The Kitchen Sink
An occasional piece of paper
April 11, 2010
Vol. 13 no. 15
Think about it, seriously, is it more acceptable to laugh during worship than to clap? Is there a correct answer, you may ask? Not really, clapping during worship is a normal part of many services to give God thanks for what has been sung, played, danced or said. On the other hand, a clapping pun, many here would say that we are worshiping God, not being idly entertained.
Ah, but is worship a laughing matter? Have you ever sat in a congregation that did not laugh? I have and it isn’t funny. On the cover of a book of Biblical hymns and poems by Ephrem the Syrian is an icon with Ephrem holding a scroll, saying, “Seriousness mixed with laughter destroys souls.” Ephrem is definitely not smiling. Too bad.
The Orthodox Church has a tradition of getting together on Easter Monday and telling jokes, and like laughter it is catching on in Catholic and Protestant circles. The idea is that the Resurrection, the raising of Jesus from the dead, plays such a trick on Death and the powers-that-be that the last laugh is now on our side. In other words, our faith makes us laugh.
Reverend Ole is the pastor of the local Norwegian Lutheran Church, and Pastor Sven is the minister of the Swedish Covenant Church across the road. One day they were seen pounding a sign into the ground, that said: DA END ISS NEAR! TURN YERSELF AROUNT NOW BAFOR IT’S TOO LATE! As a car sped past them, the driver leaned out his window and yelled, “Leave me alone, you Skandihoovian religious nuts!”
From the curve they heard screeching tires and a big splash...
Rev. Ole turns to Pastor Sven and asks, “Do ya tink maybe da sign should yust say, 'Bridge Out'?”
If I have to explain this one, then ye are of little faith!
Preached by Robert Kitchen
Knox-Metropolitan United Church
Regina, Saskatchewan