". . . One of the simplest benefits of Pope Francis' ministry is that he seems to like to laugh. In a world that is increasingly deadly, dark, and serious, he is the man in the white suit. He's lighter and takes himself lightly. Laughter is a mark not only of authentic religion, but mature humanity.
". . . Laughter lightens and enlightens the soul. Laughter is a sign of confidence and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm, after all, comes from the word 'enthuse,' which is derived from the Greek en theos - or 'God within.' Enthusiasm is a sign of the Holy Spirit's presence, and any religion that is totally dour, sour, and serious is not the religion of Christ the Lord, but the religion of the Anti-Christ - the Dark Lord.
"Laughter, like all emotion, opens the heart, and when the heart is open things get done. There's an old Russian saying, 'The heart moves the feet.' In other words, it is the emotions that motivate. In fact the word 'emotion' and 'motion' and 'motivate' all come from the same root. The mind might be informed, but until the heart is moved nothing moves."
In a recent commentary, Father Dwight Longenecker (parish priest at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Greenville, SC) reflected on the importance of laughter, of taking ourselves lightly, and of radiating an "eternal lightness of being."
To access Fr. Longenecker's complete post, please visit:
The Imaginative Conservative: To Laugh Is Human, But Is Comedy Divine? (4 OCT 15)
Related quote from G. K. Chesterton: "Angels can fly because they can take themselves lightly."
Background information:
Dwight Longenecker - Catholic priest and author
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