These Sundays leading up to Holy Week provide for us some of the longest scripture readings of the entire year. In considering how I might shorten these gospel texts, I was reminded of an internet site called "Book a Minute." Their motto tells you all you need to know, for it says: "When even Cliff Notes are too long." So I looked up a few of the edited books on their website, and this is what I found.

Remember Dr. Seuss' story "Green Eggs and Ham"? This is how "Book a Minute" tells it:

Some Creature: I won't eat green eggs and ham anywhere, anytime, under any circumstances."
Sam I am: "Here, try it."
Some Creature: "Yum. I like it!"
THE END

Or perhaps your children read the book "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing"? Here's the short version:

Peter the 4th Grader: "I'm going to do something fun."
Fudge, the Little Brother: "Can I come?"
Peter, the 4th Grader: "No."
Fudge comes anyway and ruins everything.
THE END

And then there is "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens:

Ebenezer Scrooge: "Bah, humbug. I hate Christmas."
The Ghost of Marley: "You're mean."
Ghost of Christmas Past: "You're mean."
Ebenezer Scrooge: "Now I have seen the light, let's dance, here, have some money."
THE END

So I got to wondering, how would "Book a Minute" tell this story of the man born blind who was healed by Jesus? It would probably sound something like this:

Blind Man: "Help, I can't see!"
Jesus: "Here's mud in your eye."
Blind Man: "Lord, I believe! Oh, and Blue is amazing!"
THE END