Did Jesus laugh? I think I’ll go out on a heretical branch and say “yes.” He was a man, after all, and there were times when I thought the narrators of the gospels would have liked to let Jesus laugh, but they thought their task too serious to let him laugh. This issue is discussed in Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, with various characters taking different views on the subject. One side argues that laughter is frivolous and a part of the Devil’s plan to trick true believers into sinning. The other side argues that truth can come from the criticism implicit in laughter, and that Jesus probably made his followers laugh more than once. Although being laughed at can feel rather cruel, most laughter is derived from humor and funny situations, and it can often relieve stress or conflict. The body releases endorphins when it laughs, so laughter feels good. Stress is a horrible killer, but laughter is the antidote. Jesus was constantly being opposed by different groups who felt threatened by the revolutionary message he was preaching. Laughter was probably a great release for all that tension and conflict. Laughter often comes along with a smile, and one feels slightly out of control when laughing. Yea, though I walk through the valley of death, I should fear no evil. The Psalmist laughs at death, even when death is imminent, at hand, and all appears as dark as night and hope is no where to be found. Laughter is like the soul’s sword, it’s shield, it’s true defense. I find laughter to be balm for the troubled soul. When I am stressed out, or worried, or have to face something awful, I put on one of my favorite funny movies and lose myself in the humor and laughter. Laughing helps to put evil in perspective, and evil runs from laughter because laughter shines the light of truth into the dark corners where evil resides. If you have any doubts about the power of laughter, watch the “laughing scene” from the movie “Mary Poppins” and you will never wonder about laughter again.