Waiting & Watching A Living Journey to the Manger Guides: (Need 3 or 4) Welcome to our live nativity story Waiting and Watching: A Living Journey to the Manger. Tonight you will have the chance to meet and hear the stories of some of the people who were watching and waiting for the birth of the Christ Child over 2,000 years ago. Our journey is based on the scriptures from the Bible Gospels of Matthew and Luke. We are giving you a song sheet to help us raise a joyful noise unto the Lord by singing along to a few beloved Christmas hymns as we visit the 8 stops along our journey. The path we will follow tonight is gently lit by strings of Christmas lights, but watch your step since it is not all paved. And please, for your safety and the safety of the animals, do not approach or touch the animals.
Scene 1: Angels appear to Mary & Joseph (bts: ) Chorus: Angels We Have Heard on High (sing-along) The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to a small town in Galilee called Nazareth, to visit a virgin who was the fiancé of Joseph. The virgin s name was Mary. Listen now as the Angel appears to Mary Hail Mary Angel: Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Mary s Angel: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold you will conceive and give birth to a son and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and his kingdom will have no end. Mary: Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. An Angel also appeared in a dream to the carpenter, Joseph of Nazareth, who was planning to take Mary as his wife. Joseph: Joseph s Angel: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For it is through the Holy Spirit that she is with child. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. When Joseph awoke he did as the Angel of the Lord commanded, and took Mary as his wife, protecting her and keeping her safe.
Scene 2: Magi plan their journey (bts: ) Magi: (Need 3) In the days before Christ was born, very smart men from the Far East observed and studied the stars. They were called Magi or wise men. They believed that, at the birth of a great man, a new star appears in the sky. And it came to pass that some of these men saw an extraordinary star appear in the sky, brighter than all other stars. As they watched and waited, they decided to follow it and see for themselves the great man who was soon to be born Magi: Let us go, following the star, and find the great one. We will pay him homage with gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. Chorus: We Three Kings (sing-along)
Scene 3: Caesar s decree (bts: ) Servant: All Hail Caesar! (ECHO Hail Caesar!) In those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that there should be a census. Caesar: I, Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor Octavian, do hereby proclaim and command that all people in the Roman Empire must be counted in a census. Each man is hereby ordered to take his family and go to the town where their ancestors were born. Chorus: Do You Hear What I Hear? (sing-along) The census included Joseph, an ancestor of King David who was born in the little town of Bethlehem. So, Joseph took Mary, who was pregnant and expecting her first child, and traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to the little town of Bethlehem, so that they could be counted in the census.
Scene 4: Mary & Joseph at the Inn (bts: ) The journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was long and Mary was very pregnant. Their journey took them many days and they watched and waited for the birth of their child as they traveled. Chorus: O Little Town of Bethlehem (sing-along) As they arrived, the time had come for Mary to have her baby. Mary: Joseph, we have traveled far to get to Bethlehem for the census. But I am so tired and the baby is coming. Please, we must find a room quickly. So, Joseph searched for a place for Mary to rest and give birth. Joseph: (pounds on the door) Inn keeper, we have just arrived and my wife is pregnant. The baby is coming soon and she needs a place to rest. Do you have a room? Inn Keeper: There is no room at this inn or anywhere in Bethlehem. We are full because so many people have come for the census. The only space available is around back with the animals. You are welcome to stay there. And so it was that Joseph and Mary went in search of the stable, so that she might have a place of shelter to bear her child.
Scene 5: Magi meet King Herod (bts: ) And behold, it came to pass that the Magi followed their star to the city of Jerusalem. When they arrived, they went to meet with King Herod. Magi: (Need 3) Magi: We have left our homes in a far away land and followed a bright new star, looking for someone very important! We have been waiting and watching and searching for a new born king, the Messiah! We have brought gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh for this baby who will be a great leader. Herod: I want to bring the Messiah gifts too. When you find this child, come and tell me so that I will know where to find him. Chorus: O Come All Ye Faithful (sing-along) And so the Magi took their gifts and continued on their journey. Herod: The Magi have told me that they have been waiting and watching for a newborn king and my advisors have told me that a Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. I have asked the wise men to find this child and then come to me so that I might know where to find him. Because he was getting old, King Herod was afraid that his kingdom would be overthrown and given to a new king, a Messiah. When the wise men told him that they were waiting and watching for the Messiah, he spoke with his advisors. They told him the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, so he made plans to do away with the newborn child when the wise men found him.
Scene 6: Magi on journey (bts: ) Magi: Need 3 Chorus: God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman (sing-along) After their audience with King Herod, the magi continued their search for the Messiah. And behold the star they had seen in their land came to rest over Bethlehem. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and knew they were close to finding the newborn king. As they lay down to sleep that night, they received a message in their dreams. Magi s Angel: Peace be with you as you bring your gifts to the Christ Child. But do not go back and tell King Herod where you found the Christ Child. After you visit him, go home a different way. And when the Magi awoke, they remembered what the Angel had told them and agreed to take a different route home.
Scene 7: (bts/shepherds: -- bts/angels: ) Now there were shepherds in that region, living in the fields and keeping watch over their flocks at night. They were the only ones awake in the middle of the night, while all of Bethlehem slept. Saxophone: Chorus: Silent Night (sing-along) The Angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and the Glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. Angel: Fear not for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And suddenly there was a multitude of heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: All Angels: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth Peace, good will among men. Chorus: Hark the Herald Angels Sing (sing-along) After the angel was gone, the shepherds were so excited. They decided that they would go and see for themselves this wonderful child the angel had told them about.
Scene 8: (bts: ) Angel #1: Since there was no room at the inn, Mary and Joseph were forced to find shelter in a lowly stable. Mary knew she was about to have her child and she needed a place to lay him when he was born. Joseph: Mary: This manger usually holds the hay that the animals eat, but tonight, I will put clean straw in it and prepare it to be the Christ Child s crib. Chorus: Away in a Manger (sing-along) Angel #2: Now all of this was done, that it might be fulfilled that which was spoken of the Lord to the prophet Isaiah Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emanuel, which means God is with us. Mary: As you have met and heard the stories of some of the people who watched and waited for the birth of our Savior, hopefully you have felt some of the same things they felt, especially the wonder and excitement. I m sure you probably noticed that the manger is still empty. Tonight you heard about what happened before Baby Jesus was born. When you attend Christmas Mass you will hear the rest of the nativity story, joyfully celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior. And if you look in the manger in the church, then you will see the baby Jesus! Guide: Thank you for joining us on this Living Journey to the Manger. As you & your family watch and wait, preparing to celebrate the birth of Christ, St. Brendan the Navigator Catholic Community wishes you joy and peace. Chorus: Joy to the World (sing-along)