News & Updates

Weekly email for January 30th, 2026

I wonder what you think Jesus is like? What image of him do you have in your head? There is a really great set of pictures of Jesus from all around the world called ‘The Christ we Share’. The pictures come from different cultures, different theological backgrounds and different parts of Jesus’ life and they offer a great diversity of images. When people look at the pictures, there are some images that people like, and some that people struggle with. One image that is particularly striking is called ‘Jesus Christ, Liberator’ and it pictures Jesus in a head, eyes closed, mouth open laugh.

It makes you wonder what was said to see Jesus laugh so hard. I wonder if you find the image of a laughing Christ familiar or strange? There are certainly enough stories in the Bible at which you can imagine Jesus laughing with his friends. Accusations made of him that he was seen at too many parties and in the wrong company. Should a respected Rabbi be found laughing?

I wonder if we find the image of Jesus laughing liberating? When the world is hard and full of sadness, do we want to see Jesus laugh or weep? When we are trying to find a saviour, do we want one who looks solemn or one who looks like he might be fun. I sometimes joke that the greatest achievement of the western church is to make Jesus seem boring, uninspiring and out-of-touch when it seems to me that he was any of the above.

All of us need to do some work on how we see Jesus. If picture him as solemn, we need to imagine him laughing. If we picture him as smiling, we need to imagine him weeping. If we picture him as stern, we need to imagine him with arms open with love. Whatever our picture of Jesus is, we need to stretch it, because we need Jesus to offer us all of these things in order that our image of Jesus can walk alongside the range of emotions we have in lives. So, how do you need to see Jesus today?