Day Eleven - Jealousy

 

"Charity and Envy" by Giotto
in the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua

See what jealousy and envy do to you!  There is a difference between standing up for what is just and right.  Jealousy is a consuming passion.  

I like what George Eliot writes:

Anger and jealousy can no more bear to lose sight of their objects than love.

To me, the passions cannot be directed from the head.  Passion is like someone caught up in the currents of a stream above a waterfall.  To resist the pull, the waterfall must be heard and understood long in advance.  A decision is taken to avoid the pull of the current, and actions made that mean that the jealously never occurs and does not require a fight.  What action?  The realisation of the damage jealously causes.  I focus on what I have.  I set my eyes on higher and more secure things that are above the insecurity from whence jealousy emanates.

But perhaps freedom from jealousy is also a gift, as with 'freedom from fear'.  Embracing the Lord means that these chains fall off.  It's impossible to embrace the Lord and remain chained.

Here is Jonah warning the people of Mosul to end their evil and corrupt practices.  Perversely however he is rather hopes to see them suffer.

“What’s happening here is a disgrace, and in forty days you are going to be destroyed.” The people knew this was the truth, and they were shocked. They responded on mass by repenting and trying to put things right. Even government ministers ended their corrupt practices, and came and lived on the streets with the poor, much to Jonah’s intense annoyance.

‘I knew it’, thought Jonah, ‘nothing will happen. It’s in the Creator’s nature to be merciful. I predicted this, and that’s why I wanted nothing to do with it!’

Jonah slunk off to see if his premonition was correct. He found a deserted cabin outside the city at a safe distance to observe. He was hoping for bombs from the sky. Under the baking sun, he past the time tending a shady vine, thinking of the succulent grapes developing above him.

But as fast as it grew, so it shrivelled away. The hot sun fell on Jonah’s head causing Jonah to despair. ‘My beautiful vine. Life without you is pointless.’

“Haa”, said the Creator. “You mourn for the loss of a simple vine. I was mourned for the loss of a massive city of people. My people have been saved, and I rejoice for them.”

PRAYER:  May I be free of jealousy, and know that all I should be concerned about it pleasing you.

P.S.
I recall that when there was an earthquake in Umbria that affected Assisi, it was said that more artworks were destroyed on that day than exist in the whole of England.  Now I am jealous.

Inside the Scrovegni Chapel, Padua