- Feb 5, 2002
- 184,119
- 67,227
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
- Faith
- Catholic
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Others
Happy Easter, friends! The tomb is empty, the stone is rolled away, and we proclaim with joy, “Alleluia, alleluia!” Christ is risen — truly risen! After walking through the solemn days of the Triduum, through the Upper Room, Calvary, and the silence of the tomb, we’ve arrived at the great feast of our salvation. It’s time to rejoice — and yes, even to laugh.
That’s right, there’s a centuries-old tradition, “”Risus Paschalis,” the “Easter laugh,” where priests would include a joke or something humorous in their Easter homily. The reason? Because Satan has been defeated, and it is right to laugh in the face of his defeat.
One of my favorite stories from the Dominican tradition recounts the same impulse to laugh at Satan: when some novices burst into laughter during evening prayer, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, rather than scolding them, simply said, “Let them laugh, for Satan has been defeated.” There’s a holy freedom to our Easter joy.
Continued below.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
That’s right, there’s a centuries-old tradition, “”Risus Paschalis,” the “Easter laugh,” where priests would include a joke or something humorous in their Easter homily. The reason? Because Satan has been defeated, and it is right to laugh in the face of his defeat.
One of my favorite stories from the Dominican tradition recounts the same impulse to laugh at Satan: when some novices burst into laughter during evening prayer, Blessed Jordan of Saxony, rather than scolding them, simply said, “Let them laugh, for Satan has been defeated.” There’s a holy freedom to our Easter joy.
Continued below.
Rejoice! The Lord is risen
Celebrate Easter with joy and laughter — Christ is risen! Discover the deep tradition, triumph and freedom at the heart of the Resurrection.
www.oursundayvisitor.com
