For Mardi Gras — A holy riff on Jesus’ prayer (John 17: 20-26)

I ask, not only for church members,
but, also on behalf of those
who will know joy is part of faith
because of them —
that they may all be … fun,
as you, Holy God, are in Lent
but also, in Mardi Gras,
in passion story and palm waving.

Let them be bugle beads and ashes,
that the world may believe
that you love the world
so unconditionally
that you sent the One accused
of partying too much
and with the wrong people.

The Cana wine, free lunch with fish,
dancing across the waves,
garment fringe
with healing touchscreen —
you have given them
so that they may all be fun,
as God is fun,
Christ is laughter,
and the Spirit is flame-buoyant.

Bread is a joke, because the poorest
can afford it on a night
when the menu is about lambs —
and the angels give peals
of obstetric laughter
at the punch line of a manger,

and the giggle that started
in the hokey pokey of the morning stars,
becomes a belly laugh of glory
even when the story
seems to be so sad,

because the love I am loved,
is world love, in me, now in them —
that they may all be … fun.