Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 335

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

In Christian life Saint James’ invitation to “Consider it all joy” may be the punch line of much humor, as is the story of Saint Francis’ “perfect joy.” Sometimes you just have to laugh; otherwise, you'll cry.

Joy, laughter and humor are closely connected; they are the gifts God gives us when we desperately need perseverance. "When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" So that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

My readers may have noticed I tend to be a pretty sober person. My mother -- God rest her soul -- nicknamed me “old sober sides” at some point of my childhood. Perhaps for that reason I like to find the humor in scripture and religion. Where serious commentators look for deep meaning in every biblical verse, I notice first the comical – including Saint James’ opening statement.

Philosophically, I believe humor is a meeting place for the secular and religious. We can share a good laugh over our differences and permit others to laugh both at and with us. Humor admits there is more to life than anyone can comprehend or control. Much escapes us.

My mother always found great humor in slap stick. Jerry Lewis, who destroyed his back with his pratfalls, was outrageously funny to her. So one summer night we were coming in to escape the mosquitoes. My brother Bob and I assisted her up the porch stairs. When I opened the screen door the dog bolted through first and she tripped over him. She slammed to the floor and then laughed out loud. I wanted to kill the dog. A few minutes later she flopped down on the bed and banged her head on the headboard. She was shaking so hard we feared she’d had another stroke, but she was just laughing at the comedy of it all.

Consider it all joy….

A lack of humor betrays a lack of faith. Some religious people desperately need everyone to agree with them; they cannot allow space for other points of view, much less disagreement. They fight desperately to make something true which, they fear, is not true.

A sense of humor allows truth to reveal itself in its own time and to those chosen to see it. For both gifts we are grateful.