Born in Calahorra (
"Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; and they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" (Numbers 12:1-2)
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines envy as a painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage. This vice goes contrary to the virtue of contentment which is the best of all riches.
In today's first reading, we have seen this dreadful vice (envy) which come to play in the life of Miriam and Aaron. They were jealous of Moses, asking why should God spoke through him alone despite the fact that he married a Cushite woman?
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman; and they said, "Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?" (Numbers 12:1-2)
In their human calculation Moses was not qualified to be God's channel. God who is all-knowing and with surpassing greatness invited them to the tent of meeting where He inflicted punishment on Miriam for such utterances made against Moses.
Beloved in Christ, why do we take pleasure in using others as ladder to our greatness? Why do we always see speck in other eyes while ignoring log of wood in ours? Who made us a judge against one another? Why do we think that it is us only that merit that favour? Why do we suddenly forget that there is nothing that we have that was not given to us for the good of others? These and many mind blowing questions begged for answers.
Today, we are being invited to go into our various spiritual weighing balance to check ourselves while paying cognizance to this vice of pulling down syndrome and unnecessary envy of others progress.
To the victims of this maladies, the good Lord whispers in today's gospel pericope: "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." (Matthew 14:27). The same manner He stood by Moses, He will certainly stand by us in moment like this, when the heathen will see our disqualification and not our worthness through God's grace.
Finally, it is obvious that envy is a threat to progress, as it destroys uniqueness, divides attention, wastes time and energy, and leads to every other sin. It is our prayer through the intercession of St. Dominic whose memorial celebrate today that God may give us the grace to appreciate every one's gift with words of encouragement. Peace be with you!
Let us pray
May Saint Dominic come to the help of your Church by his merits and teaching, O Lord, and may he, who was an outstanding preacher of your truth, be a devoted intercessor on our behalf. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
© The ARCHIVE 08082023
No comments:
Post a Comment