The Task of Happiness: human suffering and Christian joy

(Vatican Radio) We bring you a reflection by Dominican Preacher and poet Father Paul Murray which is part of a series by the title of 'The Task of Happiness: human suffering and Christian joy'.

Listen to Dominican preacher and poet Father Paul Murray in a programme produced by Veronica Scarisbrick:

In this programme (part 5 of the series) Father Murray speaks to us  of what he refers to as the third road to joy: ".. the path that is most unexpected of all, the path that is most paradoxical. For here joy is attained by what is apparently is its very opposite, namely by the experience of suffering. But how since it is so often destructive of human happiness can suffering bring joy? In the Gospel Jesus links these two words, these two realities together in an astonishing way:  'Happy are you', he says, 'when people hate you, when they exclude and insult you. Rejoice and leap for joy on that day'..."