Prologue

A bell strikes for silence three times. Then a Chorale, or a familiar modern hymn is sung — such as u 0 Come and Mourn.” At the close of the last verse the curtains part and a Doctor steps out. He wears a black cap down over his ears: and black flowing robes. He carries a black staff. He speaks slowly and deliberately.

Sirs; we are gathered at this holy time To celebrate Christ’s Passion; by whose grace Our sins are done away and we restored From death to life. Here then, in simple show,

The tale of all those pains we strive to tell,

How in that Upper Room He gave Himself To be our meat and drink: how Judas fell And sold his Lord for money. Of that Lord Seized in Gethsemane — haled here and there To Caiphas, Herod, Pilate; how the Prince And Ruler of His Church denied his Lord:

How Magdalene wept: how Joseph had the Cup Our Lord had drunk from: of that dolorous Way That went from Pilate’s hall to Calvary;

Of the sun darkened and the rending earth.

But most of all of Mary — she who spake So little, yet who agonised so much;

Pondering all things in her heart, as v/hen She had Him on her knees in Nazareth.

For she it is who, Mother of her Son,

Is Mother of us all. It is through her ii

He came to us: through her we come to Him.

Look then on this — the Upper Room where He Began His Passion. There from that Cenacle Watch with the eyes of faith, as they once watched Who heard the clamour of His going by To judgement and to death. And when you go Back to the world for which He died, take care That all those sins which bound and tortured Him, That broke His heart and pierced His Mother’s, too, Be by His Precious Blood all done away,

That you may meet Him, clean, on Easter Day.

[He bows and retires backwards.

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