Day by Day
Finally, brothers and sisters,
whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable,
if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise,
think about these things.
As for the things that you have learned and received
and heard and noticed in me, do them,
and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:8-9 (NRSVUE)
Dear friend,
Among the most influential experiences along my life’s journey was playing
the dual roles of John the Baptist and Judas in three different productions of
the musical Godspell, once at Lunenburg High School and twice at Mt. Wachusett
Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts, the final time in 1990. My wife
Sarah was also part of that 1990 production along with the one in high school.
Even before the high school production I have heart touching memories of Sarah
and her sister Cindy singing the songs Day by Day and By My Side
together during Youth Fellowship days at our church in the 1970’s.
The 1970’s were filled with Vietnam, Watergate, Roe v. Wade, the Iran hostage crisis, the
Oil Crisis, the Cold War, a growing Gay liberation movement, Disco, Funk and Hard Rock.
Folks needed a lot of forgiveness, mercy, kindness and community in the
1970’s. Godspell offered these and was, in my opinion, among
the most needed and healing influences for that generation.
Playing John the Baptist and Judas had me both welcoming Jesus onto the stage,
then forcing him off. That’s an emotional arc of major proportion, yet its one which
is routinely experienced by humans through the inconsistencies within our individual
thoughts and actions. So we need our daily routines of exercising our minds, bodies
and spirits in ways which strengthen us to choose the welcoming, positive
and inviting sides of ourselves so the unwelcoming, negative and
uninviting sides of ourselves may be calmed and quieted.
Sometimes I’m saddened and fearful as I consider everything our children face in
times such as these. Yet, then I consider the soil of the decades of the 1960’s and 1970’s
into which my life was planted. From that soil grew generations of people who, like
all generations before them, needed “to receive, learn and think on whatever is true,
honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent and worthy of praise and then
to act on these, walking with the God of peace who is with them.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
My generation and yours haven’t always thought or acted well. Sometimes
we’re more like John the Baptist. Sometimes we’re more like Judas.
Today we begin again, for all the children of the world.
Day by Day and By My Side are above and below, excerpts
from the Godspell movie from 1973. Enjoy.
Blessings and Love,
Pastor John
In writing the following prayer I was inspired by Philippians 4:8-9, Children’s Sunday
and Godspell, originally conceived by John-Michael Tebelak in 1970, music and
lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and opening off-Broadway in 1971, the song Day by Day
by Stephen Schwartz and By My Side by Peggy Gordon and Jay Hamburger.
Day by day, God,
I pray to see you more clearly,
through whatever is true and pleasing
through whatever is honorable and just
through whatever is pure and commendable.
Day by day, Holy Spirit,
I pray to love you more dearly,
by centering my mind to think on these things,
everything I notice and hear, learn and receive
which is excellent and worthy of praise.
Day by day, Jesus,
I pray to follow you more nearly,
wherever you go,
even far beyond where the horizon lies
and the land sinks into mellow blueness.
Take me with you.
Let me skip the road with you.
I can dare myself to remain by your side
even with a pebble in my shoe.
Watch me walk. I can walk!
Where are you going?
Wherever it is,
let me warm my hand and heart in yours.
Help me see and help me love.
I will follow.
God,
be with me, by my side,
and by the side of all the children of the world,
so we may walk and talk together
creating for one another a new road called peace.
Amen
____________________________________________
and Godspell, originally conceived by John-Michael Tebelak in 1970, music and
lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and opening off-Broadway in 1971, the song Day by Day
by Stephen Schwartz and By My Side by Peggy Gordon and Jay Hamburger.
Day by day, God,
I pray to see you more clearly,
through whatever is true and pleasing
through whatever is honorable and just
through whatever is pure and commendable.
Day by day, Holy Spirit,
I pray to love you more dearly,
by centering my mind to think on these things,
everything I notice and hear, learn and receive
which is excellent and worthy of praise.
Day by day, Jesus,
I pray to follow you more nearly,
wherever you go,
even far beyond where the horizon lies
and the land sinks into mellow blueness.
Take me with you.
Let me skip the road with you.
I can dare myself to remain by your side
even with a pebble in my shoe.
Watch me walk. I can walk!
Where are you going?
Wherever it is,
let me warm my hand and heart in yours.
Help me see and help me love.
I will follow.
God,
be with me, by my side,
and by the side of all the children of the world,
so we may walk and talk together
creating for one another a new road called peace.
Amen
____________________________________________
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