April 24, 2022 Holy Humor Sunday
The Friday before Easter a friend sent me a text asking about our Maundy Thursday service. The text read, “How did laundry Thursday Service go?” That darn auto-correct! But it reminded me of a long tradition of having a Holy Humor Sunday, on the Sunday after Easter- today. So I thought why not give that a go.
Many American churches are resurrecting an old Easter custom begun by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity- “Holy Humor Sunday” celebrations of Jesus’ resurrection on the Sunday after Easter.
For centuries in Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant countries, the week following Easter Sunday, including “Bright Sunday” (the Sunday after Easter), was observed by the faithful as days of joy and laughter, with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
Churchgoers and pastors played practical jokes on each other, drenched each other with water, told jokes, sang, and danced. The custom was rooted in the musings of early church theologians (like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom) that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. The early theologians called it, “Risus paschalis – the Easter laugh!”
In 1988, the Fellowship of Merry Christians began encouraging churches to resurrect this tradition to celebrate the grace and mercy of God through the gift of laughter and joy. (The Joyful Newsletter)
I hope you smile, laugh, and remember the gift of joy God has blessed upon us.
At Pam’s farewell party, Ralph Gonzales pulled me aside to share this joke. I can always count on Ralph to have a good joke! A cabbie and a minister died on same day, at the same time. When they get to the Pearly Gates, St. Peter is there to welcome them. St. Peter shows the cabbie to a luxurious mansion with beautiful paintings, extensive gardens and a pool and tennis courts. The cabbie wonder is all of this for me? St. Peter assured him it was. Then Peter takes the minister to his place in heaven, a small hut with only a wooden cot, a blanket and a bowl to wash his face and hands. The minister wonders out loud, “I prayed and gave good sermons, why did the cabbie get a mansion while I am in this hut?” St. Peter said you prayed and preached but while you preached everyone fell asleep. But whenever the cabbie picked up a fare, they never stopped praying!!
Both our passages speak of laughter and celebration. First, Sarah laughs at the prospect of bearing a child in her old age, something that would be impossible without God. Yet we are reminded that all things are possible with God. She and Abraham even name him Isaac, which means laughter, because this is such a laughable thing! Yet they celebrate when their long- awaited child is born, and the lineage of Abraham is assured. In the beatitudes from Luke, we have a reminder that even in our sorrow, we will one day laugh again. Then we come to the father welcoming his prodigal son home and the celebration and laughter springing from their abundant joy.
Today as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we too are living in the abundant joy of the reality of our faith and the hope of our own resurrection. Laughter is good for the soul, celebrating our new life in Christ!
Laughter is a mean of grace and the quickest and easiest way to spread joy, so I share these jokes, riddles and puns with you.
- Why did Adam and Eve do math every day?
- They were told to be fruitful and multiply.
- How long did Cain hate his brother?
- As long as he was Abel.
- Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
- Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.
- Which nursery song would Jesus have heard the most?
- “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
- How did Joseph make his coffee?
- Hebrewed it.
- What kind of car would Jesus drive?
- A Christler.
- What’s a Christian’s favorite card game?
- Eucharist. (I have to pause and share that Parker heard that word lately and was surprised that it meant holy communion. To his credit we Presbyterians refer to it as the Lord’s Supper more than the Eucharist.)
- Why do we say ‘Amen’ at the end of a prayer instead of ‘Awomen’?
- Same reason we sing Hymns instead of Hers! (You can groan at any and all of these.)
- A preacher was completing a temperance sermon: with great expression he said, “If I had all the beer in the world, I’d take it and throw it into the river!
- The congregation nodded their approval. With even greater emphasis he added, “And if I had all the wine in the world, I’d take it and throw it into the river, too!” The people clapped and were saying, “Amen.” And then finally, he concluded, “And if I had all the whiskey in the world, I’d take it and throw it into the river!” As he sat down, the song leader then stood very cautiously and announced with a smile, “For our closing song, let us sing Hymn #375: “Shall We Gather at the River.”
As we giggle, I hope our countenance is lifted and we feel the joy of the resurrection within every cell of our body. The hope and happiness that comes from our faith that words fail to express but which laughter exudes without effort! What would Holy Humor Sunday be without some light bulb jokes….
- How many evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
- Only one, but the bulb must repent of its darkness and be willing to be changed.
- How many Roman Catholics does it take to change a light bulb?
- None. They use candles.
- How many Pentecostals does it take to change a light bulb?
- Ten: one to change the bulb, and nine to pray against the darkness.
- How many TV evangelists does it take to change a light bulb?
- One. But for the message of light to continue, send in your donation today.
- How many Amish does it take to change a light bulb?
- What’s a light bulb?
- How many Presbyterians does it take to change a light bulb?
- None. God has predestined when the lights will be on and off.
- Finally, Do you know what would have happened if there had been Three Wise Women instead of Three Wise Men?
- They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts.
G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Never forget that the devil fell by force of gravity. He who has the faith has the fun.”
Christ’s resurrection offers us hope, joy, new life and yes sometimes it takes a few chuckles for us to feel the wonder and effervescence of the God’s love made manifest in the resurrection of Christ and us. He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed!
