Fr. Ron Rolheiser on Faith and Our Sense of Humor

"Shusaku Endo, the Japanese author of the classic novel, Silence (upon which Martin Scorsese based his movie) was a Catholic who didn't always find his native land, Japan, sympathetic to his faith. He was misunderstood but kept his balance and good heart by placing a high value on levity. It was his way of integrating his faith with his own experience of occasional personal failure and his way of keeping his perspective on a culture which misunderstood him. Levity, he believed, makes faith livable.

"He's right. Levity is what makes faith livable because humor and irony give us the perspective we need to forgive ourselves and others for our weaknesses and mistakes. When we're too serious there's no forgiveness, least of all for ourselves."

In a recent commentary, Father Ronald Rolheiser, O.M.I. reflected on the role of a senes of humor in our lives (including our faith lives).

To access Father Ron's complete post, please visit:

The Boston Pilot: Echoes: Faith and Levity (24 OCT 18)