I read an interesting article today describing what happened when the King George VI of England died in 1952. Of the many details, the one that stood out to me at that moment (yes, I know this is odd) was the fact that England cancelled all comedy t.v. programs. In essence, the entire country said, "this is not a time to be joking and laughing". Being an Ordinariate priest, and having respect for my English heritage (both spiritual and genealogical), I was immediately hit by the point that is being made. There are times to laugh (think: Monty Python), and then there are times when laughter is just wrong.
When I was a kid I would often get people upset because I would examine things critically. Even when someone would tell a joke, I would sometimes look for consistency in what was said and then "reword" the joke so that it was accurate. Yes, I know, I am weird. People back then would tell me that I did not have a "sense of humor". Actually, I liked to laugh; a lot. A "sense of humor" is an interesting phrase. Whenever we hear that someone does not have a sense of humor, we think that he or she does not laugh very much. Sensing humor, however, is not just whether a person can see funny things. The exact same joke or funny event can be entirely "un-funny" in the wrong context.
How would you feel if someone tried to tell a joke during a funeral? Is it proper, or improper? I am not going to answer either way, but your response will determine how you feel about boundaries for comedy. If the UK thinks that it is best not to be joking around when in mourning, then we might want to take it into consideration that maybe they have something there. Let me say this much: I will at times use a joke in my homilies (not every time, but occasionally) because I do not believe that it is always wrong to laugh in the Mass (after all, the Scriptures are filled with jokes; most of them are missed because we do not understand the ancient sense of humor). I do believe, however, that there are places in the Mass in which we should never laugh, and to laugh in some places would verge on sacrilege.
Modern society wants to be able to laugh at things, and there is nothing wrong with that. Yet, if we take movies as any kind of a guide, it seems that most people cannot laugh about anything other than what happens in the bedroom and the restroom. That truly shows a serious lack of intelligence and maturity. It also shows that moderns do not know what they are supposed to laugh at, so they also do not know what they are not supposed to laugh at. Our "sense of humor" will greatly determine our "sense of seriousness" (something I have never heard anyone talk about).
How serious are you during the Mass? Even if the homily has a good joke (and not all of mine are as funny to the parishioners as I think they are!), you can still be serious. When, however, we reach the consecration and the priest elevates the sacred host, that is not a time to be laughing. I doubt anyone reading this will be surprised by that. I have never seen anyone actually laugh during the consecration, but the point should be clear: we all know that our emotions are part of our worship of God and He wants the right emotions at the right time. Just because someone is not laughing during the consecration, does not mean that he is being genuinely serious or reverent!
I also wonder if most people today know what "seriousness" really is. It is certainly more than just a lack of laughter. To be "serious" is to be intent on something or in earnest towards something. The old English word (which I have referred to before) "solempne" is a wonderful summary of what we are called to in the Mass. "Solempne" means to have a serious joy. It is quite the same emotion as you would experience at a wedding when the bride is being escorted down the aisle by her father: solemn and joyful; so much so that one would be considered a fool to behave with anything less at that moment.
There are times to laugh, and times not to laugh. There are times to be serious, and times not to be serious. How can we tell the difference in a society that rejects reverence for anything that is truly sacred? We seem to be going through life with blinders on; only able to see what makes us happy in the moment. People today scream when they get the wrong cheeseburger, but they celebrate with joy when children can be murdered in the womb. We truly do have our emotions all mixed up. Do you remember the part of Mass where the priest tells you to "lift up
your hearts"? What kind of a heart are you lifting up in that moment?
Lax? Reverent? Confused? Bored? Serious? In today's context, we need all the more to seek to ensure that we are genuinely offering up our hearts in the way that God would have us do.
So then, what is the "reverence" that you are seeking when you come into the presence of Christ? Is it merely a lack of "goofiness"? Or is there something deeper, something more profound? Seek in your heart, both for you and your family (as well as those around you) to encourage that reverence. Plan ahead for how you will dress; consider your own personal mood and the mood of your family members; pray beforehand for a right disposition for all involved. Ask yourself (long before you walk out the door to go to Mass), "what can I do to achieve that proper joyful seriousness that God calls me to?"
