Entrustment to Mary = Keeping a Sense of Humor

"Humor is a religious remedy by which you can tell yourself: Look how absurd I am. I worry about trifles, I have so many troubles. I am ruining my health. But, in reality, everything is like ashes, like rubbish, and in the end may prove to be worthless."

I am learning to laugh at myself. On my prior road to perfection I would take myself so seriously, especially if I showed signs of weakness and when I fell into sin. I would become frustrated, discouraged and grumpy. Now when I get this way, my spiritual director reminds me to look in the mirror and give a good belly laugh at my reflection to remind myself that I need to get off my ego pedestal and look at my situation through the eyes of faith. Having a sense of humor allows me to see that my everyday occurrences are really nothing compared to the reality of God and the eternal life. My crankiness is due to my pride. For example getting upset over whiffing a golf stroke, being admonished, or losing an argument is absurd when I compare those incidents to the true meaning of life = loving and serving God. I believe if I can truly get it into my heart that God loves me as I am, then I will stop trying to prove myself to others and to myself.

Even though I am a sarcastic person and love to tease others, I don’t find it easy to poke fun at myself. So that is where Bl. Mom comes in…by entrusting myself to her, She can help me see how ridiculous my pride is and how I need to give over my ideas of greatness.  She can defend me against Satan’s attacks as he tries to entice me to be sad or mad over my falls. WE can look in the mirror and laugh together.

Here are some reflection quotes from a great section in the book The Gift of Faith that refers to the virtue of humor:

"The Christian sense of humor will free you from yourself. It will allow you to re-evaluate every value in the light of faith and to acknowledge that everything that happens around you is really absurdly trivial – everything except God."

"If we knew how to react with a sense of humor to various conflicts, arguments, and misunderstandings, and if we allowed ourselves to be laughed at a little, then how much would our humility, faith, and love grow within us. In the light of faith, there is, however, only one important reality that must never be laughed at – God."

"Try to laugh to yourself and at yourself. Try to imitate God who must surely have a unique sense of humor. Just consider that He has chosen you as His partner in the great work that He does. Is this not an expression of His unique sense of humor?"

 All quotes taken from: Tadeusz Dajczer, The Gift of Faith, 3rd. ed. (Ft. Collins, CO: IAMF, 2012), 102,103,105.