Holy Rule for February 7
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St. Mary's Monastery
Feb 6, 2026, 4:58:57 PM (14 days ago) Feb 6
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Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 7, June 8, October 8
Chapter 7: On Humility (59)
The tenth degree of humility is that he be not ready and quick to laugh, for it is written, "The fool lifts up his voice in laughter" (Eccles. 21:23).
REFLECTION
Face it, beloveds, speech and laughter have a lot in common! Both are often fake, insincere, nervous or empty. Both are often employed for no reason other than to break a silence which makes us uncomfortable. Both are frequently unnecessary. To the degree that both are sometimes false, they are destructive of truth and, therefore, of humility.
Having a sense of humor is not what is forbidden here; all of us need that. It is having a hair trigger on same or, worse. It's having a catastrophic first strike capability to laugh when no one else does, to see humor where it truly does not exist, or to be silly in the presence of those far wiser than oneself.
The good monks I have known have laughed. The best monks, however, did not laugh easily. A knowing, warm smile with bright eyes or a discreet chuckle would have been most usual for them. They were not quick to laugh, nor did they roar loudly with laughter.
There's another connection between speech and laughter here. Their moderate, virtuous use is connected to wisdom, which is why the person who rarely speaks at all is usually listened to when they do say something. Ditto the use of laughter. If Br. X, who laughs at everything, including things that aren't funny, howls in laughter, people don't ascribe much to the affair. On the other hand, if Br. Z, who is NOT given to laughter, even chuckles it is a sign that something is REALLY funny!
Having denounced bad laughter, let me jump in to defend valid laughter and truthful senses of humor. Merely being curmudgeonly and not laughing is definitely NOT the idea! Joyless, cranky, unduly severe people who take themselves FAR too seriously, are every bit as much out of touch with reality as the braying mules.
Both laughter and speech can be cruel and ought never to be so for the Christian. But both can be loving and charitable, too. Surely there is no condemnation implied here of charity! What of the many times when a laugh or chuckle truly did break the ice, lighten the moment or cheer someone up. One would be hard pressed to claim that those charitably kind uses of laughter were forbidden.
Humility is truth, remember that one? As Venerable Fulton Sheen observed, the sense of faith and the sense of humor have something in common: the ability to see through things!
The good monks I described who rarely laughed were not morose. They were not so because they were holy enough to know better! They were cheerful, joyful men. That stands in high (and pleasant!) relief to being either a crank or a buffoon.
That's the issue here: being holy makes us humble, being holy makes us avoid extremes!
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
Br. Jerome Leo’s Daily Reflection on the Holy Rule
February 7, June 8, October 8
Chapter 7: On Humility (59)
The tenth degree of humility is that he be not ready and quick to laugh, for it is written, "The fool lifts up his voice in laughter" (Eccles. 21:23).
REFLECTION
Face it, beloveds, speech and laughter have a lot in common! Both are often fake, insincere, nervous or empty. Both are often employed for no reason other than to break a silence which makes us uncomfortable. Both are frequently unnecessary. To the degree that both are sometimes false, they are destructive of truth and, therefore, of humility.
Having a sense of humor is not what is forbidden here; all of us need that. It is having a hair trigger on same or, worse. It's having a catastrophic first strike capability to laugh when no one else does, to see humor where it truly does not exist, or to be silly in the presence of those far wiser than oneself.
The good monks I have known have laughed. The best monks, however, did not laugh easily. A knowing, warm smile with bright eyes or a discreet chuckle would have been most usual for them. They were not quick to laugh, nor did they roar loudly with laughter.
There's another connection between speech and laughter here. Their moderate, virtuous use is connected to wisdom, which is why the person who rarely speaks at all is usually listened to when they do say something. Ditto the use of laughter. If Br. X, who laughs at everything, including things that aren't funny, howls in laughter, people don't ascribe much to the affair. On the other hand, if Br. Z, who is NOT given to laughter, even chuckles it is a sign that something is REALLY funny!
Having denounced bad laughter, let me jump in to defend valid laughter and truthful senses of humor. Merely being curmudgeonly and not laughing is definitely NOT the idea! Joyless, cranky, unduly severe people who take themselves FAR too seriously, are every bit as much out of touch with reality as the braying mules.
Both laughter and speech can be cruel and ought never to be so for the Christian. But both can be loving and charitable, too. Surely there is no condemnation implied here of charity! What of the many times when a laugh or chuckle truly did break the ice, lighten the moment or cheer someone up. One would be hard pressed to claim that those charitably kind uses of laughter were forbidden.
Humility is truth, remember that one? As Venerable Fulton Sheen observed, the sense of faith and the sense of humor have something in common: the ability to see through things!
The good monks I described who rarely laughed were not morose. They were not so because they were holy enough to know better! They were cheerful, joyful men. That stands in high (and pleasant!) relief to being either a crank or a buffoon.
That's the issue here: being holy makes us humble, being holy makes us avoid extremes!
Br. Jerome Leo Hughes, OSB (RIP)
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