Page 8 - September 2018 Traveler

Rally Day/Holy Hilarity Sunday

Psalm 2:4: “God who sits in the heavens laughs.”

Conrad Hyers once said, “Humor is not the opposite of seriousness. Humor is
the opposite of despair.” Which is why I think it is good for all of us to take

time to lighten up a bit and have a good laugh. And what better time to do that
but when we are about to enter into a new year of Sunday school? I think it’s

a perfect time to offer a Holy Hilarity Sunday and re-claim a long-standing tra-

dition of the church that dates back to the 15 century. Normally this particular
th
liturgy was used just after Easter in an effort to remind worshippers of the joke

God played on the powers of death and evil in raising Jesus from the dead. What better time to
also use it now that Easter is well behind us in the liturgical year and the celebration of Easter,

which should happen every Sunday, seems kind of like a distant memory. The timing of Holy Hilar-
ity Sunday at the end of summer seems fortuitous.

Of course, we have a long-standing tradition that has engaged in Holy Hilarity, so much so that a
number of historical theologians have had a thing or two to say about laughter and mirth:

A Communion of Saints Affirmation of Humor

We believe with the Bible (Ecclesiastes) that
“there is a time to weep and a time to laugh.”

We believe with Chrysostom that

“laughter has been implanted in our souls.”

We believe with Aquinas that there is a time for

“playful deeds and jokes.”

We believe with Luther that

“You have as much laughter as you have faith.”

We believe with Calvin that
“we are nowhere forbidden to laugh.”

We believe with Francis De Sales that

“humor is a foundation for reconciliation.”

We believe with Wesley that

“A sour religion is the devil’s religion.”
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