Have you ever been in a situation where you hear about the family member or someone who lives close to you winning a good deal of money, inheriting it, or basically coming across some windfall in their lives that causes you to look at them and wonder, "why not me?" When Jesus was on the Earth he did a great deal of healing.
The sick.
The diseased.
The possessed.
The dead.
Jesus was able to heal people at an alarming rate and I think a large part of the rejection of the Pharisee, Sadducees and Scribes had to do with the sense of entitlement. They felt that because of their position in society, because they prayed more, because they were the first in the Temple, because they were the ones who advised everyone on how to be holy, that somehow they deserved the healing that was being given to people that seemed to not take God so seriously.
Prostitutes.
Tax collectors.
Beggars.
Sinners.
Are we the same way? Do we feel that our parish should only be giving resources to the people who are "dedicated" to those who fit the mold of someone who "gives of time, talent, and treasure?" Did you think in the last week that somehow you were going to get some type of reward that would make everyone envious and ask how you could be so holy? Have you become a Pharisee?
Jesus made it clear that we are to be sanctified and to whom more is given more is expected. Have we thought about how much has been given to us? Have we thought about how much Jesus wants from us? Sure, we may not need the extreme healing that you see in the Gospels, but does that means we should be angry when someone else is blessed?
Remember, saints are those that are with God in Heaven.
God has told us what we need to do to be saints.
God has told us the type of people he would like to hang out with in Heaven.
God made each of us to be those type of people with our own unique gifts and abilities.
Satan attacks those qualities in us by tempting us into thinking that being "that type of person" is not going to make us happy, not going to fulfill us, not going to give us the real pleasure of doing things that go against what God wants.
Today we look at Envy.
When you hear about the success of someone else, do you immediately resent that person, thinking that you could do it better, that you deserve the accolades because of your hard work? You find this often when someone wins the lottery, or is watching one of those reality shows where the person is having their house redone because of some hardship they went through.
"I deserve that so much more!"
"I should have won that!"
If we have taken a step to remove pride and greed from our lives, then we need to address Envy. If we recognize that God is God and that we are not, then we need to let other people receive "glory" or "honor" or "respect" before we do and be genuinely happy for them. If we do that, then we need to recognize that "things" are never going to make us as happy as God so when another person comes into money, or another person receives prestige, or joy, or even gets that promotion, we need to rejoice. That is a difficult thing because it often means that we are lifting people up above ourselves. We are taking the back seat while someone else gets the attention. It means being supportive and happy of someone else's success.
We need to start to recognize that success and glory and honor are tremendous when they are given and deserved. It takes nothing away from us for someone else to be lifted up, to be honored, to receive a reward. We must learn to celebrate with them in that.
Think about it this way: if God is God then we should not be receiving any honor. All of our gifts come from God and it is important for us to give the credit where it is due. If someone else has a reason to be happy, share that happiness with them.
That is how God rejoices with you.
Questions for Reflection:
- When someone else is "lifted up" or glorified, do you feel deep down that you should be receiving glory because of all that you do, even if on the outside you don't let it show? Does that cause you to be angry with people when they don't know what they have done to deserve it?
- Do you find yourself looking at the neighbors, or the well-being of others, and wondering why it couldn't be easier for you, why God has not blessed you with that lottery ticket, that health, that house, that situation in life? How does this damage the way that you view
- How has envy damaged your relationships with others? Has their envy damaged you? Has your envy damaged them? What do you need to do to repair those
- Envy is unique in that it hurts you exclusively. It usually has no impact on the other person, and so is completely self-cannibalistic, devouring the self. What do you need to do to keep yourself from being devoured by
- Look at the situations where you are envious of others What are you missing in your own life that is causing you to desire these successes for yourself? What areas of your own life need improvement? What weakness is manifesting itself in envy?
- Find someone to congratulate on their success. Make it a point to allow yourself to recognize where envy is creeping up and ask yourself why. Identify the areas where you are being tempted into envy. Perhaps you are not surrendering those areas to Christ. Make an effort to do so.
- Write a note of congratulations to someone you have not congratulated. Apologize for being late in offering the congratulations.
- Spend a few minutes each day writing down things that you find are making you envious. Apply the Jesus prayer from yesterday to each of those situations. Try to make a point to confront your own envy and see how it is devouring you.
- Since envy damages us and our relationships with others, but usually from our own perspective, make a list of people that you may have lost touch with, or who you are not as close as you used to be. Make a point of inviting them out for coffee, or reaching out to them. If it is truly envy that has kept you from doing so, make an effort to give that relationship to God.
- Often envy leaves us ungrateful for the blessings that we have because we are focused on the blessings of others. Make a list of things in your life that you have been blessed with. Looking at that list, do you think that perhaps there are people who are envious of you? Might you have caused them to be envious because you knew that your success, if presented would cause it? Could you be more humble in your success so as not to tempt others in envy? What can you do to stop the cycle of envy in your own life?
Jesus Prayer:
(Every time you walk through a door) "Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
Anima Christi (Soul of Christ) (to be said in the morning)
Soul of Christ, sanctify me;
Body of Christ, save me;
Blood of Christ, inebriate me;
Water from the side of Christ, wash me;
Passion of Christ, strengthen me;
O my sweet Jesus hear me;
within your wounds hide me;
suffer me never to be separated from you;
from the malignant enemy defend me;
at the hour of my death call me; and bid me come to you;
that with your saints I may praise you forever. Amen.
