In Between Heaven and Mirth, James Martin, SJ,
assures us that God wants us to experience
joy, to cultivate a sense of holy humor, and
to laugh at life's absurdities-not to mention
our own humanity. Father Martin invites
believers to rediscover the importance of humor
and laughter in our daily lives and to embrace an essential truth: faith leads to joy.
Holy people are joyful people, says Father Martin, offering countless examples of healthy humor and purposeful levity in the stories of
biblical heroes and heroines, and in the lives of the saints and the world's great spiritual
masters. He shows us how the parables are often the stuff of comedy, and how the gospels reveal
Jesus to be a man with a palpable sense of joy and even playfulness. In fact, Father Martin argues
compellingly, thinking about a Jesus without a sense of humor may be close to heretical.
Drawing on Scripture, sharing anecdotes from his experiences as a lifelong Catholic, a Jesuit for over twenty years, and a priest for more than ten, and including amusing and insightful
sidebars, footnotes, and jokes, Father Martin
illustrates how joy, humor, and laughter help us to live more spiritual lives, understand
ourselves and others better, and more fully
appreciate God's presence among us. Practical how-to advice helps us use humor to show our
faith, embrace our humanity, put things into perspective, open our minds, speak truth,
demonstrate courage, challenge power, learn
hospitality, foster effective human relations,
deepen our relationship with God, and ... enjoy
ourselves. Inviting God to lighten our hearts, we can enjoy a little heaven on earth.