COULD IT BE ENVY?
Wednesday in the 4th Week of Lent
Jn 5:17-30
Lucifer rallied a host of angels against God because he himself wanted to be god. Together with his cohorts, Lucifer was defeated and became the anti-thesis of God. Lucifer, who once was the most beautiful of the angels, became the ugly face of evil. He, whose name meant ‘light’, became the prince of darkness. Envy darkened the angel of light.
Perhaps, those who persecute Jesus were envious of Him for calling God His Father. Behind their accusations of blasphemy could really be envy. For why should they persecute someone who regarded God as a Father?
Jesus was too original for His persecutors. No one referred to God as “Father” before Jesus called Him “Abba”. Jesus openly expressed what His persecutors had long wanted to say: “God is a Father.” Jesus said the prayer that His persecutors had long wanted to pray: “Our Father.”
There are times when we find ourselves suspicious of others even when they do nothing wrong at all. There are times when we exert effort in finding fault in others even when their motives are pure. There are times when we persecute others even when they are good. Why? Could it be because we are envious?
When we are envious, let us remember Lucifer. He was an angel of light but, because of envy, he became the prince of darkness. When we are envious, let us remember those who put Jesus to death. They could have been among His first disciples but, because of envy, they became His persecutors. When we are envious, let us remember Jesus. He could have kept the Father to Himself but, because of love, He shared His very own Father with us.
God is not only for Jesus. He is for us, too. God is a Father not only to Jesus. He is our Father, too. God is a Father not only to us. He is a Father even for those who refuse to be His children.
That Jesus was condemned to death because He called God “Father” is the height of envy, if not insanity. Every human soul cries out to God to be its Father. And that includes the souls of those who persecute Jesus. Should Jesus be persecuted for revealing the innermost desire of every heart? Should Jesus be condemned for calling God “Father” and sharing His Father with us? Should Jesus be crucified for living His life as an obedient Son of so loving a Father? He should not be! And yet He was.
Every time we envy others, we persecute Jesus. Every time we act on our envy towards others, we condemn Jesus. Every time we stubbornly persist with our envy towards others, we crucify Jesus. We are no better than Lucifer. We are no better than those who put Jesus to death.
If we are no better than Lucifer, how can we live with God forever? If we are no better than those who put Jesus to death, how can we come to know the joy He brings? If we are envious of others, how can we belong to the family of God’s children?
Jn 5:17-30
Lucifer rallied a host of angels against God because he himself wanted to be god. Together with his cohorts, Lucifer was defeated and became the anti-thesis of God. Lucifer, who once was the most beautiful of the angels, became the ugly face of evil. He, whose name meant ‘light’, became the prince of darkness. Envy darkened the angel of light.
Perhaps, those who persecute Jesus were envious of Him for calling God His Father. Behind their accusations of blasphemy could really be envy. For why should they persecute someone who regarded God as a Father?
Jesus was too original for His persecutors. No one referred to God as “Father” before Jesus called Him “Abba”. Jesus openly expressed what His persecutors had long wanted to say: “God is a Father.” Jesus said the prayer that His persecutors had long wanted to pray: “Our Father.”
There are times when we find ourselves suspicious of others even when they do nothing wrong at all. There are times when we exert effort in finding fault in others even when their motives are pure. There are times when we persecute others even when they are good. Why? Could it be because we are envious?
When we are envious, let us remember Lucifer. He was an angel of light but, because of envy, he became the prince of darkness. When we are envious, let us remember those who put Jesus to death. They could have been among His first disciples but, because of envy, they became His persecutors. When we are envious, let us remember Jesus. He could have kept the Father to Himself but, because of love, He shared His very own Father with us.
God is not only for Jesus. He is for us, too. God is a Father not only to Jesus. He is our Father, too. God is a Father not only to us. He is a Father even for those who refuse to be His children.
That Jesus was condemned to death because He called God “Father” is the height of envy, if not insanity. Every human soul cries out to God to be its Father. And that includes the souls of those who persecute Jesus. Should Jesus be persecuted for revealing the innermost desire of every heart? Should Jesus be condemned for calling God “Father” and sharing His Father with us? Should Jesus be crucified for living His life as an obedient Son of so loving a Father? He should not be! And yet He was.
Every time we envy others, we persecute Jesus. Every time we act on our envy towards others, we condemn Jesus. Every time we stubbornly persist with our envy towards others, we crucify Jesus. We are no better than Lucifer. We are no better than those who put Jesus to death.
If we are no better than Lucifer, how can we live with God forever? If we are no better than those who put Jesus to death, how can we come to know the joy He brings? If we are envious of others, how can we belong to the family of God’s children?
posted by Fr. Bobby @ 4:00 PM
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