mysisterisalittlesister Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 this is and avvesome new book I read: In [i]Between Heaven and Mirth[/i], James Martin, SJ, assures us that God wants us to experience joy, to cultivate a sense of holy humor, and to laugh at life’s absurdities—not to mention our own humanity. Father Martin invites believers to rediscover the importance of humor and laughter in our daily lives and to embrace an essential truth: faith leads to joy. Holy people are joyful people, says Father Martin, offering countless examples of healthy humor and purposeful levity in the stories of biblical heroes and heroines, and in the lives of the saints and the world’s great spiritual masters. He shows us how the parables are often the stuff of comedy, and how the gospels reveal Jesus to be a man with a palpable sense of joy and even playfulness. In fact, Father Martin argues compellingly, thinking about a Jesus [i]without[/i] a sense of humor may be close to heretical. Drawing on Scripture, sharing anecdotes from his experiences as a lifelong Catholic, a Jesuit for over twenty years, and a priest for more than ten, and including amusing and insightful sidebars, footnotes, and jokes, Father Martin illustrates how joy, humor, and laughter help us to live more spiritual lives, understand ourselves and others better, and more fully appreciate God’s presence among us. Practical how-to advice helps us use humor to show our faith, embrace our humanity, put things into perspective, open our minds, speak truth, demonstrate courage, challenge power, learn hospitality, foster effective human relations, deepen our relationship with God, and ... enjoy ourselves. Inviting God to lighten our hearts, we can enjoy a little heaven on earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Holy humor is a post-Vatican II innovation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 St Teresa of Avila, Doctor of The Church - pre V2 : Speaking to Jesus having fallen off her donkey into a stream "If this is the way you treat your friends, then dont complain if You have so few"........also......"Lord, spare me your gloomy saints". St. Teresa of Avila specifically warned her sisters against a deadly serious religiosity. “A sad nun is a bad nun,” she said. “I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits.... What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.” 3rd Century - St. Lawrence: pre V2(burned to death on a gridiron) is said to have called out to his executioners: “Turn me over. I’m done on this side!” St. Philip NeNeri sometimes called “The Humorous Saint,” hung at his door a little sign: The House of Christian Mirth. He said that Christian joy is a gift from God flowing from a good conscience,” A more contemporary example is Blessed Pope John XXIII (convened V2), whose most famous sally came when a journalist innocently asked, “Your Holiness, how many people work in the Vatican?” John replied, “About half of them.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbTherese Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Thank you for the book recommendation, mysisterisalittlesister. I went off and read a few reviews on the net plus an excerpt. I plan tobuy[i] Between Heaven and Mirth[/i] as soon as funds permit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysisterisalittlesister Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 [img]http://scrutinies.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Between-Heaven-and-Mirth.jpg[/img]and here is a picture of the book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysisterisalittlesister Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 [quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1325489902' post='2361575'] St Teresa of Avila, Doctor of The Church - pre V2 : Speaking to Jesus having fallen off her donkey into a stream "If this is the way you treat your friends, then dont complain if You have so few"........also......"Lord, spare me your gloomy saints". St. Teresa of Avila specifically warned her sisters against a deadly serious religiosity. “A sad nun is a bad nun,” she said. “I am more afraid of one unhappy sister than a crowd of evil spirits.... What would happen if we hid what little sense of humor we had? Let each of us humbly use this to cheer others.” 3rd Century - St. Lawrence: pre V2(burned to death on a gridiron) is said to have called out to his executioners: “Turn me over. I’m done on this side!” St. Philip NeNeri sometimes called “The Humorous Saint,” hung at his door a little sign: The House of Christian Mirth. He said that Christian joy is a gift from God flowing from a good conscience,” A more contemporary example is Blessed Pope John XXIII (convened V2), whose most famous sally came when a journalist innocently asked, “Your Holiness, how many people work in the Vatican?” John replied, “About half of them.” [/quote]Yep, It has all that in there, and MUCH more! There is a whole chapter on the humor of saints! This is now one of my favorite books [quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1325496566' post='2361581'] Thank you for the book recommendation, mysisterisalittlesister. I went off and read a few reviews on the net plus an excerpt. I plan tobuy[i] Between Heaven and Mirth[/i] as soon as funds permit. [/quote] Your welcome! You'll love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Read it, loved it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyAnn Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 That sounds really interesting, I'll definitely have to try get a copy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaThoma Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I think my local bookstore might have a copy, I may just have to get one for my friend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she_who_is_not Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 Love Fr. James Martin. I downloaded a chapter of this book on kindle, loved it and then didn't buy the book because I want the actual book! The Jesuit Guide to (almost) Everything is also an exceptionally good book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
she_who_is_not Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys5Uxy7qjmY[/media] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeTeamFamily Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 "A man who has no humor is an unreasonable burden to his fellow man" --St. Thomas Aquinas, [i]Summa Theologica[/i], II-II, q168, a4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysisterisalittlesister Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 [quote name='she_who_is_not' timestamp='1325525978' post='2361782'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys5Uxy7qjmY[/media] [/quote]my sister and brother-in-law went to that speach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3franciscans Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I might need to borrow that book.... or I will have to buy it. Bring it to the retreat!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysisterisalittlesister Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 I will! it's an avvesome book Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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