April Fool

Scripture

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich towards God”. (Luke 12:20-21 NIVUK)

April Fool 

Hopefully you have either recovered from or perpetrated some April Fool’s Day prank – or at least enjoyed one from a safe distance.  I don’t usually need a designated day to make a fool of myself, it seems to come naturally. Laughter is great medicine even when it’s at my expense – once I join in with it, the sting of embarrassment is resolved.  

Jesus told us not to call others ‘fool” but he definitely told stories that had a “fool” as a central character. As I travelled Holy Week with Jesus I revelled in wonder at his humility and the power of his resurrection. Yesterday we celebrated, “He is risen, He is risen indeed”. His presence in our hearts and minds helps us abandon self-absorption and take up love and service.  

The greed of Judas, (already a pilferer from the group’s finances) as he collected his 30 silver coins ,was a darker thread. It reminded me of Jesus’ story about a “fool” who amassed an ever-increasing fortune, reveling in it without any care for anyone else – even the poor. His epitaph was “you fool”; his accumulations vanished in an instant with no legacy of good to be found.  

As we joyfully serve the risen and ascended Christ let us learn His ways of service, love and mercy as we go about our lives this day and in the days to come. Seeds of love and kindness produce good fruit.  

A Prayer for Today

Loving God, you’ve given us the freedom and creativity of humour and laughter to lighten our lives and to often hear truths about ourselves we couldn’t receive any other way. Help us on this day that celebrates the foolish to also celebrate the greatness of your love and create and accumulate in our work legacies of love and mercy…. For Jesus’ sake