“BEWARE OF ENVY”

⏰Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time II (17 January 2018)

????1 Sam 18:6-9, 19:1-7; Ps 52:2-3, 9-10ab, 10c-11, 12-13 (R.v.5b); Mark 3:7-12

Last Sunday, while we reflected on the call of Samuel and how the High Priest, Eli helped him to answer that call, one of my friends made this seemingly hilarious comment on facebook, “Imagine say Eli na modern day Nigerian Man of God… I wonder wetin e for tell young Samuel.” Many of us laughed over it, but the reality is that many modern ‘Elis’ would find a way to cut short the vocation of the young Samuel so that their own shine no go dim.

That was the difference between King Saul and his son Jonathan in the matter that concerns David today. God blessed David with more exploits than Saul. The people recognized that and began to sing the praise of David. Saul became envious and wanted to eliminate David so as to preserve his dynasty for his son, Jonathan. But Jonathan was more interested in saving the life of his friend than in power.

In our world today, it would have been Jonathan who would even find a way to eliminate David. I keep asking myself, “Which position are you in all these?”
????Am I the Saul who drag the names of others to the mud because they are given positions we consider our birthright?

????Am I the Saul who condemns every rich man as a ritualist?

????Am I the Saul who looks down at every high class lady as having used her body to get to the top?

We all need to make an introspection to find out if there is any way we are turning ourselves into modern day envious Saul. Envy does no good to anyone. Instead, it denies us of our internal peace and makes us to lose out. Yesterday, we saw how the Jewish leaders, out of envy, began plans to kill Jesus (cf. Mark 3:1-6). That made him to leave them and move out to the common people, to whom he brought healing and deliverance (cf. Mark 3:7-12).

May God deliver us from all envious spirits so that, appreciating his grace at work in others, we may be disposed to receive our own graces from him. Amen.

Have a blessed and grace-filled day ahead. Peace be with you.