When was the last time you watched a child at play? I’m not just talking about seeing it but really taking in the reality of a child playing. If the children is around 4 or 5 years, they are generally past the age that they think everything is made for them. Or perhaps not. And they have yet to be tainted by adults mentality yet. Instead, they have a freedom to play. They make believe and their play becomes magical. They invite others to be a part of that play without thinking of who they are. They are totally present to playing.

O how different, we adults are. Instead, we adults spend our lives focusing on either what we dont have, who has what we should, and how we can get there. It is the complete opposite of this child at play. Listen to the words of the second reading. “Where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice.”

What is this jealousy and selfish ambition. They are really two sides of the same coin. They both come because their is a perceived lack in one’s life. There is a belief that one doesn’t have what they should and they either hate someone else for it or they try all they can to try to get it.

Saint Thomas Aquinas says that Jealousy is an irrational anger at the success of others. Jealousy can take place at work, in relationships, in romance, or with acquaintances. It is never someone we dont know much about, but usually is directed towards someone closer to us.

Most consider jealousy to be synonymous with envy. They are very close in nature. Envy, we know as a capital sin. There are many sins that flow forth from it. That is why St. James say that there is disorder and every foul practice. Envy creates other sins because it will try to bring others down so to fill the lack which is perceived by the envious.

Think of the ways that envy and jealousy have played out in the Bible. Think of Joseph who was looked with favor by his father and his brothers became jealous. This jealousy led them to sell Joseph into slavery. Think of how jealousy led Saul to try to kill David. Think of the jealousy of Herod who sought to kill the Christ - child and trying to do so, slayed thousands of holy innocents.

It is as apparent today as it was back then. I am a big football fan. This is a great time of year because I can watch football on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Then on Tuesday and Wednesday, we watch replays. Last night I was watching a little bit of a college game when a commercial came on. It was the espn broadcasters and they were poking fun at the Florida State putting little tomahawks on the the helmets of players that made a great play. The announcers when they made a great announcement received a tomahawk. One announcer had none and the camera pans to the man next to him who had 20 or so tomahawks on his lapel. They looked at each other and the one with the tomahawks said, “Hey, dont hate on me.” That’s jealousy!

Jealousy leads to hatred. Dante said in his inferno that in hell, the envious have their eyes sewn shut because they had spent their lives looking in resentment at the success of others.

I remember when I did missionary work one of my teammates said something that was so honest. She said that sometimes she is saddened and angered when a friend has something good happen. If we are aware, this has been or is a part of all of our lives. We sometimes relish in someone else’s misfortune and the drama that ensues. Why do you think we watch reality tv in such huge numbers. You see jealousy wants someone else’s stuff and therefore a jealous person wants someone else to fail. If they dont they hate them.

Ambition as I have said is the other sign of the coin. The person who is selfishly ambitious will put their own desire for worldly honor above anybody else. They will squash someone on the way to the top without even thinking about it.

At this point lets go to the first reading from the book of Wisdom. We hear, “Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us.” Here what is being said. I am jealous of that person’s goodness so lets take him down. “He sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training.” These verses often is understood as the feelings of the scribes and pharisees toward Jesus which eventually out of hatred for Him, put Him to death, death on a cross.

Now, let’s jump to the Gospel. Jesus was just telling his disciples about his mission on earth. He was just saying that he would die and rise again. His disciples heard the message but could not understand it. Why? Because they were ripe with jealousy. His disciples were spending their time arguing who would be the greatest. I can see it now John is telling James that he is better and James starts wrestling with John. Peter puts them all in their place by saying that he is the greatest fisherman, etc. etc. In the end, none of them were able to hear what Jesus was trying to tell them.

In the reading by James, we also hear what the end result of envy and selfish ambition. It is the same result of all the other capital sins. Whether it is lust, greed, gluttony, envy, or pride - they all need to be redeemed. If the passions run wild with no order they lead to the capital sins which lead to a spewing forth of all sorts of abominations. In James, we read, “Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make way within your members?” All of these passions war within the person and eventually is going to come out.

I know just recently, I have had some things going on that has gotten me a little bit angry and I realized at one point that I had projected this anger onto this other area of my life. We all know this same experience. A spouse explodes because there is a chocolate chip cookie and not a sugar cookie. The spouses anger has nothing to do with the chocolate and everything to do with what is warring within him or her. When jealousy and selfish ambition runs rampit, it will need to come out and eventually will create the drama that we see on the reality tv shows. A web of destruction will follow.

This is not the way of Jesus Christ! What Jesus wants is for us to place him at the center of our lives so that he can redeem, heal, and order those passions within us.

We have this beautiful stained glass window of the Blessed Mother. A good stained glass window usually has a central figure from which stained glass radiates outward with a harmony and unity. This is like the soul with Christ Jesus in its center. Everything else is in unity with Him.

So how do we move from someone who is rampant with envy and jealousy to someone with Jesus Christ in the center? First, we are to invite constantly and every day Jesus Christ to be in the center of our lives and to order that which is disordered. Every morning, we invite Him in and every evening we ask Jesus to take His rightful place. Here the words of St. James, “But the wisdom from above is first of all pure ... and the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace.” Jesus Christ is this wisdom. By inviting him every day in your life and spending time talking to Him, he will order that which is disordered and will bring about peace.

Second, we are to give thanks to God for what we have in our own lives. Each evening as we reflect on what God has given to us, we will be more and more thankful for the blessings in our lives. Soon, our understanding of ourselves will slowly change. Instead of seeing ourselves as lacking something we will see ourselves as being full in the grace of God. Jealousy has no room there. God’s victory over sin will be won.

Jesus also shows us a way to counteract jealousy through his response to the disciples. He said to them, “If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be the last of all and the servant of all.” By showing us the way of service through self-denying love and sacrifice, Jesus gives us the antidote to jealousy and selfish ambition. We are to look for opportunities to serve each other.

Finally, Jesus places a child in their midst and says “Whoever receives one child such as this in my name, receives me; and whoever receives me, receives not me but the One who sent me.” A child is brought to the disciples. A child who represents someone who is open to all people and someone who is able to focus on the present moment. The child does not think he or she is lacking but is full with opportunity. So to us, who follow Jesus’ words will be able to play as such a child with freedom, peace, and joy.