Searching for Humor and Joy - November 30
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 1, 2, 3; PM Psalm 4, 7; Isa. 1:10-20; 1 Thess. 1:1-10; Luke 20:1-8
Several years ago, when I was a youth minister, I would take our youth Confirmation class on retreat. We would spend Friday night having a chance to ask questions about faith, but really it was about bonding. Every year I would end Friday night by requiring the Confirmation class to watch some important 80s movie that I was sure they had missed such as Labyrinth (starring David Bowie), Rad (starring Lori Laughlin), or Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (starring Keanu Reaves). There was often a fair amount of resistance because these young people, born anywhere from 1987-1995 believed that nothing meaningful nor humorous could come out of the 80s with the slight exception of some of the very own lives. In my last year as Youth Minister, the Confirmation class finally convinced me to watch a 90s movie (Cool Runnings) because they had also missed the 90s and that seemed more relevant and a worthwhile concession.
One of the years, the group was especially rowdy, and the other adults and I were having a tough time getting everyone to go to sleep. The boys had the top floor of Sander’s lodge, the girls were directly underneath, and the adults were on the other side of the small building. The girls kept complaining that the boys were jumping up and down and they couldn’t get to sleep. I was losing whatever patience I had built up and finally at 1:00am, I marched upstairs to unleash my youth minister vengeance.
The lights went on as I shouted, “Everyone, grab your Books of Common Prayer! We are going to read the Psalms until you fall asleep!” To my surprise, they grabbed Prayer Books (a benefit of being at an Episcopal Conference Center) and the guys opened to page 585, where the Psalms begin. “Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, nor lingered in the ways of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!” Later the Psalmist continues “It is not so with the wicked; they are like the chaff which the wind blows away… For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked is doomed.” At this point, one of the young men, Shelton, just starts laughing. And then someone else starts laughing, then I begin laughing, and someone drops their Prayerbook and I am brought down to planet earth. “John, it’s all good. We will go to sleep now, and tomorrow will be awesome. Thanks for making us laugh!”
I can’t read the first Psalm without this memory coming rushing back. Oh, the ways of the wicked will be doomed! It’s a reminder to me of the power of laughter to diffuse nearly every situation. Here is the thing, when we begin to act as God’s arbitrator of who is wicked (or righteous) we are humbled. Isn’t that the whole purpose of God, to leave that role to someone else so that we can be free to find joy and meaning in life instead? At the very least, we will find a little humor and God knows we need more of that.
Yesterday marked a brand-new Church year. It is the first Monday of Advent and a chance to start over. For the four weeks of Advent, I am committing to searching for humor and joy instead of judgment. Have you too considered a practice for the coming weeks of Advent? What will your practice be?
John+
Questions for Self-Reflection: Does the season of Advent bring more stress and judgement into your life or does it bring you joy? Do you do something special for the season of Advent? How does that help you prepare for Christmas?
Daily Challenge: Pick a practice for the next four weeks. Maybe it is lighting an Advent Wreath daily and saying a prayer for someone else. Here is an Advent calendar around kindness.