21 August 2019
Memorial of Saint Pius X, Pope
In today’s gospel, Jesus asks, “Are you envious because I am generous?”
Envy can be a strong and overpowering sentiment. It is born of comparison and arises when we believe someone has or is getting something better than we are getting. Suddenly, our worth comes into question, and we can either respond with anger or dejection. This dynamic is far too common in our world, and it often makes its way into our spiritual life.
It’s easy to feel that God favors someone more than us. This is especially true when we have been working hard on our spiritual life and they seem to be coasting along. The truth is, we are in no position to judge. Our vision is incredibly limited and myopic. But even if God were to be seemingly more generous to others, why should we be envious? Are we not brothers and sisters with equal worth walking towards the same Lord? In this, we should rejoice.