Rejoicing in the Growth and Goodness of Others

As members of the Church, we often succumb to envy.

When we witness someone doing holy and righteous things, we often seek to dwell in their imperfection. We frequently allow our diffidence to deplete us, causing us to cast down others in their growth.

Rather than celebrating our brother or sister’s growth, we tear them down—whether we are doing it interiorly, communicating it to others, or directly disheartening them, there are many instances where we fail to support people in their journey to sainthood. We are so self-conscious that we view other’s successes as our own failures.

Our vanity prompts us to think of holiness as a competition. Because we so often fail to recognize that we all have unique and distinctive vocations, we do not always appreciate the beauty of another person submitting themself to our Lord. We submit ourselves to bitterness, refusing to rejoice in growth and goodness. When we are quick to condemn others’ progress, we disrupt unity within the Body of Christ.

Our insecurity prevents us from becoming the saints we were created to be. We cannot answer our call to sanctity if we are consumed in pride and jealousy. We cannot accept God’s will for our lives if we are too busy criticizing His will for others.

Rather than discouraging others in their growth and success, we should look to them as examples. They can inspire us to submit to the unique vocation God has intricately crafted for each of us. Our spiritual journeys are not competitions. They are not sources of comparison. In fact, God wants us to be free from jealousy so we can be fully consumed by His love.

When we immerse ourselves in God’s joy and love, we will better celebrate His Church. Friends, may we constantly strive to recognize and appreciate the gifts of others without diminishing our own.