Envy is, like sloth, not always considered a serious sin. There are three aspects to envy. The first is jealousy, in which one is fearful of losing something one has. This could be a girlfriend, or a position at work, for examples.
The second is the malicious wishing of bad fortune on another who has more than one does. This is sometimes called maliciousness, or harm-joy, actually taking pleasure in the hardships or failures in another person's life.
The third is envy, which is the coveting of something someone else has. Sadly, this is a commonly accepted sin. Envy leads to resentment, hatred, anger.
At Christmas in family gatherings, one hears horrible gossip about others. This is a form of envy. One also hears about raises which one did not get, but someone else did, or about the breaking up of a relationship being related almost with glee. Or endless talk of new cars, new houses, new clothes so-and-so has.
Envy indicates that a person has a twisted view of themselves and others. Envy is connected with consumerism and the false American Dream, when people think they have to "keep up with the Jones".
Sadly, in a conversation I have heard this past week, two people were discussing what they did not have, but which so-and-so had. This is a sign of envy.
American politics are running on the politics of envy. People here are beginning to hate the rich just because they are rich, or hate the successful, just because they are successful.
All these feelings of emotional turmoil are signs of the sin of envy.
Of course, the second great sin of the human race, Cain's murder of his brother Abel, was fired by envy. God favored Abel.
Try and stem the tide of envy in your families and in conversation. Good luck at doing so. America is full of envy and anger at this time, and these are some of the sins one sees at this holy time.
One way to avoid envy is never to compare yourself with another person. God is in charge of all our talents, things, events. I share this litany as a good prayer to fight the sin of envy:
Litany of Humility
O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being loved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being extolled, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being honored, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being praised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being preferred to others, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being consulted, deliver me, Jesus.
From the desire of being approved, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being humiliated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being despised, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of suffering rebukes, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being calumniated, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being forgotten, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being ridiculed, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being wronged, deliver me, Jesus.
From the fear of being suspected, deliver me, Jesus.
That others may be loved more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be esteemed more than I, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease, Jesus,
grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be chosen and I set aside, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be praised and I unnoticed, Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
That others may be preferred to me in everything, Jesus, grant me the grace to
desire it.
That others may become holier than I, provided that I become as holy as I should,
Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
To be continued....