THE ARTIFACT (A Play)

AUGUSTINE, soon to be Bishop of Hippo
MONICA -his mother

Scene In their garden

M. Yes, Augie I will search for His cross. The true one.

A. We spend all our lives on a mission ,Monica ,when God just wants our own submission.

M. Yes, I know it is after the fact but it is an artifact, for those who will believe.

A. Everyone of us, pagan Gentiles, Jewish people,Arabs, North Africans and Christians need

symbols.

M. Do you think we will use them as idols to hold over our enemy.

A. Our enemy is the devil who wants to devour us.

M. He is always around, but not to be found.

A. Except for demons in ourselves.

M. Life and death is on the true cross I am seeking. When people put it on themselves or make the

cross they often double cross themselves that very few believers think about its cost and we often

get lost in the hubbub of our lives. What will survive of our lives.

A. Maybe our struggling for answers.

M. Always the philosopher, Augustine, now with a greater plan for his church.

A. Always a mother, dear Helena.

M. You are searching for spiritual answers or the truth. I'm on a search for the proof.

A. Faith gives us a way and life to find and follow the truth. He gave us a way.

M. Always the preacher and teacher. But there are mysteries which give us away as well.

A. I am going to build my church.

M. A new one? A chapel? I do not understand what you have in mind.

A. I envision a catholic universal church in Rome ,Jerusalem or another in the Near East

named after me, with ambassadors, armed guards,an army of believers, even Edomites, secret

societies,masses for the masses then championed by the nations whom will partake of our world's

aspirations, with all the treasures of Solomon with all the oil we will anoint and appoint and will

tell you more mother when you will be back from Jerusalem. We will be around for three thousand

years to govern and control through every soul in mind and console mankind that is what a religious

philosophy opening the mother church up to do our will all the way to Jerusalem.

M. I cannot know yet of such things yet my loving and giving birth to you Augustine was worth it

after all my own long suffering.

A. Like wise. We are interlocked and loved.

M. I remember how as a boy you were were always uncovering and discovering things because

you inherited my spirit of inquiry. You would look for hours for your missing hippo.

A. Perhaps he is still in the room.

M. Take care. I sense in the future God will give us a future vision in the garden.

A I will pray for you on your journey to the holy land.

M. Tare care of yourself, Augustine, future bishop of Hippo.

A. For people like us it is a garden constantly bearing fruit and white Easter flowers for the altar

which like our story will last without end.

The end.