Between Heaven and Mirth

Between Heaven and Mirth is Father James Martin's bestselling, laugh-out-loud case that joy isn't a distraction from faith -- it's proof of it.

For anyone who's ever suspected religion takes itself too seriously, Jesuit priest and New York Times bestselling author James Martin, S.J. (The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything) makes a warm, witty, and deeply researched argument that humor and laughter sit at the very center of a healthy spiritual life. Drawing on Scripture, the lives of the saints, decades in ministry, and no shortage of good jokes, Martin shows why "holy" and "joyless" were never meant to go together.

Inside, readers will discover:

• Why joy is "the most infallible sign of the presence of God"
• A surprising, entertaining history of how religion got so gloomy
• How saints from Thomas More to Philip Neri used humor as a spiritual practice
• The link between vocation, service, love, and lasting joy
• Practical ways to bring laughter into prayer, worship, and community
• Honest answers for readers who feel their faith -- or their life -- just isn't funny right now

This book is for Christians, Catholics, and spiritual seekers of every stripe who want a faith that feels alive rather than austere -- clergy and laypeople alike, book clubs exploring Christian living, and anyone drawn to accessible, story-driven spirituality writing.

Readers who loved The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu, or Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies, will find a kindred spirit here: faith writing that's rigorous about God and unafraid to laugh along the way.

Funny, faithful, and quietly profound, Between Heaven and Mirth will change the way you think about God, church, and your own sense of humor -- one good story (and one good laugh) at a time.

"Between Heaven and Mirth will make any reader smile. . . . Father Martin reminds us that happiness is the good God's own goal for us." --Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York

From one of America's most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Jesus: A Pilgrimage Father James Martin, SJ, comes a revolutionary guide to Christian living that looks at how you can change your life and save your spirit through joy, humor, and laughter.

Martin shares how you can strike a healthy balance between spirituality and daily life and live as a joyful believer. In Between Heaven and Mirth, he uses scriptural passages, the lives of the saints, the spiritual teachings of other traditions, and his own personal reflections to show us why joy is the inevitable result of faith, because a healthy spirituality, a healthy sense of humor, and a dedication to spiritual growth go hand-in-hand with God's great plan for humankind.

How can we find the humor and happiness at the heart of the spiritual life?

• Christian Humor: Why holy people are joyful people, with hilarious and touching stories from the lives of the saints, the wisdom of Scripture, and the author's own experience as a Jesuit priest.
• Finding Joy: Practical, heartfelt advice on how to strike a healthy balance between modern daily life and spirituality, showing that joy is the inevitable result of a deep faith.
• Spiritual Wisdom: A refreshing look at the spiritual teachings of Christian and other traditions that prove a healthy sense of humor goes hand-in-hand with God's great plan.
• A Joyful Believer: An invitation to change your life and save your spirit not through seriousness and gloom, but through the revolutionary power of laughter.