Sarcasm as Sacrament

by Cathy Jaskey

"Sometimes, sharing a deep belly laugh is prayer."

Cathy is a Loretto Volunteer living in our DC community. She serves as a staff associate at the Women's Alliance for Theology, Ethics and Ritual (WATER).

Leaving home was a big deal for me. I come from a small family and a great community of friends whom I’ve never been away from for very long. It was hard to leave so many people I loved, and I couldn’t imagine not seeing them all the time. I’ll admit I was pretty scared; leaving home was not something I really thought I could do. Yet something pulled me to Loretto and WATER. The more I read, the more they spoke to me. I’m so glad I listened. 

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Leaving home was a big deal for me. I come from a small family and a great community of friends whom I’ve never been away from for very long. It was hard to leave so many people I loved, and I couldn’t imagine not seeing them all the time. I’ll admit I was pretty scared; leaving home was not something I really thought I could do. Yet something pulled me to Loretto and WATER. The more I read, the more they spoke to me. I’m so glad I listened.

From the moment I was dropped off at Junia, I was embraced into community. The love in my life has not been lost, but multiplied – exponentially. Spiritually, I think of myself as a seeker: full of questions and passionate about working for equality and love. Yet, I have an affinity towards living in a way such as the following words by Edwina Gately:

“I do not need to seek God.
God is already here 
waiting to be found, 
soaked in my reality. 
My journey is to be one
of recognizing God, always.
already present, 
and surfacing that presence
in my daily life.”

The community I have found in Loretto has been this presence for me. In all of the searching and moments of doubt, the Loretto community has supported me and helped me to stretch even more. The weight of the world can get heavy, life can get busy and off balance, and I am happy that at the end of the day I come home to my community. We share our stories, tell tales from work and commuting, and often discuss or debate issues. I am fed by the meals we share, but more so by the company. It’s been sacred for me to get know each other so closely. It’s crazy to think six months ago we were strangers and somehow we ended up with the blessed chance of such deep sharing.  All of my housemates are so beautifully unique, talented, and inspiring to me. I am so lucky to know them. 

While we all have wonderful differences, I think it’s safe to say that what we all share is loving laughter. Growing up, I was notorious for giggling, and used to get in trouble all the time. I generally agree with the saying that you can tell a lot about a person by what they laugh at. I’ll admit sometimes I am too serious or sensitive. There is plenty of sadness in the world and in our own life journeys, and I don’t mean to diminish its importance. I’m happy to be with people with whom I can share both. My housemates have happily encouraged sarcasm in our house. I’ve learned to enjoy it knowing it’s out of love. 

Sometimes you just need to laugh at yourself. I’ve fallen on ice three times in the last two weeks. For the first fall, Alexis even specifically warned us that it was slippery. It didn’t stop me or another housemate (whom I will leave unnamed) from falling down our front steps right on our behinds…in front of our neighbors. We were lucky we didn't get hurt. But, what are you going to do? I just had to laugh. It reminds me to slow down and not take myself too seriously. Sharing a laugh is good. For me, sometimes sharing a deep belly laugh is prayer. Laughing reminds me of the love around me and makes me grateful for these cherished moments.