Every morning one of the first things I do is post a cartoon on Facebook. Surprisingly, I receive more positive feedback from this “ministry” than from books I’ve written! Where is the source of my cartoons? On the first day when my sister Nancy and I were in Hawaii in 2004, we met a Japanese couple from California, Alan and Linda. Incredibly, ever since then (for the past 22 years!) Alan has sent me seven cartoons each day. I save the best ones on my computer.
Why Laugh?
Laughter is known as “the sound of the soul dancing” and “carbonated holiness.” It expresses inner joy, one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and, according to the Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, joy is the most infallible sign of the presence of God. Mark Twain observed, “Humor is the great thing, the saving thing. The minute it crops up, all our irritation and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place.” Writer and musician Jimmy Buffett goes even further and claims that if we couldn’t laugh, we would all go insane!
In addition, laughter has physical benefits. For good reasons it is the best (and cheapest) medicine. Laughing promotes health by massaging the inner organs, strengthening the immune system, improving blood flow, and relaxing muscles. Furthermore, it releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones that reduce stress and pain. Ironically, like a disease, laughter is contagious.
Books with Funny Anecdotes
In 2002, Paulist Press published my book Catholic School Kids Say the Funniest Things ($10.00). It was a collection of humorous stories I had gathered from the Sisters of Notre Dame. After that book was out of print, Our Sunday Visitor republished it with 100 additional anecdotes. This revision was entitled Why Is Jesus in the Microwave? ($15.00) The title stems from the following story:
A Hot House
At a certain parish the tabernacle was a wide rectangle set into the wall. One day the primary children were learning about the Mass. At the end of the lesson, Sister asked, “Does anyone have any questions?”
With furrowed brow, a child inquired, “Why does Father put Jesus into the microwave?”
Another child wanted to know why Father locked up Jesus.
(This book too is out-of-print. But I have copies of both, if you’d like to purchase either.)
As a plus, darling illustrations grace both books. Here are samples:
Religion Related Laughs
Mixed Vegetables
Father was reviewing the story of Our Lord’s passion with the children. He asked, “What was the name of the garden Jesus and his apostles went to after the last supper?” A boy raised his hand and waved it wildly. He was not one who usually knew the answers.
“Do you really know?” asked a surprised Father.
“Yes,” said the boy confidently. “The Garden of Pickles.”
“Close,” granted the priest. (Should have been Garden of Olives.)
The Ultimate Evil
Father presumed that the first graders knew a lot of theology. “Does anyone know who the leader of the bad angels was?” he asked. Sister was surprised to see one little boy’s hand shoot up.
“Yes?” Father asked.
“The boogeyman,” the boy declared emphatically.
Omnipresence
“Do you know where God is?” Sister asked her first graders.
One boy confidently answered, “In our bathroom.”
Curious, Sister inquired, “How do you know?”
“Because every morning my dad pounds on the door and asks, ‘My God, are you still in there?’
A Few More
Mary, a U.S. Citizen!
The sixth graders were practicing for a May Crowning. Luckily the lad reading the Gospel passage about the annunciation had the chance to be corrected. He proclaimed that God sent the angel Gabriel to a Virginian betrothed to a man named Joseph.
Catholics in the Temple
One of Sister Anelle’s students read the Bible with a modern mind. He wondered why Jesus chased people out of the Temple for playing Bingo.
Old Testament Fairy Tales
Sister Barbara’s sixth grade CCD class was reviewing some Old Testament stories. In recounting the story of Joshua’s victory at the battle of Jericho, one lad got his tales mixed up. He said, “The Israelites surrounded the town of Jericho. Then they huffed and they puffed, and they blew the walls down.”
Saint Paul’s Tenth Missionary Journey?
Sister Barbara was telling the kindergarteners stories about Saint Paul. She explained how he traveled a lot, visiting Christian churches. “Did he come to Newbury?”asked one little boy whose church was St. Helen’s in Newbury, Ohio.
A Logical Answer
A visiting priest from Uganda was presiding at a school Mass. During the homily he asked, “Does anyone know where I come from?”
One child raised his hand and answered, “China.”
The priest’s eyebrows shot up. “China? Why do you say that?”
“Well, everything comes from China,” the boy explained matter-of-factly.
Good Discipline
Sister Mary Adelle was perturbed. During Father’s homily at the school Mass, one of her second graders in the front row was talking and fooling around. Not wanting to cause a disturbance by walking to the front, Sister just leaned forward and in a loud whisper said, “Neil!” Immediately her whole class knelt. One by one the other classes followed suit until the whole student body was kneeling.
The Best Laid Plans . . .
Sister had labored hard to help her students prepare the Friday school Mass. It was almost time for communion, and the liturgy had flowed on without a flaw. Then to Sister’s dismay, a student went up to the microphone and announced, “Our communion hymn is ‘Look Behind.’ ” It was really “Look Beyond.”
Cheers Coming for the Future
For the next few weeks, especially when I’m in Guatemala, I’ll be posting more of these gems. You might ask teachers to recall humorous things that happened in their schools. Tell someone a joke to cheer them up today especially if it’s a dreary day.
Can you recall a funny thing that happened when you were a student or a teacher?
What is one of your favorite jokes?
Has someone you met only once continue to support you like Alan does me? If so, how?
Contagious Laughter
To further bring a smile to your face, here is a video of a baby laughing. Enjoy! There are several of these videos on YouTube.
