Read Online
Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the
sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy
it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger
and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man,
“Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was
restored. Mark 3:4–5
How would you answer this question? “Is it lawful to do good on the
sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy
it?” Objectively speaking, the answer is easy: “Yes!” But
subjectively speaking, when we consider the person performing the
good deed, it’s easy to let our thoughts, feelings, and past
experiences of that person affect our judgment. If we have a
grievance toward someone—resulting in anger, jealousy, or envy—our
answer might differ from the ideal, as it did with the Pharisees
toward Jesus.
Anger is a strong emotional reaction to perceived injustice or
injury that, when disordered, can lead to resentment, bitterness,
or a desire for vengeance. Jealousy is a fear of losing what we
have to another and is rooted in insecurity or pride, leading to a
protective but distorted attachment to our own status,
relationships, or achievements. Envy is a sadness or sorrow over
the blessings or successes of another, often accompanied by a
refusal to celebrate their good fortune and a desire that they be
deprived of it. These are ugly sins. Sins that filled Jesus’ Sacred
Heart with righteous anger and holy grief.
In this Gospel passage, the Pharisees appear to suffer from all
three sins. Their anger is evident in their hostile reaction to
Jesus’ words and actions, as they see Him as a threat to their
authority and influence. Their jealousy manifests in their fear of
losing their power and status among the people to Jesus, whose
teachings and miracles overshadow their own ministry. Their envy
becomes apparent in their inability to rejoice in the man’s
healing, resenting instead Jesus’ authority and the attention he
attracts. These sins harden their hearts, blinding them to God’s
mercy and love that Jesus embodies, and lead them down a path of
malice and conspiracy.
When we consider the Pharisees’ negative and sinful reactions, it’s
easy to condemn them, thinking we would never react that way. Yet,
before we jump to that conclusion, it’s important to examine all
the relationships and encounters we have with others.
Jesus embodies every virtue and spiritual gift—mercy and justice,
compassion and strength, diligence and docility, humility and
majesty, patience and zeal, wisdom and prudence, faith and
fortitude, hope and charity. For which of these did the Pharisees
manifest their anger, jealousy, and envy? It’s impossible to answer
that question because these sins are always rooted in
irrationality. The same is true in our lives.
Considering the people we encounter on a regular basis, it’s
important to examine whether we struggle with anger, jealousy, or
envy. This is often difficult to do because these sins blind us to
the truth. When we are angry, we irrationally blame others as the
cause of our anger. When jealous, our insecurity leads us to
justify our reaction and condemn the one whom we feel is a threat.
When envious, our self-concern distorts our ability to see the good
in another, preventing us from rejoicing in their success or
goodness.
Jesus came to set us free from these heavy burdens. The Pharisees
were not happy because these sins dominated their lives. Similarly,
we will never find the peace, joy, and happiness we desire until we
turn anger into love and forgiveness, jealousy into gratitude, and
envy into admiration and rejoicing in the blessings of
others.
Reflect today on those people you encounter on a regular basis.
Where these sins enter into those relationships, accept
responsibility for them, confess them, and pray for virtue to
replace them. Our Lord wants us to rejoice with Him, participate in
His glorious virtues and spiritual gifts, and receive the
overflowing rewards that they bestow.
Most virtuous and gifted Lord, You embody all that is good, all
that is holy, and all that flows from Your divine Godhead. When I
act more like the Pharisees than like You, open my eyes to the sins
of anger, jealousy, and envy. Free me from these heavy burdens by
revealing to me the humble truth and filling me with the virtues
and gifts You long to bestow. Jesus, I trust in You.
Image: Ilyas Basim Khuri Bazzi Rahib, Public domain,
via Wikimedia Commons
Source of content:
catholic-daily-reflections.com
Copyright 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved.
Used with permission via RSS feed.
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.