Jesus is gone. His absence leaves a gaping hole in the world. This is a day of quiet, a day of deep sorrow. And yet, underneath the silence, God is busy planning a celebration for us, with the whispered excitement of the host of a surprise party. The air is electric with God’s anticipation of the great moment. Any minute now the door to the tomb will roll away and new life will burst out to surprise and delight us. God wants us to see and believe. I think God also wants us to laugh.
Alongside the wonder and grandeur of Jesus’ resurrection, there are some terrific comic moments. Mary Magdalene mistakes Jesus for the gardener and starts berating him, demanding that he tell her what is really going on. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus disguises himself as a fellow traveler and cons his disciples like some Scripture-study version of a pool shark. He first pretends total ignorance, then turns around and thoroughly trounces them with his knowledge of the prophets. When Jesus appears to the Twelve, he stands and lets them poke him all over, and even eats a broiled fish to prove to them he is not a ghost.
Learning to trust God can be very serious work. But laughter is also at the heart of any loving relationship. Who do we trust more than the ones who know how make us laugh?
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