"Jesus Laughed"

A Poem for Lent...

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JESUS LAUGHED

 

Each of us has our own concept of Jesus—

As for me, I like to think He laughed a lot

Yes, I picture Jesus throwing his head back

with a wide winsome smile

and laughing heartily from the gut

and I think He did it often

 

I know it doesn’t say so in Scripture

but still, I imagine the One

Who hung out with the twelve

shared some mighty amusing stories

around the campfire on starry summer evenings

I figure He even occasionally bore the brunt

of good-natured razzing by the brethren

as they passed around roasted fish

and barley loaves on the shore of the Galilee

 

A guest at parties and weddings

Jesus was actually accused

of being a winebibber and glutton

He wouldn’t have received

those kinds of invitations

and that kind of reputation

if He had been solemn and grim

 

and speaking of wine, I’m quite certain

no somber individual would have

turned H2O into the fruit of the vine

so a wedding feast could proceed

with expected merrymaking and

no embarrassment for the host

 

Oh! I’m sure Jesus was great fun to be with—

that mothers handed babies to Him

that He kissed them, blessed them

chucked their chins and tickled their tummies

causing them to giggle and coo

 

I picture children climbing up on His lap

and being bounced on His knees

as He told stories about Jonah and Daniel

I’ll bet He even tossed a leather ball

back and forth with the neighborhood lads

 

and when someone approached Him

with despair and grief and longing

my mind’s eye sees Him

wrapping His loving arms around

the one in need—

turning sorrow into hope

 

Oh! It’s true, Jesus got plenty stirred up

with righteous indignation—

even knocked over vendor tables

in the Temple courts

and vented his anger vehemently

at hypocritical Pharisees

 

but this was the world His Father created

and loved so much

that He sent Him here

to save

 

Yes, I’m sure He laughed a lot

in spite of the fact

the dreaded Cross stood before Him

because He knew His mission

and of the joy to come

 

Indeed, the joy

for what He would accomplish for us

was already in Him

 

Yes, Jesus knew there was a time to laugh

and a time for anger

as well as a time to weep

 

Oh! I am touched by His humanity—

 

No wonder I love Him

 

Maude Carolan Pych

Maude's book of poetry about the Birth, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, "Behold the Lamb...poetically!" was published by Elm Hill Press and is available online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

www.maudecarolanpych.net

maudecpych@gmail.com