Photo by Irina Murza on Unsplash
For those of a particular generation, a certain phrase brings the Smothers Brothers to mind. “Mom always liked you best!”
While it was a line meant in comedy, there is no more difficult human emotion than jealousy. When we see someone who has a relationship we want, or an item we want, we can become consumed with jealousy. And it is not an emotion we can easily contain or even admit to.
Jealousy arises, I think, from a lack of appreciation. When we cannot see our own blessings we long for perceived blessings. When someone has the “next best thing” we want it too. Jealousy can be a really ugly thing.
It was jealousy that caused the brothers of Joseph to try to kill him, eventually selling him into slavery. It was jealousy we see in the parable of the workers in the vineyard, who are not satisfied with God’s generosity.
Saint Augustine reminds us that our hearts are restless until the rest in God. The penance we do in Lent is to turn our eyes to the Lord, seeking what the Lord values, and loving like the Lord does. We are to remove from our midst all sin from our lives.
Let us pray.
Dear Jesus, become more and more aware of all of the blessings you have given to me. Help me to see that my desire should be to serve you and to please you. When I seek to fill myself by my own efforts alone, I am never satisfied. Help me to seek to rest in you, so that I may experience your deep peace. I make this prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Music: Cheezy Piano Medley by Alexander Nakarada
Link: https://filmmusic.io/song/4833-cheezy-piano-medley
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
