‘Is it right to be happy when so many people in the world are suffering?’ asks Rose in the novel, The Enchanted April. Written in 1921, it's a question people still ask today. Rose relishes the prospect of a holiday on the Italian Riviera but feels guilty spending money on herself, which could provide stout winter boots and much else for poor children in London. Her life centres on ‘God, Husband, Home and Duty’ which she feels should make her happy but it is not enough. Her new friend Lottie persuades her ‘it would really be unselfish to go away and be happy for a little while, because we would come back so much nicer’ and Lottie is right. Being happy creates ripples that spread out and bring happiness to others.

God is not the ‘spoilsport killjoy’ some people imagine! The gospels show Jesus spending time with friends, enjoying food and wine, relishing the beauty of the world around him and doing good to everyone who seeks his help. We can follow his example. Happiness and goodness - our call to care for others - are not mutually exclusive!