October 7, 2018. Eureka Springs, AR. Wish I'd Had a Camera

As the disciples sat down in the upper room for the Last Supper, during last night's Passion Play performance, we were visited by an unexpected dinner guest. One of our white homing pigeons, which had been released by Jesus during the earlier healing scene at the Temple, flew into the room and landed on the table directly in front of Jesus. It looked at Jesus for about ten seconds, turned to face the audience and then hopped down onto the floor in full view of the audience and remained there for most of the scene.
There are about twenty pigeons released during the Temple scene. They fly counterclockwise around the Temple a few times and then return to their quarters. Occasionally, a few of them stay on the Temple steps, perch on the roof or explore a while before returning home. I remember one who came back to watch the flogging scene by Pilate's Porch, but this was the first one to come for supper. It was one of those moments in live theater which make the routine we follow every performance, different , and keeps us coming back for more. It can be hard sometimes to make our performance unique for the audience when it is so repetitious for the performers. But when a prop isn't where it's supposed to be, an animal doesn't do what it's supposed to do, a performer misses an entrance, the lights misbehave or the music sound track stops, it truly becomes live drama and exciting for the actors who must keep the show going.
Our thirteenth disciple was definitely a memorable character. It would have been interesting if some of us would have had our cell phones and decided to break character and take a picture to record the moment. But then again, I'm sure there were some in the audience who were able to forget the seriousness of the supper and focus on the visitor. It's fun to be part of this ministry and good to know that we serve a loving, patient, gracious and caring God, a God with a sense of humor and good timing. Thank You, Lord.

Sent from my iPad