I hope to see some of you on Tuesday at 7 pm for the 11th week of our Faith Study, The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible. Some of us will gather in-person in the MacKinnon Chapel and others will join us via the ZOOM platform https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88522517327 Meeting ID: 885 2251 7327. This week, we are focused on the July chapter. You don’t need to read the book or attend any other session to join. Everyone is welcome to join us.
Krista made an interesting point last week, this book we are examining is…funny. Obviously, the book is more than funny, often the journalist author interviews religious scholars who explain the “why” of these laws in the Old and New Testaments. I found this background insightful and accessible. Humour, done well, offers difficult and complex information in ways that help us digest content. Think of Jesus and his tormenters, no wonder the Pharisees, who seem to have been always wholly serious, have to Jesus put down. He couldn't be allowed to go on indefinitely standing everything on its head and making their piety look ridiculous. And there were camels going through the eyes of needles. And worse: idlers who were given full pay, stewards who were successful cheats, spendthrift and debauched sons being feted on their return home…
Reinhold Neibuhr, author of the Serenity prayer, wrote, “humour is a prelude to faith, laughter is the beginning of prayer.” Laughter and humour are the practice and signs of God’s liberation. Meister Eckhart, a theologian who lived in the 13th century, wrote, “My Lord told me a joke. And seeing Him laugh has done more for me than any scripture I will ever read.” The idea God has a sense of humour, that indeed they would share such intimacies as a joke with us, the image of God belly-laughing with a human as they walk down the street together, has helped many recover an idea of God as accessible, approachable, and joyful. Laughing and finding joy in hard times is not ignoring the pain, sorrow, and injustices around us, but instead serves a sweet reminder of what we are fighting for and provides a brief respite so that we can continue the marathon.
In my experience the humble practice of self-effacing humour demonstrates to others (self-awareness) that you see your own shortcomings, makes your truth-telling less self-righteous.