In gentle laughter does the Holy Spirit perceive the cause, and looks not to effects. How else could He correct your error, who have overlooked the cause entirely? He bids you bring each terrible effect to Him that you may look together on its foolish cause and laugh with Him a while. You judge effects, but He has judged their cause. And by His judgment are effects removed. Perhaps you come in tears. But hear Him say, "My brother, holy Son of God, behold your idle dream, in which this could occur." And you will leave the holy instant with your laughter and your brother's joined with His. (ACIM:T-27.VIII.9)
In short, once we realize that it's our own stupid little mistake, the Course's "tiny, mad idea" of the separation thought which is the cause, and is reflected in the hellish experiences we go through from time to time, we can never take them as seriously ever again. And so Jesus in the Course asks us to laugh at it all with him, which lets the air out of the ego's balloon very quickly. And in that spirit Gary's jokes are completely an integral part of his delivery, lest we start taking ourselves too seriously. Funnily enough, the piano player on the ship, Bob, who our whole group enjoyed, and who joined two of the workshops, ended up being "suspended," because some passenger felt that he'd said something untoward. So just when he started to learn about forgiveness, he had one huge forgiveness opportunity show up for himself, and he took it in good spirit, and when we found out, we got him to join us for our farewell gathering after our last supper on this trip. I hope the management saw that some of the passengers did appreciate him. In any case, while Gary's style is certainly unique to him, even in the Course there are numerous word plays, and certainly if you read the biography of Helen Schucman, it is quite evident how Jesus has a marvelous sense of humor. Some of us are fortunate to realize that in our own life as well from time to time. So more humor is definitely a good thing, even more so in the difficult times we are experiencing. God forbid we take it seriously, that would really make it unbearable.
The pun on forgiveness as the new "f" word is in Disappearance of the Universe.
No comments:
Post a Comment