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Good morning.

There’s nothing like the sound of laughter!  The way its high pitched or deep bellowing tones echo in the atmosphere, bringing a smile to the face and a twinkle to the eye.  I love those moments when laughter is so infectious that you have to join in.  It happens to us all the time – even in the church!

This wonderful sound floods the city of Edinburgh in its Festival mood.  It fills venues with praise and applause, with comedy and tragedy, and brings together friends old and new to enjoy occasions and celebrations, and even the Scottish summer!

I often wonder why there’s not more mention of laughter in the Bible.  Sarah laughed in the Old Testament when she was told she was to have a child in advanced years, but surely she wasn’t the only one in Scripture with a sense of humour?

 There is plenty mention of joy, praise and celebration in the Scriptures, but Jesus and his followers surely laughed.  Eating together, serving together, I simply cannot imagine there was no laughter, even in testing times. I’ve often seen that laughter does not disappear, even in grief and loss.  Memories hold such creative power.

Scottish Presbyterianism still sometimes carries the affectionate cliché of being dour – forbidding and solemn – but it’s not my experience.  You’ll find the church, its buildings and people, at the heart of any festival celebration throughout the year, sharing in community and laughing as much as any other.

Perhaps people of Christian faith need to reclaim laughter as part of the faith.   It helps at times even to laugh at ourselves.

God, breathe into our lives laughter and celebration,

And the humour to embrace life

In all its heights and depths. Amen.