19.04.2023 – Villanueva del Arzobispo

For God so loved the world … love conquers all jealousy

Acts 5:17-26, Psalm 33: 2-9, John 3:16-21

In the first reading we just listened to, we read that the decision to arrest the apostles and put them in prison by the high priest and the Sadducees was out of jealousy. “They were filled with jealousy.” But one may ask? What exactly were they jealous about? That they were preaching and proclaiming a resurrected Jesus to others?

Jealousy is like a cancer that grows silently, hidden in the body as it eats away at the healthy tissue. Jealousy eats away at our self-esteem and at our love of neighbor. It is hard to love someone when your energy and attention is focused on the things that they have and the things that you do not have. The influence of social media has made jealousy epidemic in our culture today. Seeing others’ perfectly curated lives inflames our jealousy and increases our dissatisfaction with our own lives.

Jealousy leads to hatred. Hatred leads to murder and persecution like we read in the first reading today. When we allow ourselves to be consumed with so much jealousy and hatred for the other let´s not forget the words of today´s psalmist: “The Lord hears the cry of the poor.” When we persecute and castigate others just because we are jealous about what they are doing well or who they are, when they cry to the Lord, the Lord will vindicate and rescue them like the case of the Apostles in today´s first reading.

Today´s gospel tells us that in the end, we have absolutely no need of jealousy because we possess that which is more precious than clothes, jewelry, and fancy vacations. We are loved by God so abundantly that he gave his only Son to deliver us from death and bring us to eternal life – a gift beyond all others. By focusing on the light that Christ brought into the world, we can banish the darkness of jealousy from our hearts.

Are you still jealous about others? Their wealth, their success story, etc? Remember that you are loved unconditionally by God and that you are created unique and irrepeatable; that you are beautifully and wonderfully made. Repeat it many times and begin to heal yourself from the cancer of jealousy before it destroys you and the beautiful plan God has for you.

Peace be with you!

Advertisement