August 05, 2020
by Mary Clifford Morrell
Is there anything better than a baby’s belly laugh?
Passionate and perfect, no matter the pitch; able to bring joy to any heart and, inevitably, echoed back by those who hear it.
I like to think God laughs that way. Certainly God has a sense of humor. Just look at the ostrich, or the blue-footed booby bird, the sloth, or my favorite, the penguin.
I believe wholeheartedly that God intended us to laugh, and to experience laughter as a brief respite from trying times, a mini port in a storm, a breathless retreat, especially when we laugh with another person.
One of my favorite memories of laughing happened the night four of my friends and I sang with the Greek Symphony Orchestra. To say it was a little out of our comfort zone is putting it mildly, but after a month of rehearsal, learning enough Greek to sing the songs, and maintaining our composure when the lights went out during the production, we headed out in tuxedos and gowns to a local bar/restaurant to celebrate and breathe a sigh of relief that we had made it through.
We looked and felt very much out of place in this very relaxed environment and were pleasantly surprised at being treated like special guests. Actually, it was my first, and only, experience of what I imagine it would be like to be treated like a star. It came with a tiny price tag, though—having to maintain the sophisticated image.
As we sat at our table with our wine glasses full, perusing the menu, one of my friends leaned forward and whispered, “Mary, what is ‘rag out’?”
Perplexed, I asked him to show it to me on the menu. When I saw the item I burst out laughing and could barely speak. I can only blame the hilarity on stress relief.
When I was able to compose myself, I explained, “It’s ragout, not rag out. Ragout is a kind of stew.”
By now we were all hysterical, imagining how quickly the curtain of our sophistication would have been pulled back if my friend had actually ordered the “rag out.”
It would understandably seem trivial to someone outside our little group of friends, but we still laugh about it years later. It was also one of the first memories to came to mind upon the recent passing of one of my dear friends who was part of that memorable evening.
Laughter leaves a powerful imprint.
Look back at those times when you laughed the longest, the hardest, with the most pleasure. Where were you? Who were you with?
During these challenging times, it’s important for children to laugh, too. It’s healthy, especially in the midst of experiences that can leave them anxious and fearful.
We might not think of saints as bastions of wit, but many are exceedingly good examples of the virtue of good humor.
Two who come to mind are Saint Teresa of Jesus and Saint Philip Neri.
Saint Teresa of Jesus, who earned the title Doctor of the Church, asked the question, “What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had?” and exclaimed, “From silly devotions and sour-faced saints, good Lord, deliver us!”
Saint Philip Neri would agree. He said, “A cheerful and glad spirit attains to perfection much more readily than a melancholy spirit.”
Archbishop Alfonso Capecelatro, who wrote a biography of Saint Philip Neri, said of him, “There was one feature in his character that never fails to fascinate the young: he was always mirthful and humorous.”
And let us not forget the message of the angel announcing Jesus’ birth: “I bring you tidings of great joy.”
Joy and laughter are fundamental to our faith. Let’s weave them into our lives whenever possible and make some wonderful memories.
Mary Regina Morrell is a Catholic journalist, author, and syndicated columnist who has served the dioceses of Metuchen and Trenton, New Jersey, and RENEW International in the areas of catechesis and communication.