I suppose one has to be a pessimist to appreciate certain humor in the world, but as I continue recovery from my surgery, and as that experience recedes into the past, I was amused by the twisted logic and reasoning of Cervantes‘ Don Quixote who helps put all things in perspective:
“Allow me to remind you that there is no memory that time does not efface, no pain that death does not destroy.”
Viewed from just the right point of view, one can find something to hold on to! I guess the surgeon could straighten my spine, but my twisted sense of humor was left intact. Other sayings which require that particularly twisted sense of logic to appreciate the humor on them:
“I was feeling better, but I got over it.”
“Today will be better than tomorrow.”
“It is never so bad that it can’t get worse.”
I am amused by these statements. I once heard a Blues’ singer claim that the Blues have a lot of this intentional humor built into them. Things are so bad and the Blues’ singers try to make them even worse through their lyrics. He claimed the Blues are not just mournful, but so pathetically mournful that they are actually funny as the various singers try to out do each other on how bad things are or seem or can be. He said part of the purpose is to make fun of how miserable life can be or to make every experience so ridiculously bad that one has to laugh at how it is being described.
In reality, my experience so far has not been unbearable, thanks be to Christ the Physician and Healer of our souls and bodies. There is a way to go, and the process is slow. There is plenty of time to work on repentance and regeneration of a soul weary in well doing.
This is the 3rd blog in a series exploring various aspects of “prayer.” The first blog is “
Sometimes we find fellow believers quoting and focusing only on “pray without ceasing” while ignoring the context of St. Paul’s words and his complete message. Too often there is this idea that prayer is the only activity worthy of Christians, but this is not the teaching of St. Paul. Prayer is one continuous activity in our lives as believers, but so is rejoicing and giving thanks. When we forgot all of these elements, we practice a reduction of the Christian faith and of St. Paul’s teaching.
When we remember that all things come to us from God, then we learn to give thanks and rejoice in every circumstance. Prayer is the means by which we can acquire the love of God, but also the way we remember God’s love in and through the world He created for us. Rejoicing and giving thanks equally with prayer gives us proper orientation toward our God, the God of love. Prayer restores in us the memory of God and of all of his deeds.
Fraternized 