Beyond The Veil

Toward the end of the monologue, the priest explains how everything points to Christ.

by Warren Sager

EXCERPT: 

There is a curtain on the stage & an area in front of the curtain where the priest is entering.  He seems a little agitated & perhaps nervous.  He stops and begins to pray.  He is dressed in a white gown.

HIGH PRIEST:     Oh God, my Father!  I need Your mighty hand upon me… your help.  I don’t know if I can do this.  Why is it me?  Why was I chosen? I am not worthy.  Dear Lord, how can I finish this task that has been appointed to me? Forgive me Father… for I have sinned.  O dear God help me!  I brought the bull for the sacrifice! I’ve done what I need to do.  Why do I always feel that I can never do enough?

(He pauses with his face buried in his hands)  When he pulls his hands away he is aware of the audience and looks around.

I guess you are wondering what this is all about?  I suppose it warrants an explanation.  You see, today is the Day of Atonement.  It comes once a year.  You might know it as Yom Kippur.  Anyway, I am the high priest.  And on this day, the Day of Atonement, I enter the holy of holies to offer sacrifices for the people for another year.  It is very involved.  All explained in the book of Leviticus in the Holy Scriptures.  It is the only day when I can reconcile Israel with God. 

I’ll start at the beginning.  This morning, when I arrived, I was dressed in my best robes.  The colorful ones.  I did the morning sacrifices and I burned the incense.  Then I changed.  I put on modest white robes to show humility.  I wash.  I bathe.  I actually do this five times before I am finished on this day.  I had two goats.  One goat will be a scapegoat and one is for the Lord.  A red ribbon is tied to the horns of the scapegoat to tell them apart.  Then I offer a young bull.  That is a sin offering for MY sin.  You know how it goes.. slit the throat & drain the blood into a bowl.  Save that bowl.  Alright, now I enter the holy of holies for the first time.  I go behind the veil. I take with me some incense and a burning coal from the altar of sacrifice.  I burn the incense before the Lord.  There is a lot of smoke.  The smoke represents the presence of God.  There is a lot of symbolism in all this.  I hope you can follow what I am saying.  I’ll try to make it as clear as I can.  (Pause)