"We laugh at life ..."

(Macarius of Alexandria and Macarius the Egyptian (also called the Elder or the Great to distinguish him from his contemporary) were both hermits living in the desert of Scete in the 4th century. Some of the sayings of the Elder Macarius are recorded in the Apophthegmata Patrum, the Sayings of the Desert Fathers. Both were great ascetic saints with power to expel demons. The following is part of a poem entitled Macarius the Younger, by Thomas Merton. I'm writing this from memory, so it's probably not exactly what Merton wrote.)

The two Macarii, both men of God,
Going to visit a brother,
Took the boat that crosses the river.
The boat was full of officers, rich brass,
With horses, boys, and guards.

One tribune saw the monks
Like a pair of sacks
Lying in the stern,
Ragged bums, having nothing,
Free men.

"You," he said, "are the happy ones. You laugh at life.
You need nothing from the world but a few rags,
A crust of bread." One Macarius answered, "Yes, it's true;
We follow God. We laugh at life, and we are sorry
Life laughs at you."

Then the tribune saw himself as he really was.
He gave away all that he had,
And enlisted in the desert army.