If mortal existence can be likened to a dream—and Christian Science does so liken it—then we're wise to keep our sense of humor. Certainly there's nothing amusing about the suffering that seems to go on in this dream. But the fact still remains that mortal, material existence is a dream, and to be overanxious about it might result in deepening the mistaken belief that nothing is something—that an illusion, an upside-down view of creation, has power, life, and intelligence.

The only true creation is the spiritual and perfect and entirely good one; the one that God sees and knows and created as the expression of His infinite being; the one that man—our true identity —sees as God's reflection. So we do have something to laugh about. We have something to be overjoyed about, no matter what straits we may be in. We can laugh because reality isn't upside-down and neither are we. "I like to have my students laugh," Mrs. Eddy is recorded as saying. "A good laugh often breaks mesmerism." ^{We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, First Series (Boston: The Christian Science Publishing Society, 1943), p. 82;}

Humor can alert us not to take material selfhood too seriously. Why do we take offense? Because we're thinking of ourselves as finite personalities, vulnerable to criticism and weakness. But we're really complete, unflawed spiritual ideas, and because we are we can afford to laugh at the mortal misconception now and then. A friend's amusing remark, a slice of life from a play or book or movie, a little vignette from everyday experience, often point up the absurdity of the belief that each one possesses a private, inflatable or deflatable ego. It can prompt us to think of the one divine Ego and to delight in man's true selfhood, infinitely beautiful.

How about humor that injures, that stems from the coarseness of material thinking, from small-mindedness or impurity? That isn't really humor. And this is not what we're speaking of now. But humor that echoes some of the joy and purity of Soul certainly has its place. "I agree with Rev. Dr. Talmage," writes Mrs. Eddy, "that 'there are wit, humor, and enduring vivacity among God's people.'" ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 117;}

Humor frequently cuts through the density of egotism, self-consciousness, fear. It helps put everything in its proper perspective and points our thought in more constructive directions. Sometimes we get very intense about matter and its supposed conditions. A good laugh can help us see how ludicrous is matter's claim that it has the intelligence—even the existence—to chain us to disease and suffering.

Though humor may break the mesmerism of suffering, the healing power always stems from God, divine Mind, not from any action or attitude of the human mind. Humor is not a spiritual quality; it is a human one. Joy is a spiritual quality, and it is the joy of Soul, often finding expression in humor, that does the healing.

More than cheerfulness is needed to break the illusory hold of suffering. Only the might of Soul, of the divine Mind, can expose and destroy the illusions of mortal mind—the supposed mentality that sees life materially, that fears, hates, breaks the Ten Commandments, and finally returns to dust. The joy of genuine humor often points up the fraudulence of mortal mind's scenarios and turns our thought to the truth of our being. But it is divine Mind, Soul, that obliterates the illusion of suffering. If we want to start seeing wholeness and perfection, what we need to do is get better acquainted with the Mind that knows perfection, that established it, that is infinite good. This is the Mind we really reflect. It is brimming over with healing joy. "In thy presence is fulness of joy," ^{Ps. 16:11;} the Psalmist sang of God.

As we get better acquainted with Mind through prayer, our sense of Soul's presence is no longer forced or wanting. And a sense of humor naturally accompanies the joy that comes from seeing things more as they really are. When we really feel even a bit of Soul's joy, adverse material conditions don't impress us so much, and they begin to lose their grip in our thought. We see the flimsiness of many beliefs we may have been holding about matter, about people and events. We begin to see others more as individual spiritual identities and less as physical beings. We see to some extent through the misstatement of reality called matter and grasp the reality called Mind. Belief in disease and the false sense of evil as substance—as cause and identity—gradually thin out until whatever is troubling us is exposed as nothing.

Christ Jesus' suffering was beyond human comprehension. Even so, on the eve of his crucifixion he could say, "These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves." ^{John 17:13;} And what sublime joy he must have felt after his resurrection, when he had conquered the belief of death. Mrs. Eddy observes: "What a contrast between our Lord's last supper and his last spiritual breakfast with his disciples in the bright morning hours at the joyful meeting on the shore of the Galilean Sea! His gloom had passed into glory, and his disciples' grief into repentance,—hearts chastened and pride rebuked." ^{Science and Health, pp. 34-35.}

Often when things seem worst, the absurdity of evil becomes clearest, and our fear gives way to joy. God never permits evil, and He never stops loving us. In the darkest hour this can become most beautifully evident to us.

There's no question that we need to deal with one another and the world compassionately, understandingly. Human suffering is no joke. But there is room for our laughter. It hints at the pure joy of Spirit, which heals, purifies, and is ours always.

Thou hast made known to me
the ways of life; thou shalt make me full
of joy with thy countenance.

Acts 2:28