Holy Silliness

Gadgets for God: the Hallelujah Button – Just won the lottery? Just been told by your boss, “We’re going to have to let you go”? Either way, the Hallelujah Button is a godsend. Simply hit the button (or shake your iPhone) and a few seconds of the Hallelujah Chorus burst forth. It’s perfect for use in church services too... just hold your iPhone aloft when the preacher finally concludes the sermon. The Hallelujah Button. As developed by George Frederick Handel.
—shipoffools.com

This makes me laugh. Not in a sarcastic, bitter way, but out loud, from the gut. Yes, the Hallelujah Button is real, and yes, I can imagine the congregation all holding up their iPhones at the end of the sermon—the only improvement I can imagine would be if it let each user choose tenor or soprano, alto or bass.

It’s foolishness, Paul suggested, to stake our claim on a crucified savior. It’s holy silliness, Batman, to ride a donkey into town. That whole temple-torn-down-and-rebuilt-in-three-days thing? God poking fun at human pretension. And why not? You can’t take seriously a guy who turns water into wine.

But isn’t that just the way with faith? It blows up balloons and twists them into giraffes for children. It listens for God’s laughter through tears at the foot of the cross. Faith smiles knowingly when Mary mistakes the risen Jesus for the gardener. It laughs out loud when the Spirit at Pentecost makes Peter insist the disciples really aren’t drunk. Healing from illness, wholeness from fragmentation, life from death—there’ll be joy in the morning on that day!

Sure, I take my faith seriously. I get passionate in particular about Jesus’ teachings on social justice. But I also have to wear it lightly. In our church art gallery there’s a print of a laughing Jesus, his eyes crinkled and sparkling, his head thrown back. I love the image. Yes, Jesus wept. But surely he also was in on the holy humor of God’s ridiculous grace. Surely (“hey, stop calling me Shirley!” ba-dap-boom), Jesus also laughed.

So should you. So should I.

Along the Way, I wish you God’s peace on today’s stage of your Lenten spiritual journey. May Christ’s companionship bless you with confidence for the day, comfort you in trouble, and put a spring of joy in your step.