SPEAKING AS A FOOL

TAKING ON THE JOKE OF CHRIST

The joke is on us.
But we still don't get it.
We would like to believe,
with Kierkegaard,
that the laughter is on our side,
but we keep finding ourselves
in the shadow of God's smile.
The benediction that His face shine upon us
sounds so promising,
yet the chill we feel
remains untouched by that radiance
as long as we make our own madness
the standard for the sanity of all others.

Jesus' friends and family

went out to lay hold of him:

for they said,

"He is beside himself."

Mark 3:21

Festus said with a loud voice,

"Paul, thou art beside thyself;

much learning doth make thee mad."

"I am not mad, most noble Festus;

but speak forth

the words of truth and soberness."

Acts 26:24-25

COME UNTO ME, ALL YOU

WHO ARE HEAVY-LADEN,

AND

I WILL MAKE YOU LAUGH.

TAKE MY JOKES, & PUNS, TOO.

FOR MY JOKE IS PLEASING,

MY PUNCHLINE'S JUST RIGHT.