Second Friday of Lent

So Joseph went after his brothers and caught up with them in Dothan. They noticed him from a distance, and before he came up to them, they plotted to kill him. They said to one another: "Here comes that master dreamer! Come on, let us kill him and throw him into one of the cisterns here; we could say that a wild beast devoured him. We shall then see what comes of his dreams."

Jealousy is a vice we must always be on guard against. It can worm its way into our hearts and eat away at us. It can devour our virtues and turn our minds, hearts, souls, and strengths against God and His children. When we see something good happen to someone else, we should rejoice, even if that person is an enemy or rival. We should not take their success as an affront, but rather praise God for His Goodness to all. We may feel like we’ve gotten the short end of the stick, but that is only the case if we allow jealousy into our hearts. If instead, we are content and at peace with whatever God gives us, then we shall see our own dreams come true. Perhaps not in the way we expected, but in the way that is best for us and our souls.

Are we jealous of anyone? How can we rid ourselves of this jealousy? What can we do to guard against jealous thoughts and the temptations they bring?

O Lord, give us hearts full of charity and mercy.

Amen.