According to the Norwich Bulletin, the Rev. James Martin says humor is good for the Catholic soul.
Now we here at CMR are often accused of taking things too lightly. But we take our silliness very seriously. As the sign up top says, “We laugh because we believe.” Believe me when I say that if we didn’t believe, Patrick would be absolutely insufferable. (If Pat’s reading this, I’m just kidding. If not, I actually meant that.)
But here are the ten reasons Fr. James Martin believes laughter can lead to holiness. In short, we’re taking this as a full-throated endorsement from Fr. Martin:
1: Humor and joy are a way to evangelize. “They show you have faith in God, and are living your own vocation joyfully.”
2: Humor is a tool for humility. “It helps deflate the ego.”
3: Humor shocks listeners into recognizing reality. “It speaks truth to power.”
4: Humor can express Christian courage.
5: It deepens our relationship with God. As with a personal relationship, “can you allow God to be playful with you?”
6: Humor welcomes others.
7: It’s healing. “Laughter can be a break from difficult times.”
8: It fosters good relations in our work.
9: Humor opens our minds. “And helps get the message across.”
10: And it’s just plain fun. “A foretaste of Heaven.”
August 24, 2008 at 6:03 am
I prefer to think of it as my faith releasing my better angels that otherwise would be locked in Gitmo with black bags over their heads.
August 24, 2008 at 11:57 am
This is tricky. Humor, to my mind, is not a virtue that can be worked on like patience. You either have it or you don’t. I do. And,so, I think like you. But others of a more serious bent don’t. That’s ok too. I love them just as much. I remember the anecdote of one martyr who was being skewered to death and after roasting for a bit on one side told his torturers “I’m done on this side you can turn me over now.” How many (even saints)can muster this kind of humor?
August 24, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Good heavens… a Jesuit who isn’t mentioning something heretical…
That might, of course, mean that there is something inherently heretical about humour in religion!
😉
August 24, 2008 at 4:29 pm
bobd, that was St. Lawrence. That quote sprung to my mind right away when I was reading this.
August 24, 2008 at 11:29 pm
My rule is that it is better to laugh than to get angry. Humor can defuse angry. We can laugh about bad liturgy and make fun of it and not wind up rad trads.
August 25, 2008 at 10:40 pm
The only problem with humor is that sometimes it has a mean streak that can cut too close to the bone…the trick is to find the dissonance between the truth…and what’s wrong.
But thanks…I feel better about my own humor posts now!
August 26, 2008 at 1:20 pm
St Lawrence was probably incredibly funny, and I look forward to meeting him someday – not necessarily as the result of similar ends, mind you, but nonetheless, he’s one of the many saints I’m anticipating sharing laughs with.
The best humor is self-deprecating – not taking ourselves seriously and recognizing our deficiencies. And Jeff’s comment is right on – it’s better to laugh than get angry. Besides, it’s better for health too.