ENVY MAKES US IRRATIONAL ~ CookingFood.Org

“HONEY FROM THE ROCK”

Daily Reflections

Monday, 11^thSeptember 2017.

Twenty Third Week in Ordinary Time

Col1:24-2:3;

Ps 61:6-7, 9;

Lk 6: 6-11

ENVY MAKES US IRRATIONAL

In today’s Gospel we hear about Jesus healing the withered hand of a man in the synagogue on a Sabbath day. The attitude, ignorance and ego of the Jewish authorities, scribes and Pharisees didn’t allow them to understand the words and deeds of Jesus. They began accusing him. They were more concerned in keeping the law of the Sabbath, than to provide relief to the suffering man. They could save a fallen animal from a pit on a Sabbath day but not show compassion to a fellow human being. Jesus had the right attitude to save the man not only by healing him physically but also forgiving his faults and granting him grace, peace and joy.

The religious leaders of the time were clearly only interested in themselves, and Jesus was getting in the way of their self-importance. He was becoming more popular and respected than the scribes and Pharisees and they were filled with envy. The sin of envy leads to irrationality and foolishness. This sin blinds us and leads us to think and say foolish things. This is what the scribes and Pharisees did.

Reflect, today, upon any tendency you may have to be like the scribes and Pharisees. Know that their actions were included in the Scripture to teach us about this ugly sin we sometimes struggle with.

Prayer: Lord, I do want to be free of the sins of pride, envy and jealousy. Help me to see these in my life, to repent of them and to replace them with Your mercy and love. Jesus, I trust in You. Amen.