Christian Joy

One of the unexpected results of working with other Christians is a deeper sense of humor and joy. We realize that personality problems, tragedies, and disasters are not limited to our parish or denomination. And we discover that God has blessed and strengthened our sense of joy.

I cannot recommend too highly the “Fellowship of Merry Christians,” with its 6 times a year Joyful Noiseletter: www.JoyfulNoiseNewsletter.com. Its “modest aim is to recapture the spirit of joy, humor, unity and healing power of the early Christians.”

Recently, the Fellowship has developed Humor and Health Hangouts, for churches. At least monthly, the church hosts a meeting devoted to the link between humor and good health. Most religious orders encourage monthly meetings of their members. Much of the material being developed for Humor and Health Hangouts can be adapted to our monthly community meetings. Laughing together promotes both spiritual and physical health. Each Joyful Noiseletter gives details; this development can also be accessed on the Fellowship’s website above

Guideposts magazine was founded in 1947 by Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, and includes articles by Protestants, Catholics and Jews. It stresses the joy of faith, with stories emphasizing a positive approach to life. Dr. Peale and Guideposts have been criticized for being too optimistic. I did check the issues for several years, and they do not neglect the cross or suffering. I highly recommend it. More on Dr. Peale, John F. Kennedy and Adlai Stevenson next month.

Periodically, I will place a humorous story on this site. For past items, please click here.

Another humor item concerning Pope John Paul II: In a NY Times article by Rachel Donadio and

Elisabetta Provoledo,May 2, 2011, the authors stated: The tapestry of John Paul II unveiled fr

May 28-June 2, 1982 visit of Blessed John Paul II to the United Kingdom, especially Scotland. The cartoon appeared, for example in the Syracuse, NY Herald-Journal, on June 10, 1982, and slightly earlier, in the Roanoke, VA Times.

om the balcony of St. Peter's for the beatification showed "the Polish pontiff with a twinkle in his eye and a slightly wry smile, the John Wayne of the modern papacy, both tough and tender."

My comment: I suspect John Wayne and John Paul II are together, smiling broadly over the description by the two women.

Children Are Quick (see Mk. 10:13-16). Originally from Joanna Anderson
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TEACHER:    Why are you late?
STUDENT:     Class started before I got here.
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TEACHER:    Maria, go to the map and find   North America   .
MARIA:         Here it is.
TEACHER:   Correct. Now class, who discovered   America ?
CLASS:         Maria..
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TEACHER:    John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?
JOHN:          You told me to do it without using tables.
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TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'
GLENN:      K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'
TEACHER: No, that's wrong
GLENN:       Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.
(I Love this child)
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TEACHER:   Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?
DONALD:     H I J K L M N O.
TEACHER:   What are you talking about?
DONALD:    Yesterday you said it's H to O.
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TEACHER:   Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.
WINNIE:       Me!
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TEACHER:   Glen, why do you always get so dirty?
GLEN:          Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.
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TEACHER:     Millie, give me a sentence starting with ' I. '
MILLIE:         I is..
TEACHER:     No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'
MILLIE:         All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'
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TEACHER:    George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it.
                  Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?
LOUIS:           Because George still had the axe in his hand.....
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TEACHER:    Now, Simon , tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?
SIMON:         No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.
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TEACHER:       Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your   brother's.. Did you copy his?
CLYDE :         No, sir. It's the same dog.

(I want to adopt this kid!!!)
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TEACHER:    Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?
HAROLD:     A teacher
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PASS IT AROUND AND MAKE SOMEONE LAUGH!
LAUGHTER IS THE SOUL'S MEDICINE!!