Francis of Assisi

Francis of Assisi

Francis (Francesco), dad, Bishop, Lepers (2), friends (2), girls (2), the enemy (2), crucifix, Poor (2)

(Enter Francesco, friends, girls)

There once was a rich young man named Francesco.  Francesco loved to party with his friends.  They would dance and drink and be raucous.

And the girls would swoon when they saw Francesco!  They would say “He’s so cute!” and “Such a snazzy dresser.”
Francesco would strut around like a peacock, saying “Flaunt it if you got it!”  And the girls would giggle.
(Exit Girls.  Enter Lepers)

But Francesco hated lepers.  Lepers were people who had a disease that made their skin rot while they were still alive. They smelled bad, and pieces of them would fall off. The audience would point at them and say "Ewww" and put "L"s on their foreheads and say "Leper!".  The Lepers would just be sad and lonely.

Francesco would make fun of them with his friends, saying “What do you call 5 lepers in a hottub?  Porridge!”  And they would all laugh.

But if any of the lepers came too close, asking for money,  Francesco would freak out and say “Aaaah!  It’s the zombie apocalypse!”  And he would run away.

(Exit Lepers, enter the enemy)

One day there was a war with a neighboring city.  Francesco and his friends rode off to fight the enemy.  They fought a sword fight, but  Francesco was captured and thrown in jail, and guarded by his enemies.

(Exit Friends)
 While in jail, he started reading the Bible.  In the Bible he read that Jesus told his disciples that they should give everything they had away.  Francesco exclaimed loudly "Now I know what I must do!"  Eventually his enemies let him out of jail.

(Exit enemies, enter poor, lepers)

So when Francesco came home, he went into his Fathers clothing store, and started giving away all of the clothes to the poor!  Even lepers came in to the store for the handouts.  Francesco threw up in his mouth a little bit, but instead of running away screaming, he gave the lepers clothes and even kissed them!

(Enter Father, exit lepers, poor)

His dad was furious!  He yelled “Who do you think you are giving all of our stuff away?”  

Francesco said. "Jesus told me to.”  

His dad said “Oh yeah? Well tell it to the bishop!”

(Enter Bishop)

So they went to the bishop, and the dad said “The thing is, it’s not even Francesco’s stuff to give away!  Everything he owns is mine!”

At that Francesco took off all his clothes, and said “Then I have nothing of yours anymore.”  The crowd got a little rowdy for a moment, but the Bishop covered Francesco with his own cloak. The Bishop gave Francesco a church to live in, and a plain brown robe.

(Exit Bishop, enter crucifix))

 In the church one day while praying in front of the crucifix, the statue of Jesus opened his eyes and said “Francis, rebuild my Church.”

(Exit Crucifix, enter friends, girls)

Eventually, all of Francesco’s friends gave all of their clothes and stuff away, and came to join Francesco.  Even the girls started their own convent. Within a few years, thousand of rich people had done this, and they known as the Franciscans.

St Francis-  Pray for us!