At a relatively young age I placed myself into a traditional Catholic religious setting. I remember telling the priest (when asked what shows I liked to watch) I liked comedies such as "The Simpsons." At least, it was funny back then in 2001! His response was that my mind, like my body, could easily become "flabby." Such shows, he reasoned, contribute to such decay. This played out again when I noticed commentary on what a "good Catholic should watch on TV" recently.
I think that this is a false image of holiness. As Christian people we have a broken idea of holiness. The down-eyed monk with little humor and still less patience is considered, by many people, to be something to which to strive. Even I have doubts about myself often times in terms of how I relate to parishioners and others with my humor.
But humor and things that bring us humor are to be celebrated. I must confess that my favorite saints have always been the ones with a good sense of humor. Whenever I am feeling lost or down it is humor and the company of loved ones that restores me. Using humor, not in a way that is cruel to others, is almost a spiritual discipline. It helps us to bring joy into the lives of other people.
Psalm 104 tells us that wine was given to us, by God, to bring gladness to our hearts. An essential element of holiness is a sense of humor. Without it, we are spiritually compromised because we cannot truly enjoy the company of others. I have to imagine the stories told by the Apostles to our Lord that made him laugh, and perhaps even the jokes that were told. Joy, laughter, and humor add to our very humanity and make us appreciate each other more. For this reason, it is time to bury the false idea of the "holiness of misery" in favor of true joy.
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