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From the medieval fool, who was allowed to say aloud what others did not dare say to today’s comedians, there is a strong tradition in the West of people who are allowed to use hyperbole, sarcasm, and humor to communicate things that are true but are difficult to hear. The medieval fool could often make jokes about the King which would challenge or caution. English writers such as Chaucer and Shakespeare used humor and satire to take on both Church and secular authorities. Among the Italians, Dante was the one who most clearly pointed out that the actions of some people were condemning them to hell, and all in a play that has become a literary, a theological, a philosophical, and a dramatic masterwork. The bawdy ballads of the European wandering minstrels spoke up against the excesses of the nobility and the Church with a certain degree of impunity.
Today’s comedians all too often concentrate on the bawdy, to the point that they appear to be making no other point than that they can get a laugh by using scatological humor. But among the rare comedians who are able to mix bawdy and social commentary in an effective manner is Chris Rock. He is very difficult to listen to because of his use of curse words. But, he addresses the problems in his community in a very effective manner. He speaks directly and names the problems clearly and without holding back.
The video above is from Stephen Colbert. While is it not anywhere near as bawdy as Chris Rock, nevertheless it is border-line blasphemous. But, it also uses that border-line blasphemy, plus a healthy helping of sarcasm, to call all of us to reflect on what our picture of Our Lord Jesus is. Watch it again, and ask yourself what Jesus have you created in your mind, and does that Jesus match up with the Lord found in the Scriptures and Holy Tradition?
That’s the best “sermon” I’ve heard in a long time and it’s amazing it was preached on national TV on a secular show.
Most sermons about wealth contain equivocations along the lines of “Jesus wasn’t really talking about money here,” “Jesus isn’t being literal – he doesn’t mean we have to give everything away,” “He’s talking about spiritual poverty,” “You can substitute any passion for wealth in this scenario and it still applies,” and so forth and so on. Yet these same preachers have no trouble taking Jesus’s words about sexual sin, theft, etc. literally.
As G.K. Chesterton said: “It may be possible to have a good debate over whether or not Jesus believed in fairies. Alas, it is impossible to have any sort of debate over whether or not Jesus believed that rich people were in big trouble—there is too much evidence on the subject and it is overwhelming.”