In this weekend’s Gospel when the landowner pays everyone an equal salary no matter how much they worked, he says, “Are you envious because I am generous?” Here the landowner is God, and we are the workers, and like the workers, we question God’s generosity towards others. We ask ourselves, “If I am good, and pray, and work hard, why is it that God blesses others who are less deserving, more than I?” We ask ourselves, with envy, why our neighbor has a bigger house or nicer car, why our coworker got a promotion before us, why someone is a better athlete or in better health. We judge ourselves to be better than others, and therefore we think we deserve more.
I want it to be clear that it is not bad to question while seeking truth, or even to desire what someone else has. We may then decide to work harder to also have a comfortable home or a reliable car, which is good. Unfortunately we ENVY the worldly blessings of others. If we don’t have them, we don’t want others to have them either. It is this envy that is wrong.
Why do we do this? Why can’t we be happy for others? Why not be filled with joy that another is blessed? Do we not understand that everything is God’s to give, and only He alone may decide what to give, and to whom? Let us be happy with what God gives us, and instead of worldly blessings, let us desire and seek heavenly blessings! Our Lord is always just. Let us be happy with the gifts of TODAY!