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Let me take you on a little journey. Take I-77 north of Charlotte, and highway 421 west into the mountains. Turn right on 221 and come to the quiet town of West Jefferson. Here, on Beaver Creek School Road, you will find the quaint Episcopal Parish of St. Mary's. It is one of our famous "Churches of the Frescoes", and it contains paintings by other artists as well. The painting relevant to this month's issue of "Higher Self Magazine" is the one titled "The Laughing Christ". Beside the painting is a plaque with the story behind the painting:
In 1975, a 19 year old Bo Bartlett (native of Columbus, GA) was assisting Ben Long with the Fresco of John the Baptist. He heard the story of the "miraculous healing" of Father William Stewart, a good friend of the parish. In January of 1975, Father Stewart, of Melbourne Beach, FL., had a serious brain-stem stroke. His doctors held little hope for a recovery. Prayer vigils were held. Still, he suffered "intensely" for three days. Then, everything changed. "Within a two hour period, vital signs went back to normal." Father Stewart thought "Our Lord was standing back of him at the head of the bed, laughing uproariously, like a man who has just caught that big bass, and not laughing at him but with him as the healing took place. The following Sunday the doctors dismissed him and Father Stewart walked from the hospital with his family to the car. His doctors said, 'Give God the Glory'. This story inspired Bo, who had always seen his Lord as "a happy, joyous, laughing person", to paint "The Laughing Christ".
Is Laughter the best medicine? Maybe it depends on who is doing the laughing.