Matthew McConaughey went to the Vatican with some weighty questions. He came away having discovered another side to Pope Leo.

When Matthew McConaughey met Pope Leo at the Vatican earlier this month, he didn't arrive short of conversation topics. The Oscar-winning actor had some pretty weighty issues on his mind, from the place of religion in today's world to the extraordinary questions being raised by artificial intelligence.

Speaking on TODAY, McConaughey explained why the opportunity to meet Leo has meant so much to him.

“It was an honor to go meet someone who is in the position of the moral compass of the world, not just the Catholic Church.”

It's quite a statement, particularly coming from someone who isn't Catholic himself. McConaughey, a Christian who has spoken openly about the importance of faith in his life, explained that he'd wanted to talk about “religion today” and “religion and AI” — subjects that happen to be particularly close to Leo's heart.

In May, the Pontiff devoted his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, to artificial intelligence and the need to ensure that rapidly developing technology remains at the service of human beings rather than the other way around. He has called for AI to be guided by moral responsibility and the fundamental dignity of every person.

So there was certainly no shortage of material for the two men to get their teeth into.

Yet McConaughey's reflections on the short meeting took a rather more unexpected turn when the conversation moved to humor.

Over the years, the actor has met a number of people he considers deeply spiritual and holy, and he told the TODAY host Craig Melvin that he'd noticed something they tend to have in common:

“They all have a great sense of humor.”

Which naturally left Melvin with one very important question: Hmm, the Pope's funny?

McConaughey's answer was wonderfully relaxed:

“I think he gets a good wisecrack.”

It's a tiny glimpse behind the formality that inevitably surrounds the papacy. Most of us see Leo delivering homilies, greeting dignitaries, addressing enormous crowds or dealing with some of the most serious questions facing the world. We don't often get to see the moment when somebody says something funny and the Pope fires back.

And McConaughey may be onto something with his observation about spiritual people. Humor and faith make surprisingly good companions. Being able to laugh — particularly at ourselves — requires us to recognize that we aren't quite as important as we occasionally imagine. It can puncture pride, ease awkwardness, and bring two people together remarkably quickly.

It's also worth remembering that the Gospels themselves are not devoid of striking, even comic images: Jesus talks about someone noticing a splinter in another person's eye while apparently wandering around with a wooden beam protruding from his own.

For McConaughey, who arrived hoping to discuss religion, technology, and the moral questions facing the modern world, the meeting clearly offered plenty to think about. But it also revealed a rather appealing detail about the man occupying the Chair of St. Peter. Apparently, Pope Leo knows his way around a wisecrack.

The actor talks about his meeting with the pope from 4 minutes 20 in the video below: