Dreaming in Delaware: Bearing up
Low Sunday may be an out dated practice of Christians thanks to the impact of the pandemic. Churches that cautiously opened their doors on Easter to celebrate the rolling away of the stone may see their attendance go up. Absence may make the heart grow fonder, even when it’s the Sunday after the resurrection and the choir is still RIP.
I appreciate the old tradition of the Risus paschalis – the Easter laugh,” as the early theologians such as John Chrysostom described it. God gets the best of the devil through the incarnation and ruins death’s punch line by raising Jesus from the dead. We observed Holy Hilarity Sunday in several churches, and were blessed with some amazing stand-up comedians, usually grandmothers.
My one contribution came from my sister, Wilson Cloudchamber. It’s a show and tell kind of humor. You show them the carved figurine and ask them what hymn goes with it. The blank look never fails. Even with a few hints like it’s a bear, they’re still stuck. After I hum a few bars the light goes on for those who know the tune.
So, on this God knows I need a little humor Sunday, I offer you, “Gladly, the cross-eyed bear”. May it be so.