Thirteen years ago, I arrived at Old Mission Santa Barbara where I would stay for a month praying, reflecting, sharing and dialoguing with the other friars who, like me at the time, were preparing to profess our solemn vows later that summer.Knights of Columbus announce charity fund has surpassed $100 million in grants
I was a little taken aback and confused. He went on to explain that he had read several of the academic articles on medieval Franciscan theology I had written with appreciation, and envisioned the author being someone whose demeanour was more staid, maybe even sombre or uptight, or some stereotype of a “serious person.”
All these years later, that encounter has stayed with me for a couple of reasons. For one, it offered a little insight into how quick we can be to presume we know someone based on the limited information we have from afar. We can be so quick at times to assume we know what a person is like just because we read their work or follow their social media or see them on television without ever meeting them in real life.
There is something inherently spiritual and relational in the act of laughing. Laughing, maybe second only to eating, requires a distinct kind of vulnerability. One must let their guard down, feel comfortable enough in the presence of others — including strangers in a movie theatre, stand-up comedy club or in the office break room — to allow oneself to be swept up into a shared moment of levity, which results in an instinctive physical, emotional, mental and — I would argue — spiritual response.
He also says that laughter is a sign of love, because to laugh requires a form of sympathy. We must relate to those telling the jokes, sharing the story, acting in a comedic or entertaining way — and our response through laughter is an expression of solidarity and love.
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