156

Grace
Posted on October 27, 2020 by David M Willis

156 thoughts on “Grace”

  1. Ana Chronistic

    *coughs in 2020*

    1. Yotomoe

      That’s the worst way to cough.

      1. chris2315

        What’s the best way to cough?

        1. Prinnyramza

          In any year where coughing isn’t a sign of a pandemic.

        2. FacelessDeviant

          Into the bend of ones arm, facing away from people.

        3. elebenty

          Which completely negates the elbow bump as a safe greeting.

          “Let my rub my snot-streaked elbow against thine own.”

        4. Some Ed

          Not as much as you think.

          1. The cough hits the other side of the elbow from that which is bumped. SARS2 is not a roving nightmare that will slowly ooze over to the other side. It stays put until it’s picked up by contact or it dies.
          2. I personally do not use the outside portion of my elbow for things such as rubbing my eyes. It doesn’t ever go anywhere that could directly infect anyone with SARS2. I recognize if you have a partner whose kink heavily involves your elbows, this might not apply. In that case, I’ll recommend some nice 70%-85% alcohol sanitizer that technically works on more than just hands despite the fact that it’s probably billed as ‘hand sanitizer’, or maybe even showering before your hanky panky.

        5. FacelessDeviant

          Yeah I tried rubbing my face with my elbow. Can confirm it doesnt work, and one looks stupid doing it.

          Besides, I don’t clink elbows anyway. It always feels a little forced and awkward to me.

      2. Liam

        This comment section doesn’t have a like system, therefor I must tell you myself.

        Yotomoe, your reply made me “lol.” Exquisitely executed. Very well done indeed.

  2. meanderling

    Becky’s laying it on rather thick isn’t she

    1. meanderling

      Alternatively: rub a dub dub, thank the lord for this grub

      1. BarerMender

        “Rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub, yay, God.”

        1. DinaJoyce

          Also “God’s neat, let’s eat!” (my personal favorite).

        2. Chris Phoenix

          God’s fine, let’s dine.

          And after dinner: God’s great, we ate.

        3. Andrew Weil

          During dinner: god’s groovy, pass the gravy.

        4. clif

          Pikers! I’ve always been fond of the lawyer’s prayer (from Roger Zelazny I believe.)

          Insofar as I may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what I say, I ask, if it matters, that you be forgiven for anything you may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. Conversely, if not forgiveness but something else may be required to insure any possible benefit for which you may be eligible after the consumption of nutrition or the destruction of your body, I ask that this, whatever it may be, be granted or withheld, as the case may be, in such a manner as to insure your receiving said benefit. I ask this in my capacity as your elected intermediary between yourself and that which may not be yourself, but which may have an interest in the matter of your receiving as much as it is possible for you to receive of this thing, and which may in some way be influenced by this ceremony. Amen.

        5. Leorale

          Behold the rare Jewish version, which my partner and I invented over time:

          Hamotzi lechem min haaretz, we give thanks to God for bread
          Hamotzi lechem min haaretz, all these voices in my head!
          Do re mi fa so, la-da-di-di-do-oh!
          And we poor sailors go skipping ’round the top
          while the landlubbers lie down below below below
          while the landlubbers lie down below!

          (and then it continues into the normal Hebrew blessing over bread.)

          Someday I’m going to accidentally sing it while teaching blessings to my little Hebrew School students, and I will never live it down.

        6. Nono

          Is that what you say during communion?

      2. Beef

        Rub-a-dub-dub, itadakimasu for the grub

        1. Dara

          lol xD

    2. Rainhat

      Ya think? “Becky: Laying It On Rather Thick” could be this strips alternate title.

    3. Deanatay

      Laying it on thick? The way Joyce is spreading Performative Christianity on her Atheism Sandwich?

      See, Joyce DOES use condiments!

      1. Reltzik

        But she’s obviously loathe to do so.

  3. Chris

    Okay, Becky definitely knows, and is going to keep on poking until Joyce admits it.

    1. UnfrozenNeanderthal

      Yeah, this is some weapons-grade passive aggression

    2. Keulen

      I wasn’t sure before, but now I’m definitely thinking Becky knows or at least suspects that Joyce no longer believes in god.

    3. Aislashu

      Yup, was coming to say this. Becky def knows and Joyce is oblivious about it haha.

    4. Liliet

      OH yeeeep.

    5. Carla's #2 Fan

      Yeah I was also getting that feeling and was gonna comment on it. I hope she does and is cool with it. That she’s just messing with Joyce cause she’s annoyed Joyce won’t tell her.

      1. clif

        Where is Mike when we need him?

  4. Kyrik Michalowski

    That was very convincing Joyce, I typically went with the boy scout prayer when I was forced to participate. Not that I remember it anymore.

    Also Becky’s sass and her love of macaroni and cheese speaks to me on a deep level.

    1. Luke Shumaker

      There are *so many* Boy Scout prayers. But the one that came to mind when I read your comment was the Superman Grace.

      (to the John Williams Superman theme, starting when the trumpet drops https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9vrfEoc8_g&t=44 )

      Thank you Lord, for giving us food
      Thank you Lord, for giving us food
      For the food we eat
      For the friends we meet
      Thank you Lord, for giving us food

      1. Kyrik Michalowski

        The one I was thinking of is Philmont Grace, which goes:

        For food, for raiment,
        For life, for opportunity,
        For friendship and fellowship
        We thank thee, O Lord.

  5. Sirksome

    Jury’s still out on if Becky’s trolling. I guess only Jesus would know now. Joyce should ask him!…Oh wait.

    1. C.T. Phipps

      I wonder if Cheesus would increase or decrease her faith.

      I admit, I liked the conversation with him over whether God existed or not.

  6. Cmasta1992

    This all feels very performative. She totally knows.

  7. Jason

    Joyce’s prayer is a big mood this year.

    Also Becky is absolutely right.

  8. C.T. Phipps

    I think Joyce’s big problem is that Becky has had it even worse and thinks that all the suckiness is a test.

    1. Needfuldoer

      That tracks with her telling Sarah but not Becky.

      1. C.T. Phipps

        Becky is the lesbian Job.

        “Yes, I had a bunch of crap happen but now my life is better!”

  9. StClair

    Yup.

  10. Doctor_Who

    Joyce’s aversion to stuff on her food means she has never known the joy of Arby’s Sauce packets.

    No wonder she’s unhappy.

    1. Dara

      Joyce loves Arby’s sauce packets. When she and Dorothy had lunch with Jacob and Raidah, she said she wants an infinite supply of them.

      https://www.dumbingofage.com/2018/comic/book-8/04-of-mike-and-men/salary/

      1. Dara

        Wasn’t there something about red condiments being safe, because ketchup? I’m pretty sure there was.

      2. Doctor_Who

        I stand very much corrected.

        I remember that strip, but completely forgot it was Joyce. Guess I assume anything fast food related is a Walky thing

      3. Deanatay

        Joyce loves the packets – not surprisingly, as they seem to be used as an unofficial betting currency among her friends. She’s never tasted the stuff inside them, and would be happier never having done so.

    2. Zarco

      Joyce apparently likes Arby’s sauce packets, she tells Jacob as much at Galasso’s at some point

  11. Endplanets

    Does cheese on mac still count as condiments? Joyce’s face in the last panel says yes. She can’t even look at that heathen.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Ingredients become part of the final dish, condiments adorn it after it hits your plate.

      You can’t have mac and cheese without cheese (the dust packet counts here), so cheese is an ingredient.

      (As far as I understand Joyce’s food rules, anyway…)

      1. Marsh Maryrose

        Joyce’s food rules are seem to be the same as Willis’s apparently are (on twitter): both ironclad and arbitrary

        1. Needfuldoer

          He works eats in mysterious ways.

  12. Stephen Bierce

    “for your stomach’s sake.”

  13. Qube

    begone, o infernal temptress ketchup

    1. Stephen Bierce

      *plays Mike Nesmith’s “One Ton Tomato” on the hacked Muzak*

      1. clif

        No filthy red ichor for me, please.

      2. hof1991

        Deep cut on an artist that almost no one under fifty will recognize. Good job.

        1. JaneDoe

          Well, I’m 35 and I recognize the artist’s name! Not the song though, I’m more familiar with his work with Davy Jones, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork 😉

        2. Stephen Bierce

          OTHER MARIACHI MUSICIAN TO MIKE: Es ‘Guan-tan-a-me-jo’.

  14. BBCC

    Becky, she wants it to taste GOOD, not gag worthy.

    1. C.T. Phipps

      The Lord tastes like mustard!

      1. Bryy

        No, he tastes like sweet iced tea.

        1. BarerMender

          Damn it, I loved sweet iced tea. Until now.

  15. Sirksome

    I’m kinda feeling a little bad for Joyce now. Like if Becky is teasing her here I hope she stops soon and just talks to her friend cause this is clearly bothering Joyce a lot and a joke is only funny for so long.

    1. clif

      You have met Becky?

      I mean she could go back to her Dorothy is her best enemy stich.

    2. Beef

      Becky doesn’t do anything in moderation and it’s *really* grating here

  16. Tarpo

    Rub-a-dub-dub
    Thanks for the grub.
    Yaaaay god!

    1. threePwny

      I once used that on my fiance’s ultra-conservative parents (out for ice cream, I don’t have a death wish) and they actually loved it. I was… shook. Didn’t know folk who reminded me of Ross (sans kidnapping) knew how to have fun at the expense of religious seriousness

      1. Sunny

        Context matters, I think. At a large and more formal family dinner they would probably have found it less funny and appropriate, but out for ice cream it seems fine.

  17. ADLegend21

    DRAG HA!

  18. I Should Be Working

    As my dad’s side of the family would say, “Father, Son, Holy Ghost, eat the fastest, get the most. Amen.”

  19. Reltzik

    Okay, IF Becky knows, she’s clearly miffed at Joyce.

    If she’s miffed at Joyce for not being honest wit her, okay, fair’s fair, maybe not the best way to play it but that’s a halfway-justifiable thing to be upset about.

    (Only halfway, though. Joyce gets to leave that closet when she’s damn well and ready, even if that’s not on Becky’s schedule. Nuking closets from orbit isn’t for everyone.)

    On the other hand if Becky’s miffed about Joyce becoming an atheist… and that’s NOT the same thing as Dina, apostates get it worse than never-Christian-in-the-first-place… hooo boy. Becky, girl, I will have words for you, and they will not be pleasant.

    1. Demoted Oblivious

      Good luck cracking the fourth wall. But if you need recruits for wacky shenanigans to get to Willis and hijinks to have him art up you berating Becky, I know a guy.

      1. Reltzik

        Eh, I’m willing to berate Becky through the fourth wall, even if she can’t actually hear it.

    2. PB

      Honestly I’m guessing she’s cool with it but wants to know how far Joyce will go with this.

  20. not someone else

    I know, I know, nobody IC is actually complaining about her behavior so it’s hilarious, but god damn, Becky is lucky she’s got such good friends. I think I’ve realized why I don’t like her- she’s got every annoying asshole habit I had at 18-19 except she gets to be out and surrounded by people who care about her and take care of her without her constantly having to do damage control from a combination of their bigotry and her shitty behavior. Kinda the same reason some people are annoyed at Walky.

    Now I wonder if she’s acting like thay because she’s constantly ten seconds away from a manic episode slash nervous breakdown like I was. It would make sense given some of the things she’s been through.

    1. Vabolo

      I mean, she lost her mother to suicide, her father tried to force her back into his shitty world via gunthreat before getting hammer to the head’d, she was briefly dodging homelessness by bunking with her unrequited childhood crush, and has had to come to terms with an identity her upbringing vilified. Pretty sure her coping mechanisms were working overtimd!

      1. not someone else

        Her life is not great, no; and it’s nice that people take that into account for her.

  21. Portland

    I work at a religious school, and I’ve never seen college kids say grace over dining hall food before. Is that a thing that people do?

    1. Thursday Violist

      I do that

    2. DinaJoyce

      One of my college friends and I had an unspoken prayer battle. I was firmly in the “Hi God, yay food, amen” camp. He favored more theologically robust prayers. We would egg each other on by going farther and farther to our own extremes. This was usually at campus ministry events (not just praying over food) but could extend to the cafeteria if everybody at our table at the time happened to be praying sorts. By the time we graduated my prayers had gotten to roughly “yo God, whazzzzzup! Amen”
      And his were something like “most gracious and merciful heavenly father, we beseech your favor upon this most bountiful blessing of sustenance (continue like this for like 2 solid min), in the name of the mighty father and of the most humble son, and the blessed holy spirit, amen.” In a super sanctimonious voice. I think we both always managed to keep a straight face. It was fun.

      1. justin8448

        This sounds like a good time. Thanks for sharing!

    3. Beef

      It probably depends on your location, I’m pretty sure people who say grace do it for all meals don’t they? I’ve seen plenty of customers say grace (albeit usually silently) at the restaurant I work at

  22. brionl

    Rub-a-dub-dub,
    Thanks for the grub.

    1. threePwny

      Yay God!

  23. Chaucer59

    Oh, FFS, Joyce, just say, “I’m having a crisis of faith, so I’m not sure u really believe any more.”

  24. Thursday Violist

    Just literally put condiments on *everything*
    put it on your food
    put it on your homework
    put it on your roommate
    put it on the soap
    put it everywhere

    1. Rabid Rabbit

      One day, Joyce is gonna snap and try, like, a billion condiments.

      1. Agemegos

        Do not put chilli on tubesteak!

        1. Demoted Oblivious

          No chilli-cheese-dogs? Heresy! Burn the infidel!

      2. Needfuldoer

        Make a 50/50 mix of hickory barbecue sauce and Heinz ketchup, then add hot sauce to taste. Use in place of ketchup.

        1. clif

          I knew I liked you.

          I shall kill you last.

        2. Needfuldoer

          You’d better use the hot bbq-chup when cannibalism time comes or else I’ll haunt you.

  25. Nono

    Becky’s level of passive aggresiveness is actually getting extremely annoying, but that’s Becky.

    Just… rip the band-aid off, because it’s Joyce that’s going through the issue, and you don’t get to be all smug or fake-hurt that she’s not confiding in you about it when she has reason not to. It’s not about you.

  26. Gingerchris86

    Becky surely knows by this point and is just taking the piss yes?

  27. Alice Macher

    Heh… when I was in sixth grade, the non-denominational, all-purpose grace they had us sing, during our week-long stay at the Toronto Island Natural Science School, went like this:

    Oh the Lord is good to me
    And so I thank the Lord
    For giving me the things I need
    The sun and the rain and the appleseed
    The Lord is good to me

    To which some kids, already familiar with it, appended “Johnny Appleseed, Amen!” at the end. Not officially part of the grace of course.

    1. Techhead

      I, raised Pagan, learned the same prayer but with “Earth” substituted for “Lord”

      1. justin8448

        A multi-use prayer!

    2. Reaver

      Thats.. a song from a disney short lmao

      1. clif

        Have an Internet for a good catch and a good memory.

        If you’re making it up, have a billion Internets.

  28. abysswatcher1993

    I thank the people that make the food for me, though I should also thank the animals that were slaughtered for feeding me and other random people, though that is pointless since the dead can’t hear us. I guess we can only thank those that are here with us.

    1. Geneseepaws

      Isn’t that one of the sticking points? Are the dead, dead? Loose souls running around, some up, some down, and some religions believe that animals have a life spirit too, that needs to be placated, much as the humans’ souls need to be pacified.
      (I have it on some authority that they put John Paul Jones in a lead lined coffin and soldered it shut. To keep the spirits in.)

      1. clif

        In fairness, you can imbibe a lot of spirits in the course of a naval career.

      2. Demoted Oblivious

        Hmmm… a quick search indicated that yes, to keep the spirits in – specifically alcohol – as the lead coffin was sealed to keep the alcohol that would preserve the body so it could be returned to the US, which aparently took 100+ years to make the pickup.

  29. ReFlex76

    A: “Would you say grace?”

    B: “Ok. Grace.”

    A: “Thanks. Why do you think people make such a big deal about that?”

  30. theKOT

    As someone who lost faith but still performs for family, Joyce’s face while clasping her hands hits home. But thanks to all the experience I’m quite the resistance/avalon player.

  31. Ghastly

    She just screams “GRACE” like the Lost Boys from Hook and tears into her blank-burger

    1. RacingTurtle

      I can see some of this comic’s Christians doing that and meaning it. Becky, of course, and also maybe Sierra or Danny?

  32. Bicycle Bill

    Oh, God —
    somebody else made this,
    and we paid for it ourselves,
    so thanks for nuthin’.
    Amen.

    1. Deanatay

      Ah, the Bart Simpson prayer.

  33. rachel

    I had mac and cheese for lunch and seeing becky eat it makes me want it again even though I just had it ;_;

    1. leaf

      Dude, have the Mac and cheese. Life is short.

      1. Needfuldoer

        Even shorter if you eat nothing but mac and cheese.

        1. clif

          A fair point.

  34. RacingTurtle

    My guess is that Becky either knows about Joyce’s change in beliefs and is being passive-aggressive about it, or Becky is feeling odd about being a Christian at a “secular” institution and overcompensating for it. Either way, her behavior today is A Lot.

    1. StClair

      I’m guessing it’s probably the former, possibly the latter.
      But Becky is always A Lot.

  35. Bagge

    If Jesus really loves us, how can there be food touching other food?

  36. Jordan

    Yeah, this really makes me think she’s just hamming it up because she knows something is different.

  37. Reaver

    Becky’s being realllllly mean to Joyce 🙁

    1. clif

      Joyce is being mean to Joyce. Becky is helping.

  38. clif

    Two strips in a row, there’s no tag for The Cheese.

    Though, in fairness, there’s no tags for Mac either.

    1. Needfuldoer

      Mac went over a cliff in a wheelchair back in the first season. We just don’t talk about it anymore, like Chuck Cunningham.

    2. Sombrero

      Joyce no longer believes in The Cheese, that’s why there’s no tag.

  39. Keulen

    “Dear God, we paid for all this stuff ourselves, so thanks for nothing.”

  40. Morenin

    Father, Son, Holy Ghost, whoever eats the fastest gets the most! (Stolen from my Irish Catholic uncles and aunts during the 1930’s-40’s. Right before the paddle came out…)

  41. Juanoku

    I dunno Becky, i mean, have you tried condiments? Oh, you did? See there’s the problem

  42. Dara

    Okay, leaving aside all the bad shit, I was briefly in the custody of exactly one (1) good parental figure. Not for long, which is too bad, but he was the only good one. And the alt-tag prayer? He said it. Except I think it was “Good God” instead of “Good Lord.” So this is hilarious to me. xD

  43. Ray Radlein

    You can’t put condiments on YOUR DEAD PARENTS, Becky

    1. Liam

      Says who?

      1. clif

        If you are a Buddhist it can be a way to pay respect to your parents.

        Admittedly it might be little more traditional to offer their favorite foods and condiments in front of them, but the spirit is what counts.

  44. Chronos

    So…does Becky already know Joyce is agnostic and is trying to get Joyce to say so out loud? I’m kinda wondering.

    1. BenRG

      It might be me but I’m getting the impression that she’s getting some pleasure out of needling Joyce and pressuring her into acts of hypocracy.

      1. clif

        Mike’s spirit had to go somewhere. You can’t destroy a force of nature.

  45. iain

    Becky already knows. Joyce and she had a conversation previously where Joyce doubted the existence of God.

    Becky got angry because she still Believed even after her mom committed suicide.

    1. Jake'm

      Was that during the party? I know Joyce had the dream involving Rich Mullins where Becky had that viewpoint (hopefully that link works), but I don’t recall explicitly if they had the proper conversation along those lines…

      1. Needfuldoer

        I think it was this comic, and the following one.

        https://www.dumbingofage.com/2019/comic/book-10/01-birthday-pursuit/drop-2/

  46. Chris

    Condiments are tools of the Devil, and causing mixing and touching of food groups, again, part of the Devil’s ways….

    1. clif

      You’ve obviously never combined Arby’s sauce with their packets of Horsey sauce.

  47. Deanatay

    “But… ketchup is GROSS. And mustard burns my tongue.”

    “What about Worcestershire sauce?”

    “THE WORST-ershire”

  48. John

    I am honestly starting to find Becky really obnoxious.

    1. BarerMender

      I never have liked her. Because she’s obnoxious, innit?

  49. Rabisch

    You need spices in your life.

  50. FacelessDeviant

    I guess its like they say. “God helps those who help themselves, to condiments”.

    Also c’mon Joyce. Rip that bandaid off.

  51. Brighter Side

    You’d think after all that trauma, a little burger topping wouldn’t be that scary.
    But I do love Becky’s condiment slam. She’s the character who’s dealt with the most (apart from the dead, I suppose), so she has carte blanche to call people out.

  52. Marsh Maryrose

    “To Whom it may concern, by some means this sustenance has come to us, and we are glad for it”

    1. Council

      ‘Our ingestion of it thus far appeared fortuitous – by these means, we assume them to be edible. Expect a stronger statement of thanks in absence of poisoning.’

  53. Mel

    Me last comic: I’m pretty sure Becky is fucking with her
    Me this comic: Okay Becky is absolutely fucking with her

  54. ziggy78eog

    Point goes to Becky; condiments dose make food, and therefore life in general, better.

  55. Wakeangel2001

    I’m not a condiment guy, but I love me some toppings, for a burger a dash of diced onion and a couple pickle slices are magic, but if there’s ketchup on it you may as well present me with a rotten banana peel on a plate.

  56. Robbie

    My grandpa (to counter my father’s looong “dear heavenly father” family reunion prayers) would say “pass the taters, pass the meat, good God, let’s eat!”

  57. Kittygurl

    Wow… I used to like Becky, but she’s really being such a jerk. I’m hoping this is just her coping with all her trauma but… jeez… saying such horrible things this panel and the last few panels….

  58. Fetch85

    I feel bad for Joyce here. She doesn’t want to lose her religion. Like this seems even more than just “agnostic”. She seems to directly think something is out there, she just seems as if she thinks if she doesn’t agree with the fundamentalist interpretation of christianity she was brought up with, there’s nothing there for her. She needs to meet a unitarian (or any of the other infinite sects) that just tells her she’s allowed her own personal interpretation and relationship with her god.

    But I’m an atheist, so maybe I’m not the best judge here.

  59. Lingo

    I love the colors in this one. Especially panel 3. I think it was a preview image, if I remember correctly.

  60. Saucy Jack

    I get that the whole mom-is-crazy-and-goes-to-crazytown-church-which-knowingly-or-not-funded-a-murder-spree thing has thrown Joyce and her faith for a loop. But I mean, Becky went through the same events as Joyce (though arguably WORSE, since Becky’s dad was actually one of the main players, unlike Joyce’s mom who essentially was just cheering him on from the sidelines) and Becky still doesn’t seem to have lost her faith.

    I get that everyone’s religious journey is different; I’m just trying to figure out why Joyce is having such a hard time when it seems like Becky isn’t.

    1. BBCC

      Becky’s more willing to attribute things that were wrong to things humans got wrong rather than god’s validity. For instance, clearly their church was incorrect about God’s feelings on lesbians because God CLEARLY answers lesbian prayers. Joyce’s faith is more likely to break before it bends like that.

      1. thejeff

        Becky was also always more of a rebel. She had never invested all of her faith in the adults around her being right, the way Joyce had.

  61. Dustfeather

    I went to a Welsh church school where we had to say grace before lunch, and by “grace” I mean “Diolch am y bwyd; amen” (“Thanks for the food; amen”).

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