Today's Term: Envy
Envy is a tendency to be saddened by another's good as if that good constituted an affront to our own superiority. Often it coincides with a desire of seeing the neighbor deprived of the particular good that offends us.(Spiritual Life, A.Tanquerey, #845)
In itself, envy is by nature a mortal sin, because it is directly opposed to the virtue of charity which requires us to rejoice in the good fortune of others. The more important the good we envy, the graver is our sin.
(SL, Tanquerey, #848)
St. John of the Cross teaches us that beginners, who are lacking in humility, may suffer from this type of envy because they do not like to hear others praised, while they themselves are ignored. They also desire to be the favorite of their spiritual director. This spiritual infirmity of envy stems from the capital sin of Pride.
Perhaps we have witnessed envy, which manifests itself by tearing down others verbally in order to build ourselves up in the eyes of others. If someone is complimented in the presence of an envious person, he or she will make critical remarks about the person being complimented.
However, there is some good news for us: It is possible to possess holy envy. According to St. John of the Cross, in his work the Dark Night of the Soul, he describes the traits of holy envy. Here are the traits that I have paraphrased:
*The soul is sad that it does not possess virtue they see in others.
*The soul rejoices in the virtues they see in others.
*The soul is happy that others are ahead of them on the road of perfection and in the service of God.
The wisdom of humility from The Imitation of Christ:
...Other people's interests will prosper, but your own will not succeed; others will be listened to, but people will pay no attention to what you say. Others will ask and shall receive, but your requests will be refused.
Often people will say nice things about others, but never a good word about you. Others will be promoted to positions of trust, but you will be judged unfit.
Naturally, this kind of thing goes against the grain; but if you bear it in silence, you will advance considerably. For these--and many like things--are means by which the faithful servant of the Lord is tried, in order to determine how far he can deny and break his own will in all things.
(Imitation of Christ, Book III, Chapter 49, No. 4-5)
The Holy Spirit can cure us of the deadly sin of spiritual envy. We must pray for humility and see Jesus Christ as the source of all holiness and virtue we see in others, and give all honor and glory to him. We must guard the gate of our heart and renounce any temptation to envy at the first moment we become aware of it.
Remaining faithful to prayer and having an earnest desire of being purified from all sin, will cause the Holy Spirit to help us in our interior struggle to die to self. As Secular Carmelites we help each other in this struggle by encouraging one another, let us not sin by envying the good work of the Holy Spirit that is being poured out on a brother or sister in Christ.
May the Holy Spirit give us the true and pure gift of holy envy that will cause us to rejoice when we observe the good we see in other people.
Peace be with you!
Rosemarie, OCDS
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