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A few weeks before Easter I was having lunch with some of my colleagues – and I said – ok guys, I need a good joke for Easter. And one friend said – on Sunday? Easter Sunday? You read the gospel of the resurrection of our Lord and tell a joke?
Yes, I defended myself. Of course I sometimes tell a joke – it’s a joyful day – a return to Alleluia day - and I want all of to feel that joy. What better way to start a sermon then with a laugh?
So then my other friend says – actually this is an ancient tradition. Risus paschalis – which means “The Easter Laugh.” This was a custom to come out the early church tradition. In the earliest days of Christianity the first week of Easter was one continuous feast…a week meant to inspire intense spiritual joy! Easter Monday was called the Day of Joy and Laughter. And scholars think the tradition it came out of a midnight sermon preached on Easter Vigil in the 4th century by St. John Chrysostom. The highpoint of his sermon described a vision of the resurrected Christ confronting the devil and laughing at him. Leaving the devil powerless and speechless. God has the last laugh on Easter – trampling down death forever![i]
A man was found alive after years of living alone on a deserted island. The head of the rescue party asked him, I see you built 3 buildings – what are they? And the man replied – that’s my house and that’s my church. So what’s this third one? Oh, that’s the church I used to go to.
So this conversation reminded me that somewhere I’d read about a priest who maintains this tradition in his church. Not on Easter Monday – when let’s face it – we’re not together – but on this day, the second Sunday of Easter. When surely we can imagine Jesus chuckling at Thomas’ need for more proof.
Holy Humor Sundays they are frequently called. And are a tradition in a variety of churches. Every year – in some way – they do something – like having people in the congregation tell jokes – a bulletin filled with cartoons - skits instead of readings – the choir singing something a little different than usual.
One church in Florida the pastor simply got up and said in honor of the day – he’d give his shortest sermon ever – the focus of his talk would be sin – Don’t do it. Amen. And he sat down.
Don’t you think Jesus laughed? Always at those parties and dinner gatherings? Certainly people told stories? Surely the Pharisees and the disciples were the punchline in more than a few jokes. Of course there are times when church is solemn and somber – yes. But – we are also called to make a joyful noise unto the Lord!
We read stories that seem as far away from our lives as they are from our time and place. We move through the words of liturgy which can be comforting – but can also sometimes feel very rote – so we stop paying attention. We stare through stained glass windows – which can sometimes reinforce a religious ideal that a perfectly clean esthetic is better than the messy faith of feelings and doubt.
Speaking of stained glass…a priest was giving a children’s message one Sunday instead of a sermon. So she invited all the kids to come up front and she talked about how each of them had gifts to share. And as she looked up she saw the light the light streaming through the stained glass window – like ours – where all the different panes of glass made for the most beautiful image. Inspired with this vision she told the children – See God’s vision of us is like that stained glass window – and each of us are a part. Colin – you’re a pane. And Robbie – you’re a pane. And Julie – even you are a little pane. Until the laughter of the congregation cut her off.[ii]
The scripture we read this morning reminds us that doubt is a part of a full faith. Jesus certainly doesn’t seem to mind hearing about Thomas’ doubts or ours. It seems that Jesus wants us to dig into our doubts – quite literally – sharing them with each other – sharing them with God. Because resurrection is a hard thing to wrap our minds around – a hard thing for us to trust in.
Scott Weems is a cognitive neuroscientist and the author of Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why. And one of his findings in researching humor is that – the most important function of laughter is how it helps us handle what we can’t understand. It helps us process. It keeps us moving forward.[iii]
When something happens that fills us with doubt or uncertainty – it can be unsettling – it can be terrifying. The God-given ways we are brought back to the awareness that we’re not in it alone – God is with us, people we love are with us – that’s one way we process the impossible.
Two years ago my sister, Christianna, died. I was raised – Roman Catholic so of course we had the funeral in a Roman Catholic Church. The priest was great, smashing my preconceptions. Not only did he not have a problem with my wearing my clericals to the service – but he invited me to participate – which hasn’t been my experience in that denomination.
It was – as you can imagine – a very, very sad day. And at the end of a funeral service the priests say prayers commending the body to God’s everlasting care. Often times praying with incense as they make their way around. The priest handed the thurible to me – you know it’s a metal box hanging on a chain and you swing it.
Now we don’t use incense here – and the last time I had was seminary – and it takes practice. You have to hold the chain in the right place – high enough so when you swing it – it doesn’t swing back on itself, and dump out. But guess what I did – yep, held it in the wrong place – and so with great solemnity I swung it up only to have it swing backwards, hit the chain, and all the ashes come pouring out. To which my other sister immediately exclaimed – “Ha! Christianna, did it! She was never big on church.” Which did spark a welcome and supporting laugh from all of us there. All of us trying to wrap our heads around this tragic loss and trust in resurrection. I’m sure you have your own experiences you point to. They say it’s the best medicine for a reason.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, the psalmist sings (PS 100). Sarah says to Abraham – God has brought laughter for me! (Gen 21:6) In Job even we read – God will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy! (8:21) And the wisdom of Ecclesiastes shares – Feasts are made for laughter (10:19).
And today is indeed a feast no matter where we are on the doubt spectrum. This is our feast to celebrate that God has conquered death forever. Our feast to celebrate that love always wins! May all of us find the laughter we need – share our laughter with another - and join God in the feast of life we have been given.
So in that prayerful spirit - A priest walks into a bar. Apparently he didn’t see it! Amen.
We read stories that seem as far away from our lives as they are from our time and place. We move through the words of liturgy which can be comforting – but can also sometimes feel very rote – so we stop paying attention. We stare through stained glass windows – which can sometimes reinforce a religious ideal that a perfectly clean esthetic is better than the messy faith of feelings and doubt.
Speaking of stained glass…a priest was giving a children’s message one Sunday instead of a sermon. So she invited all the kids to come up front and she talked about how each of them had gifts to share. And as she looked up she saw the light the light streaming through the stained glass window – like ours – where all the different panes of glass made for the most beautiful image. Inspired with this vision she told the children – See God’s vision of us is like that stained glass window – and each of us are a part. Colin – you’re a pane. And Robbie – you’re a pane. And Julie – even you are a little pane. Until the laughter of the congregation cut her off.[ii]
The scripture we read this morning reminds us that doubt is a part of a full faith. Jesus certainly doesn’t seem to mind hearing about Thomas’ doubts or ours. It seems that Jesus wants us to dig into our doubts – quite literally – sharing them with each other – sharing them with God. Because resurrection is a hard thing to wrap our minds around – a hard thing for us to trust in.
Scott Weems is a cognitive neuroscientist and the author of Ha! The Science of When We Laugh and Why. And one of his findings in researching humor is that – the most important function of laughter is how it helps us handle what we can’t understand. It helps us process. It keeps us moving forward.[iii]
When something happens that fills us with doubt or uncertainty – it can be unsettling – it can be terrifying. The God-given ways we are brought back to the awareness that we’re not in it alone – God is with us, people we love are with us – that’s one way we process the impossible.
Two years ago my sister, Christianna, died. I was raised – Roman Catholic so of course we had the funeral in a Roman Catholic Church. The priest was great, smashing my preconceptions. Not only did he not have a problem with my wearing my clericals to the service – but he invited me to participate – which hasn’t been my experience in that denomination.
It was – as you can imagine – a very, very sad day. And at the end of a funeral service the priests say prayers commending the body to God’s everlasting care. Often times praying with incense as they make their way around. The priest handed the thurible to me – you know it’s a metal box hanging on a chain and you swing it.
Now we don’t use incense here – and the last time I had was seminary – and it takes practice. You have to hold the chain in the right place – high enough so when you swing it – it doesn’t swing back on itself, and dump out. But guess what I did – yep, held it in the wrong place – and so with great solemnity I swung it up only to have it swing backwards, hit the chain, and all the ashes come pouring out. To which my other sister immediately exclaimed – “Ha! Christianna, did it! She was never big on church.” Which did spark a welcome and supporting laugh from all of us there. All of us trying to wrap our heads around this tragic loss and trust in resurrection. I’m sure you have your own experiences you point to. They say it’s the best medicine for a reason.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, the psalmist sings (PS 100). Sarah says to Abraham – God has brought laughter for me! (Gen 21:6) In Job even we read – God will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy! (8:21) And the wisdom of Ecclesiastes shares – Feasts are made for laughter (10:19).
And today is indeed a feast no matter where we are on the doubt spectrum. This is our feast to celebrate that God has conquered death forever. Our feast to celebrate that love always wins! May all of us find the laughter we need – share our laughter with another - and join God in the feast of life we have been given.
So in that prayerful spirit - A priest walks into a bar. Apparently he didn’t see it! Amen.
The Rev. Arianne R. Weeks
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