Avoiding harm in comparing yourself to others: Getting Ready for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Avoiding harm is a good thing. How much time do we spend comparing ourselves to others? Almost always when we do so, there is a sort of harm that comes to us. We can find ourselves not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough, not rich enough, not athletic enough, not popular enough.

Avoiding Harm in Comparing Yourself to Others

The readings for this weekend.

When we compare ourselves to others, we do not usually compare ourselves to the same person, but a whole bunch of people. And this type of comparison is usually a problem because it does not mean we see ourselves accurately.

On the other hand, another way comparing ourselves to others can be a problem concerns looking at others we know and saying, “Well, I’m not that bad.” We can compare ourselves to others in a way that selectively focuses on the good things about us at the expense of identifying the ways in which we can grow.

The solution, of course, is to focus on Jesus. Of course, none of us are divine, but when we focus on Jesus, we state the most important truth. We are sinners who stand in the need of the mercy Jesus gives. Avoid the harm of comparing yourself to others by offering to him your repentance and your desire to grow, and he helps you to do those things that make it happen.

Think about this? In what ways do you compare yourself to others? And in what way does Jesus want to help you to grow?

You can listen to my homilies, including this one on avoiding harm, on my website. I will post it after I give it.