Thursday of the Second Week of Easter
What is it about the human condition that makes us so competitive? It can be such a struggle at times, and even an ongoing struggle throughout life to overcome the desire to be better than, more popular, prettier, smarter, chosen first, the winner, etc…it goes on and on. And our culture seems to feed that kind of competition and constant comparing of ourselves to others. Some competition can be good as it pushes us to do our best and strive to further develop ourselves in positive ways. But often it is destructive. The jealousy creeps in when someone else has what we want for ourselves or our children. Sadly, we’ve all heard or read stories in the media in which people are even killed out of such jealousy. Although that is the extreme, we’ve probably all experienced some degree of the destructiveness of jealousy when we compare ourselves to other people.
It’s interesting how this theme is present underneath both of today’s readings, with two very different responses. Let’s start with the first reading (Acts 5: 27-33) in which the disciples have been brought before the Jewish Council for continuing to preach in Jesus’ name after having just escaped prison for the same charges. They had been ordered to stop teaching in Jesus’ name, but continued anyhow. It was jealousy over the popularity of Jesus’ apostles that led the religious authorities to arrest them. And as the disciples explain that “we must obey God rather than men,” and continue to witness to God’s work in Jesus, the Sanhedrin became very angry and wanted to put the disciples to death. So, that is one response to jealousy of someone else’s popularity being greater than theirs.
Moving on to the second reading (John 3: 31-36), we have a reflection on the preceding scene in John’s gospel related to John the Baptist and Jesus baptizing people prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection. The previous passages involve some of John’s disciples questioning him about Jesus now baptizing and “everyone coming to him.” John’s response is to remind his followers that he had been clear in telling them that he, himself, is not the Messiah; rather, about Jesus John said, “He must increase; I must decrease.” Here we have the other response to a situation where Jesus was becoming more “popular”. There could have been jealousy rather than the humility that John displayed.
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever disobeys the Son will not see life….” (John 3: 36) We can choose to “obey God”, follow Jesus, humble ourselves and have life, or we can choose to “obey men” and succumb to the temptation of jealousy, which leads to death, not life. Clearly, John chose the better way.
What will our focus be today? This week? On ourselves compared to everyone else? Or on Jesus and how we can witness his love as true disciples? With John, let our focus be on Jesus: “He must increase; I must decrease.” Let us pray for the guidance and strength to choose Jesus and humility, which means life.
Eileen Miller