Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time (January 19, 2018): Dealing with the jealousy of others

Thứ Năm, 18-01-2018 | 16:26:22

Today’s Readings:

1 Samuel 24:3-21
Ps 57:2, 3-4, 6, 11
Mark 3:13-19
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011918.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_01_19.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mark.

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Good News Reflection:

Has anyone ever been jealous of you because of your relationship with God? Perhaps someone thinks Jesus is taking up too much of your time. Perhaps you get criticized for being against abortion or taking some other moral stand, because your persecutors don’t want to face the truth while their consciences, deep down, recognize how right you are. Perhaps they feel inferior to you or condemned by your faith.

This is what happened to David. Saul’s determination to kill David had sprung up from a seedbed of jealousy that grew out of control because of David’s popularity. And still, David never stopped loving him. Such holiness only irritated Saul all the more.

Jealousy makes everything look crooked and warped. If Saul hadn’t been jealous, he could have seen David’s faithfulness and friendship. He could have benefited from his service for many good years, but instead he pushed him away.

Who’s been pushing you away? They’re doing this because they feel threatened by you, just as Saul imagined that David was threatening his rightful position as king. Jealousy makes people fearful of us by taking a piece of the truth and blowing it up into something it’s not. In David’s case, he was indeed God’s choice for the second king of Israel, but not by deposing the first king from his throne as Saul suspected.

When we cannot convince others of our good intentions and build up their trust in us, we have to place our trust in God, like David did in today’s first reading. We have to love our enemies and do good to them, we have to forgive them for the troubles they cause, and we have to wait on God’s perfect timing for our reputation — and maybe our relationship — to be restored. I know how hurtful a long wait can be, but God’s plan will never be side-tracked by anyone permanently.

The worst part of waiting is caused by our own demise: We base our happiness on how others treat us. And we see ourselves through their eyes instead of God’s. If you find yourself falling prey to your persecutor’s distorted view of you and you start doubting your goodness, remember that Jesus has summoned you like he did the first apostles in today’s Gospel reading. This great King is on your side. Anyone who is not siding with him has good reason to be jealous of you.

Continue to love your enemies. David was kind to Saul even during the tirades against him, even during the many years of flight, even when he had opportunity to kill Saul and bring an end to the persecutions. Often, we have to separate ourselves from those who would hurt us, as David did, but we must never stop loving them. God will honor us for this, as he did to David, and eventually much good will come from our experiences.

Today’s Prayer:

You have chosen me, Lord, and You respect my freedom. May I never let You down but always be Your disciple, faithful to the love You have given me. Amen.

Tags: Dealing with the jealousy of others, Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to Mark, the Second Week in Ordinary Time