Prayers

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This kind
cannot be
driven out
by anything
but much
prayer
and fasting.
[Mark 9:29]
******************
"WHY is
FASTING and
PRAYER....
supposed
to go TOGETHER..
LORD?"

[PATIENT PAUSE.]
"What does
My Word
say,
My beloved?"

(Shrug.)
(Irritably shake an open
bottle of ketchup
over a plate
of microwave-tater-tots.)
"I dunno.
Ya know:
STUFF."

[LOOK OVER
TO HIS RIGHT.]
[GENTLE FROWN.]
[SHAKE HEAD,
WITH CONSTERNATION.]

(Close ketchup bottle.)
(Frown at plate.)
(Open bottle, again.)
(Pour some more on.)
"Which PART?"

[PATIENT VOICE.]
"All of It."

(Mouth full.)
"Yeah....but,
FASTING?"
(Drop a tater-tot
onto the floor.)
(Plump cat tiptoes
over to tater-tot,
and noses it.)
"What's the POINT,
of IT?"

[PATIENT GAZE.]

(Frown at one
tater-tot that
is still cold.)
(Eat it, anyway.)
"Does FASTING...
IMPRESS YOU?"
(Look up, hopefully.)
"Does it, like.....
make the PRAYER
get answered,
FASTER?"

[CHUCKLE.]

"Hey, LORD!
I MADE A PUN!"
(Thumbs up at the ceiling.)
(Smile!)

[PATIENT NOD.]

"SO?"
(Squint at the ceiling fan.)
"Does PRAYER + FASTING...
make you HOLIER?"

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"I don't mean..You-YOU,
Lord!"
(Sassy smile!)
"I meant....YOU-you."

[PATIENT NODDING.]
[GENTLE CHUCKLE
FROM THE RIGHT SIDE
OF THE THRONE.]

"YOU know what
I mean."
(Swipe a tater-tot
through a puddle of
Walmart ketchup*.)
"The thing is.....
aren't people in a
really bad MOOD,
if they FAST?"

[PATIENT VOICE.]
"Not all
My children,
My beloved."

(Shout, irritably.)
"NEAH!
I don't BELIEVE that!"

[FAR-OFF RUMBLE.]

(Shout, once more,
ignoring Rumble.)
"Aw!
Come ON!
NOBODY'S in
a good mood,
when they FAST!
I don't BELIEVE
THAT!"

[CLOSER RUMBLE.]

"I'm in a CRANKY
MOOD...right NOW!
Heck, and I'been
eatin', all
DAY!"

[PATIENT SIGH.]

(Yell at the dusty
ceiling vent.)
"DO YOU want
me to FAST...
when
I PRAY,
LORD?"

[DEEP SIGH.]
"Oy vey."
******************
But
when you
fast,
anoint
your head,
and
wash your face,
that your
fasting
may not be
seen by men
but
by your Father
Who is
in secret.
[Matthew 6:17-18]


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*It's okay;
hey, everything tastes
good on a tater-tot.

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