a prayer for good humor

You've heard me talk before about the worth of good humor.

I have even listed a number of important reasons outlining the impact on our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual self from laughter--regular, honest to God, belly laughing.

I'll never forget the moment a few years ago when I realized that... the physical exercises I was doing in physical therapy.... AND the wise advice I was given in acupuncture by Dr. Li... AND my spiritual director's guidance--were ALL telling me the same thing:

Open up your chest.

Breathe as deep as you can.

Let your heart self be vulnerable, open, and genuine! 

I have also realized that opening myself to laughter does this for me, allowing me to see much (all?!) of life with humor, good spirits, and a new perspective.

But if you don't want to listen to me, then listen to Pope Francis:

“A bit of good humor is very good for us! It will do us much good to pray St. Thomas More’s prayer frequently: I pray it every day, and it helps me.”

~Pope Francis

(speaking to the Roman Curia,

December 2014)

Prayer for Good Humorby St. Thomas More

Grant me, O Lord, good digestion, and also something to digest. 
Grant me a healthy body, and the necessary good humor to maintain it. 
Grant me a simple soul that knows to treasure all that is good 
and that doesn’t frighten easily at the sight of evil, 
but rather finds the means to put things back in their place. 
Give me a soul that knows not boredom, grumblings, sighs and laments, 
nor excess of stress, because of that obstructing thing called “I.” 
Grant me, O Lord, a sense of good humor. 
Allow me the grace to be able to take a joke to discover in life a bit of joy, 
and to be able to share it with others.