THE COUNTRY CURATE GOES LIVE . . .THOUGHT FOR THE DAY . . .BROADCAST ON RADIO DEVON 7/12/05

“When was the last time you really laughed? Not just a polite chuckle, and certainly not a cynical snigger, but a good old rolling belly laugh, that left you holding your sides, with the tears rolling down your face as if some wild torrent of joy has burst forth from the depths of your being and washed out all the stresses and inhibitions and anxieties that were preoccupying you?

If you’re anything like me, it doesn’t happen nearly often enough, especially at this time of year. The pressures of Christmas are beginning to mount up – too many jobs, not enough hours in the day.

We’re tempted to go into - bah humbug mode . Forget about ho ho ho and all that Santa Claus frivolity. Laugh, we’d much rather cry. The trouble is that if we loose our sense of humour, we loose a vital part of your humanity. If we take ourselves or our religions or our situations too seriously or loose sight of the funny side of life we’re in trouble.

I didn’t realise how close I’d got to that state this year until I went on holiday a month ago. After a particularly traumatic summer, I’d lost my laugh. I needed a break, and rather than go on a serious religious retreat we decided to go tree planting instead. We went to a centre in Spain that we’ve been to before, based in an old Moorish farmhouse complex. There were 32 new people to get to know.

Now when I’m on holiday I tend to keep quiet about being a vicar unless any one asks me directly what I do. This time it came out on the very first night, much to the amusement of the other two women on our dinner table who only volunteered the information that they were Roman catholic, which caused a bit of light hearted banter about whose prayers God was most likely to listen to. It wasn’t until the following morning when we were up on the mountainside getting ready to plant our first trees that they came across to me and said they’d got a confession to make. I was about to say that I wasn’t sure what the pope would have to say about a woman Anglican priest offering them absolution, when they announced rather sheepishly that they were both nuns.

And that’s when my laugh came back. Within seconds the three of us were roaring uncontrollably – much to the surprise and amusement of everyone else including my husband. And it continued all week. An infectious, bubbling sense of joy that burst out at the least prompting.

A lot of Christians seem to believe that God’s not into laughter, so it’s good to meet some who know from personal experience that he’s definitely got a sense of humour. One of the other members of the group said they’d heard Ken Dodd finish once with the challenge “What are you going to do today to make God laugh?” Well I guess a woman Church of England priest and two Roman Catholic nuns grovelling around in the dirt trying to plant six inch trees in three foot holes, whilst doubled up with laughter, might at least raise a chuckle.

It reminded me of the Three Chinese mystics, who were known as the "Three Laughing Saints" because they never did anything except laugh. They travelled all over China, from place to place, from village to village - their laughter was so infectious that everyone started laughing with them and it changed their lives.

It’s a shame there aren’t any particular Christian saints of laughter – maybe its time we canonized a few. In the mean time I give thanks for two particular Sisters of Mercy, and all those other strange and wonderful people who sometimes, simply by being who they are, release the joy of living in us, and give us back our laugh. So wherever you are, may your God go with you, and if Santa Claus brings you nothing else this Christmas, may he at least bless you with a stocking full of laughter.”

May the eagerness of the shepherds,
the joy of the angels,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ-child
be yours this Christmas.

And to all of you who have been extra tolerant and supportive of your ministry team during what has been a rather traumatic and challenging year for us all . . . a very big thank you!

Corynne

Copyright © 2005 Corynne Cooper.

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