How do you react when you hear that your relative or your friend or neighbor is blessed with something special in life? It may be a pregnancy, or a gift of healing, a wonderful spouse, healthy children, a great job, or a beautiful house. Are you able to rejoice with them, or somewhere inside do you envy them? It is even harder to rejoice in a pregnancy of your friend if you can’t conceive. Difficult also to be happy that your neighbor got a great job, when you continue to struggle financially, or to rejoice that your relative was cured from cancer, but you struggle with your own serious illness. When I read the Gospel today one thing caught my attention -- the fact that when Elizabeth, even though an older woman, gave birth to a son, her relative and friends were able to rejoice with her: “Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.” For it is sometimes difficult to rejoice when others are more blessed than we are. And sometimes we even end up being jealous. Today we need to ask God to free us from all envy towards others and thank Him for the blessings we have received from Him.
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