Padre Pio: a happy man!

Padre Pio endeavored throughout his life to dispel any notions that he was anything other than an ordinary person. He never gave up learning, creating, and telling an inexhaustible repertoire of jokes and anecdotes that he told to those who visited him. From testimonies collected from those who were closest to him we are able to get a sense of Padre Pio’s humor.
 
It was enough to look at or listen to him when he told anecdotes and jokes: each word or gesture was crafted to create just the right atmosphere for a cheerful laugh. 
He made good use of the small scraps of time that his ministry allowed him. With humorous stories that had an educational and moral purpose, he would add just the right “pinch of salt” to his conversations with others that kept things focused and interesting. Always lively and brilliant, he entertained the brothers in the garden or on the veranda next to his cell. He knew how to spread joy to those around him. His wit and hilarity were infectious, and it was impossible to escape the spontaneous joy that accompanied his presence. There are many pictures that attest to that. 

Padre Pio's eyes unleashed a unique light and vivacity that manifested the divine joy in his heart. Most remarkably, he was able to do this while bearing his multiple moral and physical sufferings.

One of Padre Pio's jokes:  A fellow priest asked for prayers because he was going to the doctor for bad headaches. When the priest returned a week later, he reported, “They didn’t find anything in my head.” Padre Pio replied, “That is something that we already knew.”