF: Where are we going now?

FRANCIS: That’s the problem.  I don’t know.  I don’t know what to do, now that the numbers of my followers are getting out of hand.  Can you believe it?  I have followers I’ve never met.  They’re all over Italy, and even as far away as Spain and Portugal, France and Germany, maybe other countries as well.  I can’t even imagine it.  I just don’t know what I should be doing.  Not only the numbers are a problem for me, but my own lifestyle.  I want to do everything.  And go everywhere, but stay here in retreat, as well.  I’m very restless and have no idea what to do next.  Do you have any ideas?

WOLF: Who, me?  No.  I have no idea what a holy man with followers all over the world should do.  If you have followers, then maybe your job is to be the alpha wolf, you know, the leader.

FRANCIS: Yes.  But lead where?  There’s no point in leading if I don’t know where I’m going.

WOLF: What do your friends say?

FRANCIS: You know, I think that’s a good idea.  I’ll ask them what they think I should do.  I’d start with Clare, but I don’t like to visit her.

WOLF : Don’t you like her anymore?  I thought you two were really close.

FRANCIS: Of course, I still like her.  But I think I’ll ask Brother Masseo to speak to her.  Then he can sit down with Brother Sylvester and get his ideas, too.  Once those three have discussed it, then they can advise me.  Thank you, Sister Wolf, for your wise counsel.  Brother Masseo!  Are you there?

(enter Masseo)

MASSEO: I’m here, Brother Francis.  Did you call?

FRANCIS: Do me a favour, will you?  I need your advice on what to do next.  Should I stay here and pray for the Franciscans?  Or should I go to them and preach, as the pope said I should.  I suppose I really do need to do what the pope said. But the Franciscans need my prayers, too.  Oh, I really don’t know what to do.  And what about missions?  I would really like to travel to the Holy Land.  But maybe I should go to Morocco and be a martyr.  They kill Christians there, you know.  I should go and be a martyr, witness to the truth of the Gospel.  But if I’m martyred, who will lead the Franciscans?  And what am I leading them to do?  Oh, Brother Masseo, please go and speak to Clare and see what she says.  And then go to Brother Sylvester and see what he has to say.  And don’t forget to add your own advice.  And hurry back, because all this uncertainty is making me very restless.

MASSEO : I’ll go right away.  For now, I’d say it would be a good idea for you to pray that God will reveal his plan for you to all of us.

FRANCIS: More wise counsel.  Thank you, Brother.  Come back soon. I’ll stay here and pray.  Sister Wolf, will you pray with me?

(exit Masseo)

WOLF: I’d be happy to, Brother Francis.

FRANCIS & WOLF (silence for 3 beats, then say together): Amen.

WOLF: Here comes Brother Masseo.

(enter Brother Masseo)

FRANCIS: Hello, Brother!  What is your advice?

MASSEO: Hello, Brother Francis!  Hello, Sister Wolf!

FRANCIS: Come and sit down.  I’m anxious to hear what you and the others recommend.

WOLF: We weren’t exactly just sitting here doing nothing.  We’ve been very busy praying.

FRANCIS: True.  Prayers are very important.

MASSEO: We thought so, too.  So the other friars wanted to come with me to speak with you.  It will be interesting to see if the guidance you received in answer to your prayers match the answers Sister Clare, Brother Sylvester and the others and I received.

FRANCIS: You prayed together?

MASSEO: Yes. I gathered the brothers together and we sat outside San Damiano and prayed there with Sister Clare and the other sisters.  When our prayers were finished, we discussed our experiences.  We were amazed that we had all received the same answer.  Although, if you think about it, there’s no reason to be amazed.  Why would God give one solution to one person and a different one to another?

FRANCIS: And what was that answer?  I’m really anxious to know what God said to you and the others.

MASSEO: Well, just out of curiosity, what answer did you and Sister Wolf get when you prayed?

WOLF: I prayed for God to give us a clear vision of the future of the church.  I saw a forest without end, and Brother Francis was walking along a path that led out of the farthest part of the forest.  I believe God wants you to go and preach, not stay and retreat.

FRANCIS: Thank you, Sister Wolf.  It’s amazing how similar my own vision was.  I was getting on a ship and sailing off over the horizon.

MASSEO: Both of your visions are almost exactly what the friars and the sisters saw.  Clearly, Brother Francis, you are being led to go abroad and preach the Gospel. 

FRANCIS: So, what are we waiting for?  Let us go with God.  Any idea which way we should go first?

WOLF: Since I don’t see any ships near here, I suggest we start with the forest in my vision.  Since it is right here.

FRANCIS: Good suggestion, Sister.  Would you like to accompany me?

WOLF: I think I’ll let you and the friars go without me.  For one thing, in my vision, I saw you traveling alone, at least, not with any wolves.  I’ll be praying for you.

FRANCIS: I won’t go alone.  But I can imagine both pros and cons of having you along.  You’d be good company, and you know your way around the forest.  But on the other hand, you might frighten some people and animals away.  So, I’ll accept your withdrawal from my party.  Brother Masseo?  Will you accompany me?

MASSEO: I think I’ll go back and gather the other friars.  We’ll meet you in the forest.

( exit WOLF & MASSEO ...three beats... MASSEO & SYLVESTER & Elias & other friars enter)

FRANCIS: Look!  Some of our sister birds up there in the trees!  And here are some at our feet.  Wait here, Brothers.  I’m going to preach to the birds.

(birds all come to his feet)

(FRANCIS continues): My sister birds, you owe God a debt of gratitude!  Praise God always!  God has provided you with everything you could possibly desire.  You can fly freely.  Praise God everywhere.  You have the most beautiful feathered coats to protect you from the weather.  You have trees for your nests and rocky crags for refuge.  You don’t have to work or even beg for your food.  You have lovely singing voices.  Use them to sing praises to God, who gave you everything.  Don’t be ungrateful.  Praise God! (starts to sing, and the birds join in)

Brothers!  Come and see!   See how happy our sister birds are!  See, they are bowing their heads.  Let’s pray with them.  Bless you, my sister birds. (makes the sign of the cross over the birds at his feet)

BROTHER ELIAS: That’s wonderful, Brother Francis.  I wonder if any other animals of the forest will react the same way.

FRANCIS: Let’s go on and find out. (they walk on, animals too)

(enter WOLF)

WOLF: Hey!  Wait!  I’ll join you!

FRANCIS: Sister Wolf!  Welcome! 

WOLF: I followed you.  I thought if I kept out of sight, I could learn how you would be preaching in the forest.  When I saw you with the birds, how they weren’t afraid of you, I decided that the animals didn’t need  to fear me, either.

FRANCIS: You seem to be right.  Look, here come some deer.  They’ve seen you.  They are safe, aren’t they? 

(DEER come onstage, stop when they see WOLF).

WOLF: From me?  Of course. I won’t hurt them.

FRANCIS: Do you think they know that?

WOLF: I don’t know.  All right. I’ll stay still and quiet.  Maybe the deer won’t be afraid of me if I don’t move.

(DEER move closer)

FRANCIS: Come, Brother Deer and Sister Doe.  Come and praise God with us.  We’ll pray with you. 

(DEER and other animals bow their heads)

WOLF: Amen, and ahem! 

FRANCIS: What’s that you said?

WOLF: I think you have a long journey ahead of you, Brother Francis.  I’m going to leave you for a little while.  I’ll catch up with you in a few days, if that’s all right with you.

FRANCIS: Is there a problem?

WOLF: No.  Not exactly.  But it’s been a long day, and I have to --, I mean, I’ve got to ---, I mean, I’ll just see you later.  All right?

FRANCIS: I see.  You’re hungry, and you need to go and, um, beg for something to eat?

WOLF: Something like that.

FRANCIS: I see.  Just remember, well, you know what you should remember.

WOLF: Yes.  Of course.  If I want to be a member of the Fourth Order, I have to start to work on living according to a Franciscan Rule of Life.  You’ll help me with that?

FRANCIS: We can certainly think about it.  And pray.  You know, of course, that Clare doesn’t have her rule approved yet?  So, it could be that it’ll be a while before there’s a fourth order.

WOLF: All the more reason for me to be careful.  You be careful, too, Brother Francis.  Are you planning to go on that sea voyage now?

FRANCIS: Yes.  I think the time has come to travel to the Holy Land.  There’s a war there, you know.  Brave knights are fighting a holy crusade to rescue Jerusalem from the Muslims.

WOLF: Oh.  So you’re going to be a knight again, are you?  I thought you gave up on that idea a long time ago.

FRANCIS: I’m not going to fight!!  No, I’m going to preach to the Muslims.

WOLF: I hear that’s a dangerous thing to do.  Muslims don’t want to hear the Gospel.

FRANCIS: I know.  That’s why I must go.  I must go with a message of love and peace.  Pray for me.

WOLF: I will.  And, as I said, be careful.

(CURTAINS CLOSE)

End of Act III