Friday of the Second Week of Lent
GN 37:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A
PS 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
MT 21:33-43, 45-46
As our Lenten journey continues, we dive deeper into how Christ is calling us to become better disciples. Particularly, in the readings from today, we are challenged to take a look at the debilitating power of envy. When somebody is envious, they are resentful towards another person and their possessions or achievements. As humans, we have such a competitive nature about us. Always wanting to be the best of the best, doing whatever it takes to get there. When the expectations that we set for ourselves are not obtained and we see that another person has something that we desire, we can become envious- wanting what another person has and wishing ill of them.
In the First Reading (Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28), we take a look at the story of Joseph the son of Israel. In particular, these verses focus in on Joseph’s brothers and how they perceived Joseph. Joseph’s brothers felt as though their father, Israel, loved Joseph the best of all of his sons. His brothers began to resent Joseph and decided that they were going to get rid of him. Joseph’s brothers were so focused in on how much love that Israel was giving Joseph that they failed to recognize how much love they were being given as well.
Envy clouds our judgment and we become so fixated on what another person has that we don’t. When we start to envy and desire different worldly pleasures such as possessions, achievements, or talents- our center is shifted. We begin to chase things that do not fulfill us, things that are not ours. Lucky for us, we have an all- merciful God who is righteous and whose love never wavers. A God who sends His only son, Jesus Christ, to come down to this Earth and show us how much we are loved. To reveal to us that those envious thoughts and desires will not fulfill us, nor will they sustain us. The only one who can fulfill us is the one that died on the cross because He could not bear the thought of living a life in eternity without you.
Carly Haynes is a junior studying Communication Sciences and Disorders.
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