St. Joe's Consecration Day 10: The Vice of Envy and the Virtue of Love

 1 Peter 2:1-3

Rid yourself of all malice and all deceit, insincerity, envy, and all slander; like newborn infants, long for pure spiritual milk so that through it you may grow into salvation, for you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Love finds joy when another is successful. To love another is to be willing to suffer for them. When someone we love is given gifts or graces, we celebrate with them. 

. . . (Jesus and Mary) possessed gifts and graces that St. Joseph could never possess . . . He longed, not to possess or grasp for what they had, but to be a gift to them and humbly receive what they desired to give him -- their love. . . 

To love others with this kind of disinterested love means to first receive the love that God has for us. . . When we are missing this foundation, we will constantly be looking at the gifts of others as things that could give us value instead. 

From Consecration to Jesus through Saint Joseph:

An Integrated Look at the Holy Family

(pp. 40-41)

Bottaro and Settle

Do you long for things that others possess?

Yes, especially a stable family life. 

Do you compare yourself to others?

Yes, whether it's advancement in their vocations or markers of worldly success or adulthood that I lack, I do compare myself to others. I wonder what my life would be like if I had the parental love I needed or certain physical gifts or an earlier emotional maturity that comes from security in love. 

Do you wish that others didn't have the gifts and spiritual graces they do?

Sometimes, they less frequently. For example, I sometimes feel a pang of jealousy when I see engagement announcements or couples' vacation photos or the birth of children. Or I see others professional advances and experience momentary envy. 

I'm better able to happily appreciate the spiritual graces that others receive. 

Are you sad or joyful when a friend receives something you wish you had?

I'm usually joyful. I like to celebrate with friends and recognize and affirm their success and talent. 

Are you willing to suffer for the good of the other?

Yes, but I have to catch myself when I am stressed or tired. My generosity and attention for others can plummet to zero in those situations. 

Are you at peace with what the Father has given you?

No. There's more work and prayer and humility before that can happen. I need to ponder and meditate and God's great love for me. The more I pray and graciously receive His love, the more I can be at peace.