On Faith
Grateful for each tiny plateful
My Journey with Lazarus
“Eating’s incredible; eating is good,” sings Lazarus, the
main character in the Bread for the World eponymous musical. “You have to be grateful … for each tiny plateful … of
life-giving food,” continues the hungry man at center stage
of this parable.
Bread members and anti-hunger partners will get a
chance to see the revival of this tale of food, justice, and Bill Cummings is a singer, musician, and arranger. He updated Joel
redemption at the 2013 National Gathering on June 8, 2013. Underwood’s musical Lazarus, which will be re-staged on June 8, the
Lazarus debuted in 1987 when Joel Underwood, then di- first evening of Bread for the World’s 2013 National Gathering.
rector of Church Relations at Bread for the World, decided
When arranging “Hunger and Poverty Blues,” I expandto shine a light on one of Jesus’ fundamental lessons. The
ed the bluesy melody to make sure that it would appeal to all
story, found in Luke 16, features a rich man, Dives, who refuses to share with a beggar, Lazarus, in life, but finds that music lovers. I know that younger listeners might not be as
he is the one in need in the afterlife. The musical brings familiar with the blues as those of us who are lightly over 49.
“Brothers Awake” was created in my mind while jogging.
Luke’s narrative into today’s world—and into places where
A Latin beat kept it going around in my head until I was
extreme wealth and poverty rub against each other.
back home. I’ve learned that if you have
I was given the gift of bringing new ara melody inside of you and you want to
rangements to Lazarus, learning a great
“This project opened my
keep it forever, you had better hurry and
deal in the process. I’ve always loved
heart—giving me deeper
music: when I was young, our family
write it down.
sang in our little Southern church, and I understanding of how
While the arranging the music was my
knew every song in our worn-out hymnal. hunger and poverty unjustly
first concern, this project also opened my
Throughout my life, from elementary touch some people in our
heart—giving me deeper understanding of
through graduate school, God opened
how hunger and poverty unjustly touch
country and in the world.”
doors, allowing me to share my music.
some people in our country and in the
In December of last year, my friend
world. If this new arrangement of Lazarus
Bishop Donald DiXon Williams, associate for African- can change other hearts and bring about an awareness of hunAmerican Church Relations at Bread for the World, sent ger and poverty in our country and the world, I feel that my
me copies of the original musical score of Lazarus. For
journey with Lazarus will have been particularly harmonious.
weeks I studied it with passion. I ate with Lazarus. I slept
The premiere of this new arrangement of Lazarus will be held at
with Lazarus.
Music has changed since the debut of Lazarus, and I want- 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 8, 2013, in the Kreeger Theater at the Mead
ed to make sure that the melodic and harmonic structure Center for American Theater in Washington, D.C. The performance
felt contemporary—from the first song, “the Ballad of Laza- is open to the public, but you need to secure a general admission pass
rus,” to the last, “Mustard Seed Faith.”
or ticket online. Visit www.bread.org/gathering.
www.bread.org 3
Photo courtesy Bill Cummings
By Bill Cummings