I remind myself it is important to have some fun. Too often religion and spirituality are too serious. Everything is a matter of life and death. I think this is especially true for those who are too doctrinally driven. Those folks worry too much about what other folks believe and don’t believe. They are too quick to make judgments and often are found to be judgmental---although they never think they are!
And so in a spirit of fun, I ran across a wonderful little essay entitled, “A Pope Francis gargoyle now watches over Cologne cathedral.” I have been to the cathedral in Cologne many times. I lived a year in Germany and we were only a couple hours from that wonderful German city on the Rhine River. In fact, I loved taking the train to Cologne. As you near the heart of the city center, you can see the Gothic cathedral dominating the landscape. Gothic cathedrals are always impressive to me. Their towering spires literally inspire me. They evoke a sense of transcendence---a sense of majesty that lifts the human heart.
As the train approaches the main central station in Cologne, you begin to realize you are going right into the cathedral itself. Actually, you are going right under it. It is an amazing feeling to emerge from the train station and find yourself in the presence of this spiritual testimony to the God who created it all. Along with the feeling of transcendence, I am humbled and have that sense of smallness that is elicited in contrast to the amazing piece of ecclesiastical architecture.
And that is where the little story begins for folks standing right outside the Cologne cathedral. Tom Heneghan, author of the articles, begins this way. “It took about a week for visitors to the massive Catholic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, to notice a small addition to its ornate Gothic entrance — a carved stone figure of Pope Francis leaning forward like a gargoyle.” The article has a picture of the stone pope attached by his legs to the building. He is nearly upside down---head below his feet. His eyes are looking down to the street level. His stony face has a permanent smile. And his right hand is extended downward with invisible fingers in a seemingly closed-handed benediction or blessing.
Something I did not know is the Cologne cathedral has a tradition of creating new figures for the church. For example, Heneghan informed me “On its roof, a vast space not visible from the large square down below, statues of John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Charles de Gaulle and Harold Macmillan huddle in a summit meeting. Another group of statues shows a parade for Carnival, the boisterous street party the city throws every year just before Lent.” I had no clue. It would be fun to get to the roof the next time I am in Cologne.
As you might guess, some people---especially some Catholics---do not think this is appropriate. Not every Catholic approves of Pope Francis. Some of his concerns, announcements and writings rub traditionalist Catholics the wrong way. His emphasis on mercy might take away the need for judgment. Some see him as too soft. Some people who are too soft can be too forgiving. Being too forgiving is what worries people who want to hold strict standards and enforces all the rules.
These are the kinds of folks who don’t have much fun. In fact, they are suspicious of people who have fun. If you define religion in serious terms, fun does not fit very well. Fun seems superficial---not taking things seriously. I am most familiar with people within the Christian tradition. Maybe it is tough when we follow a leader who ultimately was crucified after being declared an enemy of the state (Roman Empire). When you can be killed for your faith, it may seem frivolous to focus on having some fun.
But this misses the other part of Jesus’ story. Apparently, he was ok with a party. According to the New Testament, Jesus was capable of laughing. I had a colleague of mine write a book on the humor of Jesus. As I write this, I am reminded of the twin ways of looking at life. Life can be a tragedy or a comedy. Clearly, the life of Jesus ended tragically. But tragedy was not the last word. The story of resurrection is the story of life---the story that finally, it is a comedy, not tragedy. Ultimately, love wins out.
It is this spirit I choose to see the value of humor and having fun. I would like to think Pope Francis sees it the same way. I think he will have a laugh and think it is cool that he is a gargoyle! How he is portrayed is spiritually flattering. He is smiling and ready to bless. I think he is ready to joke with folks and have some fun. And so would I like to be portrayed in the same spirit.
Life will be better if we can find the comedy. Life is good if we can figure out how to smile instead of snarl. We should be more ready to bless people than blast them. I appreciate some stone mason in Cologne has a sense of humor and has created a stone pope. Life is short. Let’s have some fun with it.
And so in a spirit of fun, I ran across a wonderful little essay entitled, “A Pope Francis gargoyle now watches over Cologne cathedral.” I have been to the cathedral in Cologne many times. I lived a year in Germany and we were only a couple hours from that wonderful German city on the Rhine River. In fact, I loved taking the train to Cologne. As you near the heart of the city center, you can see the Gothic cathedral dominating the landscape. Gothic cathedrals are always impressive to me. Their towering spires literally inspire me. They evoke a sense of transcendence---a sense of majesty that lifts the human heart.
As the train approaches the main central station in Cologne, you begin to realize you are going right into the cathedral itself. Actually, you are going right under it. It is an amazing feeling to emerge from the train station and find yourself in the presence of this spiritual testimony to the God who created it all. Along with the feeling of transcendence, I am humbled and have that sense of smallness that is elicited in contrast to the amazing piece of ecclesiastical architecture.
And that is where the little story begins for folks standing right outside the Cologne cathedral. Tom Heneghan, author of the articles, begins this way. “It took about a week for visitors to the massive Catholic cathedral in Cologne, Germany, to notice a small addition to its ornate Gothic entrance — a carved stone figure of Pope Francis leaning forward like a gargoyle.” The article has a picture of the stone pope attached by his legs to the building. He is nearly upside down---head below his feet. His eyes are looking down to the street level. His stony face has a permanent smile. And his right hand is extended downward with invisible fingers in a seemingly closed-handed benediction or blessing.
Something I did not know is the Cologne cathedral has a tradition of creating new figures for the church. For example, Heneghan informed me “On its roof, a vast space not visible from the large square down below, statues of John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, Charles de Gaulle and Harold Macmillan huddle in a summit meeting. Another group of statues shows a parade for Carnival, the boisterous street party the city throws every year just before Lent.” I had no clue. It would be fun to get to the roof the next time I am in Cologne.
As you might guess, some people---especially some Catholics---do not think this is appropriate. Not every Catholic approves of Pope Francis. Some of his concerns, announcements and writings rub traditionalist Catholics the wrong way. His emphasis on mercy might take away the need for judgment. Some see him as too soft. Some people who are too soft can be too forgiving. Being too forgiving is what worries people who want to hold strict standards and enforces all the rules.
These are the kinds of folks who don’t have much fun. In fact, they are suspicious of people who have fun. If you define religion in serious terms, fun does not fit very well. Fun seems superficial---not taking things seriously. I am most familiar with people within the Christian tradition. Maybe it is tough when we follow a leader who ultimately was crucified after being declared an enemy of the state (Roman Empire). When you can be killed for your faith, it may seem frivolous to focus on having some fun.
But this misses the other part of Jesus’ story. Apparently, he was ok with a party. According to the New Testament, Jesus was capable of laughing. I had a colleague of mine write a book on the humor of Jesus. As I write this, I am reminded of the twin ways of looking at life. Life can be a tragedy or a comedy. Clearly, the life of Jesus ended tragically. But tragedy was not the last word. The story of resurrection is the story of life---the story that finally, it is a comedy, not tragedy. Ultimately, love wins out.
It is this spirit I choose to see the value of humor and having fun. I would like to think Pope Francis sees it the same way. I think he will have a laugh and think it is cool that he is a gargoyle! How he is portrayed is spiritually flattering. He is smiling and ready to bless. I think he is ready to joke with folks and have some fun. And so would I like to be portrayed in the same spirit.
Life will be better if we can find the comedy. Life is good if we can figure out how to smile instead of snarl. We should be more ready to bless people than blast them. I appreciate some stone mason in Cologne has a sense of humor and has created a stone pope. Life is short. Let’s have some fun with it.
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