Be Happy

The Beatles Invade my office.

I love deep conversations yet - if I hear a good tune I get the strongest urge to dance.  Learning about God, Catholic spirituality, literature, poetry, theatre- fascinates me- yet a clean, funny joke is always welcomed.  I love depth, but I also enjoy the light side of life.  Most of the time I am laughing or trying to infect others with my silliness.  The greatest Mexican comedian, Cantinflas, said: “The first duty of every human being is to be happy. The second is to make others happy.” Soy alegre (in English referred to as cheerful)… Yet, if I can be honest sometimes in spiritual circles I find a lot of uptight people who think humor coincides with a less spiritual (even a less intelligent) persona.  Once I was telling this Catholic girl a really funny joke (at least I thought it was hilarious) and she rolled her eyes and didn’t smile once.  She made me feel like I was beneath her and like joking during the week long spiritual event was unacceptable.  Yet, the great Chesterton is full of humor in his highly intelligent writings.  Am sure Jesus too approves laughter and silliness- those two emotions are sure signs of happiness and God’s greatest desire is for us to be happy. 

 We all live in a yellow submarine

The more I seek God, the more I know God, the more I am in Christ the happiest I become.  Pope Francis made this great statement that has been quoted quite frequently; a Christian, “must never look like someone who has just come back from a funeral.”  He was referring to evangelization, but I think it applies to our duty to give true testimony of God and what He is doing in our lives.  Jesus alludes to children at various times throughout His ministry because one thing that is always present when children are together is laughter, humility and good cheer.  I love listening to Father Sergio and Father Angelo’s homilies because they always make me laugh!  Am so glad that God gave some of our priests such a funny sense of humor.  I think sometimes, especially at the beginning of our relationship with God (for adult converts or reverts) we don’t instinctively see an image of God laughing or having a sense of humor.  Yet God is all things good.

Squeeze me!

When people tell me they want to pray for me I tell them to please pray that I meet my husband soon- it always makes them laugh….  That’s why I usually mention that particular prayer request because I know it releases endorphins (the happiness hormone).  I had my small group of teens on a retreat pray over me for that intention and boy did they laugh. Now when they see me they smile… My parents are really funny people they are always laughing and infecting us with their silliness.  They are a pleasure to be around and they attract friends like honey.  When I see their joy or hear them giggling I see Jesus in them.  Thus, don’t mistake silliness and lightness with terrestrial non-spirituality.  Laughter, giddiness, comedy and happiness are all signs of Eden and of our destiny to come.     

Hilarious!